Cherry Grunt (AKA Cherries with Dumplings)

Before I get to the good stuff, can you do me a favor? Pretty please? I was chosen as a semi-finalist in a recipe contest and I’d really appreciate your vote! There’s $2,500 cash and a bunch of other prizes on the line, so its kind of  big deal. I made the cannolis, and you can vote for them HERE. Thanks!

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In the summer, I love desserts that incorporate fresh fruit. I especially love desserts that don’t require having the oven on for long periods of time. Grunts are a simple dessert that don’t require the oven at all – the fruit and biscuits cook in a pot right on the stove top. If you have a grill with a side burner, you could even cook this outside!

Grunts are a dessert common in New England that consist of stewed fruit topped with flour dumplings. The name comes from the sound that you can hear the fruit making as it cooks. They’re best served warm and topped with a drizzle of heavy cream or ice cream. I topped this with one scoop of eggnog ice cream – the delicate spiciness of the ice cream paired perfectly with the sweetness of the fruit.

You can use any kind of fruit in them, but apples and berries are the most traditional. For the version shown here, I used some delicious cherries that I picked up at the farmers market. Fresh cherries are one of my favorite fruits, so I’m always happy when I can find them at a good price. I highly recommend investing in a cherry pitter if you like them too – you can pit a whole bunch of cherries in a very short time.  It works really well on olives too!

Cherry Grunt

• 1 pint cherries, stemmed, pitted, and halved
• 1 Tbs agave nectar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 1 scant tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 tsp butter, melted

Combine cherries, agave, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Let sit for a few minutes to release juices. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix together milk and butter, then add to flour mixture until it forms a smooth dough. Drop dough by the tablespoonfull onto cherries. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let cook until dumplings double in size and tops look dry – about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with a drizzle of heavy cream or ice cream

Serves 4.