Black Forest Cake

WE HAD A FAMILY BIRTHDAY and I planned to cook dinner and make birthday cake. I had been thinking I would make spaghetti because it is always a crowd pleaser and I was in the mood for it (I still am). I also had fresh cherries on hand that wanted to be used. I had seen a recipe for cherry upside down cake which sounded delicious.

I asked Alice what she wanted and she said barbecue and chocolate cake. Naturally, I changed gears in my planning. After all, I did ask.

Pritchard Parker grilled ribs which were outstanding. I made freshly shredded cabbage slaw, baked beans, and corn on the cob. Still wanting to use my cherries, I decided to make Black Forest Cake.

I made the cake, the cherry filling, and the whipped cream from scratch. If you didn't want to do that you could use cake mix, canned cherry pie filling, and cool whip. But be warned, it won't taste nearly as delicious as homemade.

Black Forest Cake

1 Devil's Food Cake (Recipe I used)

Freshly Whipped Cream - directions follow

Fresh Cherry Pie Filling - recipe follows

If you have never made whipped cream, do yourself a favor. The taste is superior and you can make it much faster than you can thaw frozen whipped topping. Pour 8 ounces of heavy whipping cream, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into mixing bowl. Whisk until fluffy peaks form but don't over beat. That's it! 

Fresh Cherry Pie Filling

4 cups fresh cherries

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 Tbsp. cognac

Wash and carefully pit cherries. Place in a heavy, medium saucepan along with sugar, water, fresh lemon juice, and cornstarch. Heat over medium until everything is blended and mixture is beginning to boil. Lower heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened. 

Remove from heat to cool, then stir in the cognac.

To assemble cake, place one layer on plate or cake board. Top with whipped cream, then cherry filling, as desired. Top with second layer and repeat with whipped cream and cherries. Chill before serving. 

Smoked Turkey Club Sandwich with Cherry Chutney

CLUB SANDWICHES ALWAYS SEEM so fancy. Maybe it is the way they are cut into triangles and plated pointed side up. Or maybe the extra layer makes them look so pretty. Whatever it is, they really appeal to me--like afternoon tea or lunch at the museum.

Pictured is Pritchard Parker's sandwich. I prefer my sandwiches toasted, which I believe is traditional for a club sandwich, but he likes his untoasted. This is one of the beauties of preparing meals at home--you get to customize according to tastes.

For this sandwich, I used deli-sliced mesquite smoked turkey and provolone cheese. I also used the Fresh Cherry Chutney I recently posted. Recipe here.

We enjoyed our sandwiches at our backyard picnic table while watching hummingbirds zipping from flower to flower. We have a town ordinance prohibiting bird feeders (due to bears) yet we have a very lively bird and butterfly population in our garden.

We felt very fancy.

Smoked Turkey Club Sandwich with Cherry Chutney
For each sandwich:
3 slices bread, toasted if desired
Mayo or butter, to taste, optional
Few slices smoked deli turkey
Thinly sliced red onion
Lettuce
Fresh cherry chutney, or other chutney of choice
2 -3 slices crisp bacon
A slice or two of provolone cheese

On the first piece of bread or toast, apply a thin layer of mayo or butter if desired. Top with a few slices of smoked turkey, then thinly sliced onion, plus crisp lettuce. Spread another slice of bread or toast with a generous amount of cherry chutney. Place on top of the lettuce layer and top the chutney with bacon slices. Add a slice or two of provolone and top with the third piece of bread or toast.

Place a toothpick into all four sides of the sandwich, then slice diagonally to form triangles. Plate with the pointed edge up.

Fresh Cherry Chutney

AS AN ATTEMPT TO FIND MY LOST MOJO and break out of my case of the vapors, I bought a cheerful bag of fresh, ripe, juicy cherries. Due to some recent events in our life, my dear husband was feeling the same way. He came home with a bag of beautiful, velvety South Carolina peaches.

We tackled a dreaded but much needed task, together, over the weekend. Having that behind us and looking forward to gorgeous summer fruit seems to be working its magic.

The first thing I made was a spicy, bracing cherry chutney. Chutney is a condiment or sauce of East Indian origin made with sweet, sour, and spicy ingredients. Think of using chutney in place of cranberry sauce, raisin sauce, even jam or preserves. Top crackers with cream cheese and a dollop of chutney for a fulfilling snack. I especially love chutney with pungent cheese. 

Next up, I will show one of the uses I made of this chutney, but meanwhile, on to the recipe. This is a small and easily manageable batch of chutney.

