Cherry fricassee with gingerbread and ice-cream

A bowl of fresh cherries is good enough to eat but cooked in butter and sugar with diced gingerbread and topped with vanilla ice cream, it is wholly something else. In this recipe, cherries are stewed to make compote and the gingerbread is added to thicken the sauce and give it spice and depth. Served on a plate and topped with the ice cream of your choice, cherry fricassee with gingerbread is an unforgettable gourmet experience.

Fricassee is typically applied to a thick white gravy-like stew of meat or vegetables that are first sautéed in onions and carrots. Inspired by the thick and luscious savory dish, this dessert recipe makes a stew of cherries. The gingerbread gives it a beautiful brown color while the vanilla ice cream strikes a refreshing contrast. As the ice cream melts on the pool of cherries and gingerbread, the sauce changes into a creamy color that looks like fricassee.

Refrigerated cherries can last up to ten days but it is best to consume them right away for superior texture and flavor. Rinse the cherries under cold water before cooking or eating them and pat dry with a paper towel. Remove any rotten cherries from the bunch, as this will alter the taste of the whole dish. If fresh cherries are not available, you can also use frozen cherries for this recipe. Defrost them in their packaging in cold water or in the refrigerator overnight. Frozen cherries can be store for a month in the freezer.

To prepare cherries for this recipe, gently take the stems out of the cherries, taking care not to bruise their delicate skin. You can use a cherry pitter to take the stones out of the cherries, or an unused and clean paper clip. Form the paper clip into an ‘S’ shape and push into the cherry to reach the pit, then twist the paper clip to pop the seed out.