June 2007 Recipe

Cherries Chateaux

Very occasionally, a recipe defies the rules and this is one. The name Chateaux has nothing to do with a French castle, but comes from the Romanian word, ‘Satou’, a version of the fluffy sauce better known as sabayon. Sabayon is delicious but impractical as it has to be whisked at the last minute because it separates so easily. Chateaux, however, keeps for hours and never separates. I like to use a white wine with a bit of body for this recipe, such as a Chardonnay or Riesling.

Makes 1 liter/1¾ pints/1 quart sauce, enough to serve 6-8

• 8 egg yolks
• 150g/5½oz/¾ cup sugar
• finely grated zest of 1 small orange or 1 lemon
• 500ml/16fl oz/2 cups medium dry white wine
• 450g/1lb cherries, pitted

1. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and orange or lemon zest in an electric hand mixer at high speed for 7-8 minutes until pale and very thick – this will also help to develop the citrus flavor. Meanwhile, bring the wine just to a boil in a heavy-based pan.
2. With the mixer on low speed, add the hot wine to the egg yolk mixture. Return the custard to the pan and cook it over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens and lightly coats the back of the spoon, 3-4 minutes. A clear trail should be left in the custard on the spoon when you draw your finger over it. Do not let it boil; if it gets too hot or cooks for too long, it may curdle.
3. Pour the custard into a cold bowl set over ice and let it cool, stirring occasionally. Serve it at room temperature or chilled, poured over the cherries.

Getting Ahead: Chateaux can be made several hours in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator. If it separates slightly, simply whisk it to remix just before serving.

On the Side: Think of Chateaux as adult egg custard. It marries happily with many things including cake, berries, and poached fruit as well as the cherries I suggest here.

In the Glass: A delicate custard like this cries out for a fine sweet wine such as a late-picked Riesling, or a French Sauternes if your budget allows.