CHERRY CLAFOUTIS ... oh my !!!

Mark brought home the most insanely delicious cherries from his folks' cherry orchard at Flathead Lake (Montana) 8 days ago - sadly, we've run out of those gems - but, and I can't believe I'm going to admit to this, I found some rather awesome, as grocery-store-cherries go, RED CHERRIES at HENRY'S, here in Encinitas - on Saturday.

You see, I was determined to make a French dessert / side dish, CHERRY CLAFOUTIS, and needed 1 pound of fresh cherries to do it. After tasting the fruit from Henry's, I decided it would more than do - it would be terrific - and it was.

RECIPE FOR ALMOST CLASSIC CHERRY CLAFOUTIS, from Joy of Cooking

6 servings; a custard-like dessert from Limousin region of France; customarily made with unstoned black cherries, because they believe that the PITS add flavor to the cake; BUT this version is called "almost classic" because you have the option (and I took it!) of using pitted cherries - a blessing to the unsuspecting! {OTHER TYPES OF FRUITS are often used, by the way.}

PREHEAT the oven to 375. Butter a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan (or use a Pampered Chef stone, square or pie shaped works for me).

BEAT until frothy, about 2 minutes:

4 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

ADD AND BEAT until smooth:

1 cup milk (I used whole milk for mine - better custard texture & taste)

1 tablespoon Cognac or Rum (untraditional, but good with the custard - I DID NOT ADD THIS,

nor did I replace the liquid with anything ... just left it out & everything worked out just fine)

2 teaspoons good Vanilla

STIR IN:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

pinch of salt

DISTRIBUTE OVER BOTTOM OF PIE PAN:

1 pound sweet cherries, pitted (or not) - frozen cherries, thawed & patted dry, or canned

cherries, drained and dried, can be used

POUR the batter over the cherries and place the pie pan on a baking sheet (if you use Stoneware, you do NOT want to place it on a baking sheet).

Bake the clafoutis for 10 minutes (at 375), then REDUCE OVEN TEMPERATURE to 350 degrees and bake until the top has puffed (it will sink with cooling) and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, ABOUT 35 minutes more.

Transfer to a rack and cool for about 20 minutes.

Dust with: powdered sugar.

Serve in wedges (or squares, if you used a square pan).

BON APPETIT !!!

-- Davielle, 8-18-08