What's in season-Cherries
A Short But Sweet Season
Cherries are the earliest stone fruit to arrive in our local farmers' markets every year and they are eagerly awaited by everyone, including me. The quintessential harbin...
Cherries are among the very first stone fruits to ripen, starting in late May and, depending upon varieties and location, into early July. Most fresh cherries are sweet, and it is difficult to find the fresh sour cherries, the so-called pie cherries, which is a good case for growing your own. Two sour types are the French Montmorency and the Italian Morello. This quick chutney uses the readily available sweet cherries, but should you have sour cherries available, they make an excellent version, with a little more honey added.
Ingredients
For the Chutney
- 1 pound fresh cherries
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil
- ¼ onion, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped (about ¼ cup)
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the Duck
- 2 skin-on duck breasts, about 2 to 2½ pounds total
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
FOR THE CHUTNEY
Pit the cherries by pushing on each with the back of a knife, then squeezing out the pit, or by using a cherry pitter. Set aside. You should have a little over 2 cups.
In a saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add the onion and the celery. Sauté, stirring, until the onion is nearly translucent, about 2 minutes. Add all but about ¼ cup of the cherries, the vinegar and ginger. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring, and pressing the cherries with the back of a wooden spoon, until slightly thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir in the honey and ¼ teaspoon of the salt and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened and the onions, celery and cherries have somewhat dissolved, about 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool slightly, then taste, adding more salt if desired. Set aside until ready to use.
Cut the remaining cherries in half and set aside.
When ready to serve, reheat the chutney over low heat, stirring constantly. When warm, add the remaining cherries.
FOR THE DUCK
Remove the duck breasts from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Using a sharp knife, cut through the skin and into the fat, but not into the meat, in a cross-hatch pattern, allowing about ½ inch between the cuts. Pat the meat dry and season both sides well with salt and pepper.
When ready to cook, smear 1 tablespoon butter in a frying pan. Place the duck breasts skin side down on top of the butter in the pan, then place the pan over medium heat. Slow cooking in the warming pan will allow the fat between the skin and the meat to render out over time, while still creating the crisp skin you are looking for. Continue to cook over medium heat until the skin is crisp and golden, about 7 to 8 minutes for large, thick breasts.
Turn each breast over to brown the underside, using a pastry brush to baste the crispy skin on top with the honey. Continue to cook until the meat is rare to medium-rare, 4 to 6 minutes. Before finishing, use tongs to hold the breasts on their sides to quickly sear those as well.
Remove to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes before carving into ½-inch-thick slices.
To serve, arrange the slices on 4 pre-warmed dinner plates, drizzle with juices from the cutting board and spoon the warm cherry and onion chutney around the duck.
About this recipe
FIND OUT MORE
For the full list of what's in season this spring, check out EdibleMarinAndWineCountry.com.
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