Fresh Cherry Chutney

1 cup fresh cherries, washed, pitted, and halved

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2/ cup chopped red onion

3 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 cup golden raisins

2 Tbsp. chopped candied ginger

1 tsp. black mustard seeds

2-inch piece of cinnamon 

3 whole cardamom

freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp. sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium until boiling. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer gently 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until the sauce is thickened, just a few minutes more. Remove from heat. Remove the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods.

Use right away or spoon into a jar to refrigerate. 

Cherry Wild Rice Salad with Mango Vinaigrette

I RECENTLY PARTICIPATED IN A GROUP DISCUSSION facilitated by a Registered Dietitian who advocates following an anti-inflammatory diet. The RD was obviously very well educated and knowledgeable. He was also relaxed and likeable in an unassuming and appealing way.

More importantly, for me,  he was a cook and gave a lot of helpful food preparation tips. He also had personal experience with many of the fantastic grocery stores and specialty markets in our area, regarding specific product availability and also pricing comparisons. And his shopping research covered stores from the discount box to the most shi-shi boutique.

The anti-inflammatory diet is based on fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes, healthy fats, fish and seafood (and more) while eliminating refined flours, sugars, and processed foods. It was developed by Dr. Andrew Weil, on the belief that chronic inflammation is at the root of many serious illnesses.  The diet promotes the foods which reduce inflammation while providing steady energy and plenty of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and dietary fiber. 

I really enjoyed the meeting because the study of nutrition and health has been near and dear to my heart all my life.

The secret to this wild rice salad is the dressing and the secret ingredient of the dressing is mango chutney. Which is not on the anti-inflammatory diet pyramid. Otherwise this salad as a meal perfectly fits the bill.

Over the years I have made this salad with different fruits; apples and grapes in fall, dried apricots and raisins in winter. I have used sliced almonds or walnuts rather than the toasted pecans I have used here. The original recipe came from the one-of-a-kind, and now defunct, Blue Moon Bakery in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. I savored their Wild Rice Salad so many times, always trying to analyze it so I could make it myself.

It was years later that I finally learned the secret ingredient. I wrote about it once before, here at my blog.

Wild Rice Salad with Mango Vinaigrette
8 oz. wild rice, cooked according to package directions, and cooled
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 green onions, sliced
1 small sweet onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and sliced
1 cup pecans, toasted
1/2 bunch (approx. 1/2 cup) minced parsley

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Dress with the following dressing.


Mango Vinaigrette
1/4 cup mango chutney
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, or more to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Puree the chutney and vinegar, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Mix the dressing into the rice mixture. Adjust the vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste.

Cherry Eton Mess

MY AUNT AND UNCLE HAD A VAST CHERRY TREE which grew right beside their house. As a girl, I could climb from their second story porch right into that great tree.

Every summer, our family would pile into the car for our annual trek from our home in Alabama to visit my Dad's hometown in Akron, Ohio. There we would split up and move from relative to relative, spending time with each.

My cherry tree uncle was a trucker so he was away from home a lot. But I loved spending time with my aunt and their five (5!) rowdy sons. Their home was loud, messy, and chaotic. The only thing she ever said to me while I was eating cherry after cherry after cherry while sitting in the tree, was a warning that if I kept it up, I would have a tummy ache. I paid her no regard, thinking the joy of eating a seemingly endless supply of cherries, fresh, juicy, and warm, straight from the tree would be worth it.

I never had a problem digesting all those cherries. And when I think about it now, I know my own mother would have been worried about much more than stomach troubles if she had ever seen me perched high in the branches of that mighty tree.

Eton Mess is an English dessert made with baked meringue cookies, strawberries, and cream. I made mine with fresh cherries.

I had some meringues, which store beautifully in an airtight container, leftover from making my Tapioca Pudding. You can see a recipe here.

I love homemade whipped cream. It is super, super simple to make.  It was one of the tasks my mother handed over to me when I was just a little girl. I would make it using an old-style, hand, rotary mixer. You know if a little girl can make it, you can too.  Here is a recipe.

Cherry Eton Mess
Fresh cherries, washed, pitted, and halved
Meringue cookies
Freshly whipped and sweetened cream

Layer, as desired, crushing some of the meringues if you wish, in a pretty glass. Garnish with a whole cherry.

Cherry Mango Smoothie

Cherries and mango are a dynamic duo in this delicious smoothie.

Cherry Mango Smoothie
1 cup fresh cherries, washed and pitted
1 mango, sliced
1 banana
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup apricot nectar

Process in blender and enjoy.

Cherries in Apricot Sauce

I was visiting Alice and her long time friend, Jane. Jane graduated from culinary school several years ago and is a Pastry Chef in a very elegant restaurant. Conversations inevitably turn to food when we are together.

Jane just told me that I was the one who inspired her to go to culinary school! I was so surprised by that and I felt so honored and flattered. It was honestly one of the sweetest things anyone has ever told me. I inspired someone. How cool.

She told me "those cherries" I made when she visited once were so different and so delicious and really started making her think about and want to learn about cooking different dishes than she had known before. She said whatever spice was in the cherries was so intriguing.

Even though it has been many years, I knew exactly what cherries she was talking about. That was the only time I ever made them. Of course, she inspired me to want to make them again. 

This is one of those deceptively simple recipes that become so much more than the ingredient list conveys.

Cherries in Apricot Sauce
(The Book of Whole Meals by Annemarie Colbin)
1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries
1 cup apricot juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 1/2 Tbsp. kuzu*
1/2 cup water
Zest on 1 lemon

Pit the cherries and place in a heavy saucepan; add the juice and cinnamon stick. Place over medium, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Dissolve the kuzu (or other starch) in water; stir in the lemon zest and pour into the cherries, stirring constantly over medium heat until clear and thick. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

*Kuzu is a root starch highly prized for thousands of years in China and Japan for its medicinal qualities. You may substitute another starch such as cornstarch, potato or rice starch, arrowroot or tapioca.

Cherry Clafoutis

When Robin Bellinger posted this recipe on Serious Eats, I knew I was going to make it. I wanted to enjoy more cherries while they are still in season and her clafoutis looked delicious. I even lifted my moratorium on baking for this one.

My kitchen faces west, so I get the scalding afternoon sun glaring in. It gets hot in there! My solution was to bake this early in the morning while it was still cool. As I was pitting the cherries, I realized I can't possibly go through the summer without baking crisps, crumbles, grunts, and cobblers from delicious and seasonal stone fruits, just because we are having the third hottest summer on record. Morning baking seems like a good answer. . .hmmm, peach cobbler for Sunday Brunch?

Cherry Clafoutis
(compliments Robin Bellinger)
12 oz. fresh cherries, pitted and halved
1 cup minus 2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 cups milk
3 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Place the cherries, cut side down, into a buttered and floured, 9 1/2 inch tart pan, baking dish, or ceramic pie dish.

Whisk the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in half of the milk until the mixture is smooth. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Add the sugar, remaining milk and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.

Pour the batter over the cherries and dot the top with butter. Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven for 25 - 35 minutes, until puffy and lightly browned. Cool completely before serving.

Cherry Blue Chicken Salad

We are experiencing a heat wave this weekend, which is unusual this early in the season, here in the mountains. Heck, it's not technically even summer yet. Because we don't have air conditioning in our home, we have all the windows wide open, and ceiling fans whirring away in every room.

I wouldn't even consider baking anything! I don't even want to use the stovetop when it is this hot. In fact, I don't want anything hot to eat. I like getting adventurous with salads and sandwiches in the summer. Yes, and grilling.

But don't get me wrong. . .I love summer! It is by far my favorite season. I like the fresh air from having the windows open, love hearing the birds singing, the neighbors' children playing, the smell of their barbecues. I like the pastel hues of spring, but I really adore the brilliant colors of summer. Not to mention the summer fruits and vegetables.

Cherry Blue Chicken Salad
4 - 5 cups shredded chicken (I used a deli rotisserie chicken)
About 1 lb. fresh cherries, pitted and halved
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small Vidalia onion, minced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
4 oz. blue cheese, diced

Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. sugar or honey
1 - 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Mix the dressing first, and chill while preparing the rest of the salad. Toss all the salad ingredients together then fold in the dressing. Chill the salad for an hour or two, if you can, for the best flavor. Even better the next day.

Cherry Club Sandwich

This is the official sandwich of my club. No, wait, my club doesn't have an official sandwich. Oh, and I don't have a club. Never mind. I'm pretty sure I've never made a club sandwich before, in fact, I don't know that I have ever even eaten one. But for whatever reason (the wind?) I decided that's what I was going to make.

I am also thinking about, and eating, cherries a lot. I still had a couple of jars of preserved Ranier cherries from last summer, so incorporated them into my sandwiches. If you are not familiar with the pretty, sweet, golden Rainier cherry, keep your eyes peeled and treat yourself if you see them. They are so delicious. Now back to the sandwich. . .



Cherry Club Sandwich
For each sandwich, layer, from bottom up:
1 slice toasted and buttered whole wheat bread
Few slices of smoked turkey
Few slices of thinly sliced Vidalia onion
Lettuce (the usual amount)
1 slice toasted and buttered whole wheat bread
Generous slather of cherry preserves
Crispy bacon
Few slices provolone cheese
1 slice toasted and buttered whole wheat bread

Place a toothpick into all four sides of the sandwich, then slice diagonally to form triangles. Plate with the pointed edge up.

