Fresh Bing Cherry Sauce

Chef #848413's Note:

This Fresh Bing Cherry Sauce is wonderful for Pastries or Desserts but also compliments Shell Fish, Sea Food and Pork entrees. You can adjust the seasoning with ground Cayenne Pepper to your taste. These entrees will take on a wonderful enhanced infusion of sweet and spicy.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 Cups

• 1 lb bing cherry (Fresh)
• 2 tablespoons fine sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 allspice berries
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 pinch fine sea salt
• ½ cup orange muscat dessert wine (*Nibbia Wine)
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup red shallot (Chopped)
• ¼ cup cherry brandy
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Wash cherries and remove the pits. Slice cherries in half and place into a glass bowl. Add fine sugar, fine sea salt, orange muscat wine, fresh lemon zest and fresh lemon juice to cherries. Place bay leaves, allspice berries, whole cloves and cinnamon stick in cheese cloth. Tie cheese cloth with a string to complete the Sachet. Place Sachet into the cherries. Stir the cherries and cover with plastic. Chill the cherries for 1 hour.
2. Peel and dice the red shallots. Melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter in a heavy bottom saucepan and saute shallots until they are soft or tender. Add cherry brandy and reduce the brandy by one-half.
3. Add fresh cherries with their juice to the saucepan. Add Sachet to saucepan and bring cherries to a slow boil. Stir the cherries to prevent from burning. Wisk in remaining butter. Reduce heat to a slow simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove cherries from the heat. Discard Sachet and allow cherries to cool slightly.
4. Puree cherries in the saucepan with a hand blender. Return cherry sauce to the heat and bring to a slow simmer. Add ground nutmeg and cayenne pepper to taste. Stir cherry sauce and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Remove cherry sauce from the heat. Strain cherry sauce using a fine sieve or chinois. Serve Fresh Bing Cherry Sauce hot or room temperature.
6. Garnish Fresh Bing Cherry Sauce with Whole Cherries.
7. *Orange Muscat Dessert Wine (Nibbia Winery, Half-Moon Bay, Ca.).
8. Chef's Note: You can use any Muscat Wine.