Amaretto-Marinated Cherries
If and when you’re not on a diet, try these homemade Maraschino-like cherries over vanilla ice cream.
(Serves 4 or 5 )
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Amaretto liqueur
3 strips of lemon peel
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 pounds cherries, with the stems on if you can find them that way
Choose a large saucepan, wide and shallow rather than very deep, so the cherries can spread out and don’t require excessive liquid to cover them. Pour the white wine and Amaretto into the pan. Add the lemon peel and sugar. Boil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. The sugar will have dissolved and some of the alcohol will have burned off. Add the cherries and cook at a low boil for about 5 minutes longer, just until they are tender. They will give up some of their skin color to the liquid, creating a dark red syrup. Turn off the heat and let the cherries cool in the liquid. Refrigerate them overnight to deepen their flavor. When you’re ready to serve them, return them to room temperature. The dish will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator.
If and when you’re not on a diet, try these homemade Maraschino-like cherries over vanilla ice cream.
(Serves 4 or 5 )
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Amaretto liqueur
3 strips of lemon peel
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 pounds cherries, with the stems on if you can find them that way
Choose a large saucepan, wide and shallow rather than very deep, so the cherries can spread out and don’t require excessive liquid to cover them. Pour the white wine and Amaretto into the pan. Add the lemon peel and sugar. Boil over medium heat for about 5 minutes. The sugar will have dissolved and some of the alcohol will have burned off. Add the cherries and cook at a low boil for about 5 minutes longer, just until they are tender. They will give up some of their skin color to the liquid, creating a dark red syrup. Turn off the heat and let the cherries cool in the liquid. Refrigerate them overnight to deepen their flavor. When you’re ready to serve them, return them to room temperature. The dish will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator.