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Spiced Pickled Cherries
Makes 1 quart
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Serve these unique sweet-and-sour pickles with charcuterie, strong cheeses, or grilled meats—that's if you have any leftover from popping them in your mouth like popcorn! You can pack them in a single quart jar as the recipe directs, or divide the ingredients between two pint (2-cup) jars and give one to a friend.
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Ingredients
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1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse sea salt
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick, oken in half
6 whole cloves
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 pound fresh cherries, pitted
Method
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In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, salt, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar.
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Place the cherries in a 1-quart (4-cup) glass jar. Pour in enough vinegar mixture to cover cherries and almost completely fill the jar; you can either strain out the whole spices or place them in the jar (we recommend the latter). Place the jar on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and no more than 2 weeks.
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Brown Rice Salad with Cherries and Chicken
Serves 6
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This salad is full of the great summer flavors of cherries, basil and grilled chicken. Buying prepared grilled or roasted chicken (frozen or fresh) will make it a snap to put together. You can even substitute thawed frozen own rice instead of cooking the basmati rice — you'll need about 2 1/4 cups.
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Ingredients
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3/4 cup own basmati rice, rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cherries, pitted and quartered
1 pound prepared grilled or roasted chicken east, diced (about 3 1/2 cups)
2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup finely sliced basil leaves
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Method
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Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan and stir in rice and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Bring back to a boil, stir again, cover and simmer until the rice is just tender but not mushy, about 40 minutes (not all the water will be absorbed). Drain rice and rinse iefly under cold water. Drain again.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, shallot, pepper and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add cherries, chicken, cucumbers and onion and toss. Add rice and pecans and toss again. Serve at room temperature garnished with basil.
