Spoon this versatile gingered sweet cherry sauce over pound cake or ice cream...or serve it as an accompaniment with grilled or roasted pork, poultry or seafood.

Sweet Ginger Cherry Sauce

1 pound frozen sweet cherries, thawed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup kirsch (cherry brandy)

2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger

2 (1/4-inch thick) lemon slices, seeded

1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

1. Combine the cherries, sugar, kirsch, ginger and lemon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove lemon slices. Stir in the cornstarch; cook and stir until thick.
2. Serve with ice cream, pound cake and cheesecake or use as a filling for fruit tarts.

Makes about 2 cups or 8 (1/4-cup) servings.

Pair with Mirassou Winery’s California Cabernet Sauvignon.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of www.nationalcherries.com and www.mirassou.com., through ECES, Inc., Electronic Color Editorial Services.