Pickled Cherries

This recipe comes to us from chef Hugh Acheson and his book Pick a Pickle. You can also try his recipe for Pickled Blueberries. Acheson discusses more things to consider when pickling fruits and vegetables with Francis Lam during the listener question segment of our episode "How Restaurants Are Dealing." He also suggests two great pickling and food preservation resources, the Ball Jar website and University of Georgia's National Center for Home Food Preservation.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds pitted cherries

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

• 2 star anise pieces

• 1 whole clove

• 1 1/2 cups white balsamic vinegar

• 1 cup water

Pick a Pickle by Hugh Acheson

Directions

Pack the cherries into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top, and set aside.

Combine the salt, sugar, star anise, clove, vinegar, and water in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Carefully ladle the hot pickling liquid into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace in each. Cap with lids and bands, cool for 2 hours, and then either refrigerate or process according to the jar manufacturer’s directions.

The pickles can be refrigerated for 7 to 10 days; if processed, they will keep for up to 10 months.

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