Like other red berries, cherries contain anthocyanin, an antioxidant that helps heart health by reducing inflammation, total cholesterol and belly fat. according to Shari Steinbach, a registered dietietian from the Fruits and Veggies More Matters website. Cherries also contain beta carotene, vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate. You can make a cherry pie with a combination of dried, fresh and frozen cherries, but go beyond that option as well. Dried cherries also stand out in other baked goods, breakfast cereals, entrees and salads.
Baked Goods
Step 1
Substitute dried cherries for any other dried fruit called for in baked goods, such as muffins and quick breads. Use a 1-to-1 substitution ratio.
Step 2
Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of cherries to baked goods not calling for dried fruit, such as oatmeal cookies, bread pudding or apple pie. Cookie recipes frequently allow for additional ingredients with no adjustment to the recipe. The editors of "Baking Illustrated" use dried cherries in chocolate bar cookies and oatmeal scones.
Step 3
Stir in 2 tbsp. of dried cherries to pancake and waffle batter. Mark Bittman, author of "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian," adds 1 cup of chopped dried fruit to pancakes made with 2 cups of flour or pancake mix.
Salads, Side Dishes and Entrees
Step 1
Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of cherries to salads. Use fewer cherries in lettuce salads and more in cold chicken salads.
Try a curry chicken salad with 1 lb. of cubed chicken breast, a yogurt-mayonnaise dressing with 1 tsp. of curry powder, 1 cup of grapes, 1/4 cup of chopped dried cherries and 1/4 cup of toasted cashews.
Step 2
Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of dried cherries to rice pilaf or couscous. Add the cherries after the rice has finished cooking along with toasted almonds or pecans, 1 tbsp. of butter and 1 tbsp. of chopped parsley.
Step 3
Cook 1/2 cup of dried cherries in chicken stock to make a reduction sauce for roast chicken or pork. Chef Emeril Lagasse begins with cooked minced shallots and adds minced garlic as well.
Desserts
Step 1
Pour boiling water over dried cherries and let them rehydrate for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, add sugar to taste and spoon the cherries over ice cream or yogurt.
Step 2
Cook cherries with brown sugar, orange juice, liqueur such as Kirsch and Triple Sec, and cornstarch to make Cherries Jubilee. This flambéed dish makes a grand presentation once you set the liqueur on fire.
Step 3
Substitute 1/3 cup of chopped dried cherries for the proverbial "cherry on top." Sprinkle the cherries over an ice cream sundae or over cut pineapple that you have topped with yogurt.
Things You'll Need
- 1 tbsp. to 1 cup dried cherries
- Knife
- Boiling water
- Small bowl
- 1/4 cup sugar
- Recipe for Cherries Jubilee
References
- ChooseCherries.com: Serving Sizes and Nutrition
- Fruits and Veggies More Matters: Cherries and Heart Health
- "Baking Illustrated"; Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine; 2010
- "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"; Mark Bittman; 2009
- Food Network: Pan Seared Squab with a Dried Cherry Reduction Sauce
- Food Network: Red Lion Flambe Cherries Jubilee
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