Summer cherry recipes

The first cherries that begin their brief season in June make me happy. As a child we would eat them at home in Sydney around Christmas time. My mother would bring a cardboard box home from our local greengrocer, brimming with blood-red fruit, firm, tight-skinned and glossy, my brother, sister and I would gorge ourselves, staining our mouths and fingers as we ate the whole box in one sitting. I loved the taste of the sweet, fragrant juice slipping down the back of my throat and from our ears we would dangle pairs like earrings and laugh at our brother who ended up looking like a little girl.

There are two species of cherries: sour and sweet. Here I have only included the sweet, although sour ones work beautifully with game and in relishes. Sweet cherries originate from Europe and there are several hundred different varieties in cultivation. The range of colour alone - everything from deep, deep red to pale yellowy white - is astonishing.

To me they mark the beginning of summer; long, languid, lazy lunches accompanied by plump, ripe (omega) fruit means there really is no need for a dessert. Nothing can replace the delicious taste of nature's bounty, properly ripened.

In our kitchen garden at Petersham we have two morello cherry trees, espaliated against the back garden wall. They're not yet ripe, but fingers crossed it won't be long.

I think cherries are perfect the way they are. But if you feel so inclined, here are a couple of recipes that make the most of their delicious flavour. Cherries have one of the briefest seasons of all fruit, so enjoy them while they are here.

Skye Gyngell is head chef at Petersham Nurseries, Church Lane, off Petersham Road, Richmond, Surrey TW10, tel: 020 8605 3627

Cherry sorbet

Serves 6

1.5kg/3lb cherries
600g/20oz caster sugar
250ml/8fl oz water
The juice of 1 lemon
1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthwise

Wash and pat dry the cherries. Remove the stones. Place the flesh in a food processor and purée until smooth. Set aside. Place the sugar and water in a heavy based saucepan. Add the vanilla and place over a low to medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved turn up the heat slightly and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the syrup feels slightly viscous between your fingers.

Remove from the stove and allow to cool completely. When cool, remove the vanilla pod and pour over the puréed cherries. Squeeze over the lemon juice and stir to combine. Pour into an ice-cream machine or suitable container.

Cherry clafoutis

I have always loved clafoutis as it can be made with any summer fruits (try blackberries, peaches or a combination of all three, though you don't need to cook peaches or blackberries first). In this recipe I have left the pips in because, annoying though it may seem, cherries left this way remain much more flavoursome and juicy. Clafoutis, in essence, is a simple batter, easy in itself to make. Best eaten no more than a few hours from the oven.

Serves 6-8

60g/21/2oz unsalted butter
500g/16oz of sweet cherries
100g/31/2oz caster sugar
1tsp of kirsch
The grated zest of 1 lemon
2 medium eggs, separated
3tbsp plain flour
1tsp vanilla extract
120ml/4fl oz double cream
1tbsp ground almonds
A little icing sugar for dusting
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4. Grease and flour a 23cm (9in) baking dish. Melt the butter in a pan over a gentle heat and, when the butter is foaming (but not coloured), add the first 100g (31/2oz) of sugar, lemon zest and kirsch. Cook over a low heat for 5 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. When finished, the cherries should be tender when prodded with a fork.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together (ideally in an electric mixer) until light and airy. Fold in the flour and vanilla extract and the ground almonds. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form soft peaks. Fold the whites gently into the batter until just blended.

Pour the cherries into the tin. Pour over the batter and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes or until the batter is puffed and browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

To serve, dust with icing sugar and put on a plate with a thick dollop of unpasteurised cream.

Pickled cherries

These pickled cherries are delicious served alongside cheese or charcuterie. A delicious and simple summer lunch is slices of sweet, succulent leg ham with a pot of new potatoes, liberally dolloped with crème fraîche that has been laced with finely chopped tarragon, chervil and chives along with a peppery rocket salad, open textured bread, sweet unsalted butter and liberal spoonfuls of this delicious pickled fruit.

Serves 4-6

1kg/2lb cherries
250g/8oz caster sugar
250ml/8fl oz good quality red-wine vinegar
4 cloves of garlic
6 peppercorns
Rinse, dry and pick over the cherries discarding any that are bruised or imperfect. Leave the stalks on. In a generous-sized, non-reactive saucepan, stir together the sugar, red-wine vinegar, garlic and peppercorns. Bring to a boil and cook for around 3 minutes.

Have handy a couple of sterilised jars with the ability to hold approximately 1litre (13/4 pints). Pack the cherries into the sterilised jars. Pour the hot syrup over then cover and seal well.

Leave to sit for a month or two in a cool, dark place before eating. If properly sealed the cherries will keep refrigerated for up to a year.

Toasted pagnotta with bresaola, macerated cherries, robiola and shaved fennel

Robiola is a pungent, creamy, sticky Italian cow's milk cheese. I've used it here to contrast with the sweet taste of the cherries.

Serves 4

16 ripe plump cherries
50ml/2fl oz good quality honey (we use the beautiful honey made locally to us in Richmond Park)
Half a cup of Fino sherry
1 fennel, tough outer fibres removed, shaved as finely as possible
1 ripe robiola cheese
12 slices bresaola
A small handful of wild rocket
4 slices of chewy, peasant-style bread
1 clove of garlic, peeled but left whole
40ml/2fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
1tbsp red-wine vinegar
Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Pour the honey and the sherry together into a small saucepan. Place over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir a couple of times to ensure that the honey has dissolved. Reduce for a minute or so, then pour the warm syrup over the cherries and set aside, allowing to cool.

Combine the oil and vinegar together with a little salt to taste. Place the cheese on a square of parchment paper and place on a baking tray. Roast in the oven until the cheese begins to bubble and collapse, approximately 5 minutes. You want the cheese to be warm and oozing all the way through.

Toast the bread until golden brown. Rub with a clove of garlic and drizzle with a little olive oil. Dress the rocket leaves very lightly with the vinaigrette. Lay the leaves on top of the warm bread, then spoon over the warm melting cheese top with the bresaola and scatter around the cherries. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of the cherry syrup over each of the toasts.

Serve immediately.