Cherry Poblano Slaw

Cabbage is one of Pritchard Parker's favorite vegetables so I use it often. There is a lot to say about cabbage. It is versatile, can be eaten cooked, raw, or fermented (sauerkraut/kimchi), is a good source of vitamin C, potassium, and folic acid, tolerates winter gardens, stores well, and is cheap.


I have sauteed it, steamed wedges of it, used it in soups and stews, stir fries, stuffed it, rolled it, and of course eaten it raw. It teams up nicely with bacon and potatoes. It is famous alongside Corned Beef.


We love slaw and I am always dreaming up different ways to make it. Which is what happened yesterday when I was thinking of the head of cabbage in the fridge, in conjunction with the other meal plans I had in mind. I was thinking of a Southwestern or Carribean twist. I have used fruits in slaw before. . . Aha! I also had about a pound of cherries on hand, so I knew what I would do.




Cherry Poblano Slaw

1 medium head cabbage, thinly sliced
1 pound fresh cherries, pitted and halved
3 medium poblano peppers, diced
Mix together in large bowl.


Dressing
1/4 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium Vidalia onion, cut into chunks
2 tsp. lime zest
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin

Place all ingredients into mini food processor, or blender, and puree until smooth and emulsified. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired. Chill, in refrigerator, for about 2 hours before serving.

Fresh Cherry Strudel with Phyllo

This is a July 2002 recipe from Gourmet Magazine. The recipe claims to be easier than making a cherry pie, but I beg to differ. Two pie crusts would be infinitely easier to handle than sheet after fragile sheet of phyllo, in my opinion. These little cuties were, however, big fun to make.

I love fresh, juicy, summer cherries.

Messy and fun to pit. Buy extra so you can munch while you work as you won't be able to resist, and why should you? When I finished, my lips, tongue, and fingers were stained. Just like being a kid again.

Cherry Strudel
5 cups fresh, pitted cherries (about 1 1/2 lb.)
3/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
15 (17 by 12 inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen
1 stick unsalted butter

Bring cherries and any juices, sugar, and cornstarch to a boil in a heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, then simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer filling to a bowl and cool completely.

While cherry filling is cooling, arrange 3 phyllo sheets into 1 layer, on a work surface, and let dry for 15 minutes. Keep the remaining sheets stacked, then cut in half, crosswise. Cover with plastic wrap, then a dampened kitchen towel. Crumble the dried phyllo sheets into a small bowl.


Place 1 sheet of phyllo on work surface (I'm using a sheet of parchment) with the short side nearest you, keeping the remaining sheets covered. Brush with butter, then top with 3 more sheets, brushing each with butter.



Sprinkle about 2 Tbsp. of the crumbled, dried phyllo over the lower third of the buttered phyllo, leaving a 2 inch border across the bottom and sides. This extra phyllo absorbs juices from the filling, keeping it inside the strudel rather than oozing out onto the pan.


Top with 1/3 cup of cherry filling.



Fold bottom edge of phyllo over filling, then fold in sides. Contine to roll up to form strudels. Place seam side down on a lightly buttered baking sheet and brush with a little more butter. Cut two, 1 inch vents in each strudel. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden and crisp.

Transfer to a rack to cool.
The cook's sample.


Mmmmm.

Cherry Barbeque Sauce

This is a delicious barbeque sauce I made several times last summer, for grilling. I made a batch a couple days ago with barbeque chicken in mind. I had planned to be lazy and buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts. At the store, I saw that a package of 3 (three!) breasts was over $9.00. Egads. I then spotted a large package containing, six plump, bone in, skin on breasts, on sale for $4.35. I made the obvious economic decision to buy twice as much food for half the price. I easily removed the skin, and we managed the bones perfectly fine as we ate.

Cherry Barbeque Sauce

(adapted from Bon Appetit)

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Vidalia onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
One 12 oz. bottle chili sauce
One 12 oz. jar cherry preserves
1 cup Dr. Pepper
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. (or more to taste) Tabasco sauce


Saute onions until golden, add garlic. Stir for about one minute, then add the next 5 ingredients. Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring ocassionally. Remove from heat and stir in the Tabasco sauce. Let cool completely.

Cherry Blue Chicken Salad

I knew, when I planned the beer can chicken, I would use leftovers for chicken salad. And I really contemplated what I would use in chicken salad this time. I remembered those beautiful, fresh cherries arriving in our produce department and got excited about using them. Hmmm, what else would work? How about Blue Cheese. Yes, I think that will work.

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken

2 cups celery, sliced

1 cup Vidalia onion, chopped

2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and sliced

1 cup pecan halves, lightly toasted

6 oz. blue cheese, cut into cubes

Dressing for Chicken Salad

Serve over baby arugula.