Nectarines, Cherries, Peaches, Plums, Apricots….
I’m in love with greens all year long, but in summer, I become obsessed with fruit. Despite the rapid influx of plums, peaches, and nectarines, I am having a bit of trouble letting go of the cherries, which are definitely past their prime. As I mentioned last week, I find that slow roasting does wonders for less than stellar fruit of all kinds, including cherries.
Once you roast the little nuggets, you can freeze them in small batches to add to salads, curries, sorbets and cakes. I’m grateful to have enough left to play with, since they add a deliciously rich, complex flavor to whatever they end up in. Two recent cobblers, one sweet, one savory, were notably improved by roasted cherries. I suppose the savory one is really something else, but I’m not sure what. By any name, it tasted like more, which is all you can ask of a wholesome, toothsome meal, right?
Nectarine Cobbler With Roasted Cherries
This is equally lovely made with peaches and blueberries or apricots and raspberries (or almost anything, really. Rhubarb and currants…). We served ours with a vey slightly sweet locally made coconut ice cream and some homemade raspberry frozen yogurt, both excellent choices.
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 ripe nectarines, sliced
few grains sea salt
1/2 cup brown sugar (loosely packed)
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 lime, juiced, rind grated
1 cup roasted cherries OR fresh berries
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baker’s vanilla sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a 9 x 9 inch baking dish, melt 1 tablespoon butter (stick it in the oven for a minute) and layer in the nectarine slices. Sprinkle evenly with salt, brown sugar, and flour, then sprinkle with roasted cherries and lime juice and set aside. In a bowl, sift together the two flours, the sugar, baking powder, salt, lime rind, and nutmeg. Pour milk into a large measuring cup, add the egg and vanilla and whisk well. Stir this into the dry ingredients, melt butter and stir in, then spoon over fruit. Top with baker’s vanilla sugar (or not) and bake at 425 F for 30 minutes or until well browned and bubbly. Let cool 10 minutes. Serves at least one.
Curried Chicken Cherry Cobbler
This version has a pleasing spicy sweet/hot balance and tastes best warm or at room temperature. It would make great picnic or beach food and manages to be hearty without being heavy.
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 orange sweet pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin and/or fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups cooked chicken, in bite-sized pieces
1 cup roasted cherries OR fresh cherries, pitted
3/4 cup coconut milk
1-2 teaspoons green curry paste
1 lime, juiced, rind grated
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1/3 cup safflower or peanut oil
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat oil, onion, pepper, seeds and salt in a wide, shallow pan over medium high heat and cook to the fragrance point (1-2 minutes). Add chicken, cherries, coconut milk and lime juice and season to taste with curry paste. Poor mixture into a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. In a bowl, sift together the two flours, the ginger, baking powder, salt, lime rind, garam masala and coriander. Pour milk into a large measuring cup, add the egg and oil and whisk well. Stir into the dry ingredients, then spoon over chicken and bake at 425 F for 30 minutes or until well browned and bubbly. Serves 4-6.