A bowl of cherries

Everyday Kitchen -

We don't always get the best fruit here, but the cherries on sale last week at the grocery stores were ... well ... cherry.

So, of course, I bought a gigantic bagful that would give me a serious ache if I ate them all, just as they are. So, I started digging for cherry recipes. And I found some that I can't wait to share.

Cherry chops

The tartness of cherries and lime, the sweet note of brown sugar, and the sting of fresh hot peppers meld perfectly in this great summer supper. Use any bell pepper you like but orange or yellow makes for the prettiest colour combination. Serve over rice with corn on the cob on the side to four lucky people and don't expect leftovers.

1-1/2 lbs. lean pork roast or chops, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. each salt and pepper

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 stalk celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

3 or 4 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (more or less to taste)

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. each dried oregano and thyme

2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and coarsely chopped

2 tbsp. each firmly packed brown sugar and lime juice

handful chopped fresh cilantro or Italian parsley

Toss together pork, flour, salt, and pepper. Brown in two or three batches in hot oil in a Dutch oven and set aside. Add celery and onion to pot and fry until starting to soften and change colour-add a little more oil if necessary. Stir in jalapeno peppers, yellow pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and thyme and cook, stirring five minutes. Return pork to the pot along with cherries, brown sugar, and lime juice and simmer together until pork is cooked through and mixture is thick and glossy. Stir in cilantro just before serving.

Brandied cherry maple pecan parfaits

Don't yell at me for daring to call this a recipe until you try it.

2 tbsp. each brandy and maple syrup

1 cup fresh pitted cherries, quartered

2 cups good quality vanilla ice cream, softened

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Pour brandy and maple syrup over cherries and microwave until hot. Cool to room temperature, then stir into ice cream-try not to break up the cherries. Divide among four serving dishes and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle nuts on top just before serving.

Cherry almond orange muffins

The batter for cherry muffins needs a little more sweetness and a secondary hit of flavour.

This recipe delivers in spades. If you use salted butter don't add any more salt, or a pinch at most. Orange juice alone isn't acidic enough to sour milk so you need the lemon as well - it doesn't hurt the taste any, either. Almond and cherry are naturally complementary, but you can use all vanilla if you prefer. Almond extract is very strong so don't overdo it. Tossing the cherries in a little flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins.

6 tbsp. soft unsalted butter

2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond flavouring

finely grated zest from 1 large orange

1 cup less 2 tbsp. milk

1 tbsp. each orange and lemon juice

2-1/4 cups plus 1 tbsp. flour (divided)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped pitted fresh cherries

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, almond flavouring, and orange zest. Stir orange and lemon juice into milk and set aside for a few minutes to thicken.

Whisk or sift together 2-1/4 cups of the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture alternately with soured milk to creamed mixture, starting and ending with dry. Toss cherries in remaining 1 tbsp. flour and stir gently into batter. Pour into 12 well-greased muffin cups and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean.

Cynthia Stone is a writer, editor and teacher in St. John's. Questions may be sent to her c/o The Telegram, P.O. Box 5970, St. John's, NL, A1C 5X7.