At this time of year I just can’t get enough of the Washington state sweet cherries. They have so much flavor and while I love them on their own, they also make a great savory sauce. This is the perfect summer sauce to accompany grilled meat (such as pork or chicken). It’s so easy to make as it’s only a few ingredients plus you don’t have to heat up the stove.

I highly recommend investing in a simple cherry pitter (often billed as a cherry and olive pitter) if you do not already have one. It makes what can be somewhat of a tedious task easier and you tend to get more of the fruit off of the pit. Be careful when pitting cherries at this time of year as they are especially juicy and tend to splatter.

While I added a splash of Luxardo Maraschino liqueur the recipe will hold up just fine without it. It’s made with sour Marasca cherries from Croatia and bears no resemblance in color (it’s clear) to the cherry you might find in a Shirley Temple. New to maraschino liqueur? Here’s a compelling article as to why every liquor cabinet should have it.

Savory Summer Cherry Sauce

 

 

Savory Summer Cherry Sauce
Print
Recipe type: Sauce
Author:
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups sweet cherries, pitted and halved
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Maraschino liqueur such as Luxardo (optional)
  • Coarse sea salt
Instructions
  1. Pit and chop cherries and place in bowl.
  2. Add red wine vinegar, olive oil, mustard and liqueur (if using). Stir well.
  3. Season with a pinch of coarse sea salt.
  4. Let sit for an hour at room temperature for flavors to develop.
  5. Can be made one day in advance.
Notes
* Pairs well with grilled pork (chop or tenderloin) or chicken.
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe

 

Source:  Variation on recipe from Bon Appétit, July, 2015