Japanese cherry recipes?

Question

Surely with all the cherry trees everywhere there must be some interesting Japanese cherry recipes out there!

Answer 1

Japanese Cherry-Glazed Chicken Recipe (Serves 8)

Ingredients:

4 Tea Bags

1 cup Boiling Water

1 cup Water

1/2 cup Soy Sauce, Low Sodium

2 large Garlic Cloves -- smashed

5 pounds Chicken -- roaster

***Glaze:***

1/3 cup Japanese Cherry Preserves (sakuranbo)

2 teaspoons Fresh Ginger Root -- grated

2 teaspoons Soy Sauce, Low Sodium

1 teaspoon Sesame Oil -- dark

***Gravy:***

6 tablespoons Japanese Cherry Preserves

2 tablespoons Honey

3 tablespoons Cornstarch

1/4 cup Water

3/4 teaspoon Salt

2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions:

Steep tea bags in 1 cup boiling water, 5 minutes; discard bags. Add other 1 cup water, soy, garlic to tea.

Loosen skin around chicken b*****s and legs. Place chicken in food storage bag. Add tea mixture to bag; push out air; seal. Refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.

Prepare grill with hot coals around sides. Place foil drip pan in center.

Remove chicken from plastic bag; pour marinade into drip pan. Place neck and gizzard in pan. Position on grill rack 6 inches above coals. Place chicken on grill rack over center of drip pan.

Grill, covered, 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat thermometer inserted in thigh registers 175 degrees. Add briquettes to each side of grill every 50 to 60 minutes to maintain constant heat. (You may add soaked hickory chips after first hour of cooking.)

Meanwhile, prepare Glaze: Combine jam, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil in small bowl. Brush over chicken during last hour of cooking. Let chnicken stand at least 20 minutes before carving.

Prepare Gravy: Discard neck and gizzard from pan. Pour drippings into liquid measure. Skim off fat. Add water to equal 3 cups. Pour into saucepan with jam and honey. Simmer. Combine cornstarch, 1/4 cup water and salt in small bowl. Stir into saucepan. Simmer, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice. Serve with sliced chicken.

Answer 2

Here are a couple of recipes I found for Rainier Cherries which are supposed to be very similar to the Japanese Cherry called sakuranbo

Chocolate Cherry Cake

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, 16 tablespoons

2 cups sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

6 ounces Scharffen Berger 99% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup dried Rainier cherries, soaked in hot water

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

Method

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x13-inch baking pan.

Melt 6 ounces Scharffen Berger 99% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl set over simmering water. Remove from the heat.

Cream the butter and sugar. To cream the ingredients, beat them in an electric mixer until they are smooth, a pale ivory color, and whipped in consistency.

While the sugar and butter are beating, sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl.

Add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture one at a time. Add the melted chocolate. Then add the vanilla.

Alternately, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk in three additions. Drain the dried cherries and add to the cake batter.

Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes.

Cherry-Almond Gratin

Source: The Paris Cookbook by Patricia Wells

Serves: 6

Note: I imagine that you could substitute any number of fruits for the cherries here, particularly apricots, peaches, nectarines, figs or berries. Just adjust the sugar and lemon juice accordingly.

2 pounds/1 kg fresh cherries, rinsed, stemmed and pitted

juice of one large lemon

4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste (adjust for sweetness of your cherries, but avoid over-sweetening as topping is quite sweet)

1 cup/125 grams finely ground almonds

8 tablespoons/125 grams unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons heavy or double cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup/120 grams powdered/icing sugar, unsifted

Several drops of almond extract (to taste)

Powdered/icing sugar for dusting the gratin

Preheat the oven to 375F/190C.

Butter a medium ceramic or glass baking dish and set aside.

In a heavy-bottomed pot combine the cherries, lemon juice, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, for 15-20 minutes, until the cherries are starting to fall apart and the liquid has thickened. Transfer the cherries to the prepared baking dish and allow to cool.

Prepare the almond cream: whisk together the almonds and butter until smooth. Add the eggs, cream, salt and powdered sugar and whisk until thick, smooth, and well blended. Add the almond extract, mixing to blend. Spoon the cream over the cooled cherries in the baking dish.

Place the baking dish in the center of the oven and bake until the gratin is a deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Dust the gratin lightly with powdered sugar and serve in wedges, warm or at room temperature. This dessert is best served a few hours after it is prepared.