These cherries, with red wine syrup, are delicious served with pannacotta or ice cream. You can also add them to a savoury sauce to serve with duck or venison. They are a nice thing to have around during Christmas and the holidays and they make useful gifts. Use dark fleshed cherries if possible. The cherries will wrinkle (and look a little like large raisins) as they are left in the syrup, which is fine.
Ingredients
| 1 | Vanilla pod |
| 3 ½ cups | Sugar |
| 2 bottles | Pinot noir |
| 2 | Cinnamon sticks |
| 4 | Star anise |
| 1 | Lemon, peeled zest of 1 smooth-skinned lemon, cut into thin strips, avoid the white pith |
| 1 ⅕ kgs | Cherries, preferably dark flesh, with stalks left on |
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Directions
- Scrape seeds from vanilla pod and add to a saucepan with all other ingredients, except for the cherries.
- Boil liquid for 30-40 minutes until syrupy. Wash cherries and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Pour over hot syrup, cover and allow to cool in the syrup.
- Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
- If you want to make jars of the cherries, wash cherries well and pack loosely into sterilised jars.
- Pour over hot syrup and fill right to the top of the jar. Screw on hot sterilised lids. They are best eaten within a month.
