Cherries don’t always have to be a dessert. This savory cherry compote pairs rich goat cheese, toasted sourdough, fresh herbs, and bright lemon zest for something rustic, unexpected, and incredibly wine-friendly. It’s the kind of simple appetizer that feels equally at home at a relaxed backyard gathering or alongside a bottle of pinot noir shared with friends in wine country.

 

Yield: Approx 1.5 C

 

Ingredients:

2 C fresh cherries, pitted and chopped

3 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped

1/3 C red onion, finely diced

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1/3 C red wine

2 tsp red wine (or other) vinegar, alternatively lemon juice

1 TBS brown sugar (adjust to preference)

1 TBS olive oil

Goat cheese

Sourdough bread or crostini 

 

Optional Garnish:
Lemon zest

Instructions:

Sauté the aromatics: in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat, add red onion and garlic for about 3 minutes until the onions begin to soften.

 

Bloom the herbs: stir in the chopped sage and allow the herb to release its fragrant oil for about 1 minute.

 

Deglaze: pour in the red wine, vinegar (or lemon juice), brown sugar. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and simmer a couple minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.

 

Simmer the cherries: add the chopped cherries and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the cherries break down and the sauce thickens into a glossy, syrupy consistency.

 

Allow to cool slightly and top sourdough or crostini with goat cheese and cherry compote.

 

Garnish and serve.