In article >,
Kate Connally > wrote:

> I would like some information about Persian
> sour cherry preserves. I have a recipe that
> calls for them (Sour Cherry Rice) and I'm having
> a hard time finding them. I made the recipe
> once before and used canned sour cherries and
> added some sugar because I assumed that "sour
> cherry preserves" would be sweet, as that's
> what I think of when I think of preserves -
> something sweet that you spread on toast like
> jam. However, I'm beginning to wonder if maybe
> they're not sweet at all, but more like a
> pickle. I mean, technically, a "preserve" is
> anything that's preserved which doesn't necessarily
> have to mean preserved in sugar.
>
> If I can't find the authentic Persian-style
> cherry preserves then I'd like to try substituting
> something as close as possible. Now the Sour
> Cherry Rice I made before was very tasty but
> I have no idea how close it was to the original.
>
> We have a Middle-Eastern store in town that says
> they do carry the Persian sour cherry preserves but
> they are out of them. They were supposed to get
> some in but when they got them it turned out that
> they were Turkish and not Persian. I'm not sure
> if the Turkish ones are identical or even close.
> That's my second question. Would the Turkish
> preserves be similar enough to work?
>
> TIA,
> Kate

Sour-cherry preserve:

3 pounds pitted sour cherries
5 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Marinate the cherries overnight with the sugar, then simmer with the
lime juice for 35 minutes until you have a thick sirup. Add vanilla.
Sterilize jelly jars. Fill with hot preserve & seal.

If you use sour cherries in light syrup: drain them, then use 1/3 cup
sugar per pound of cherries. Cook for 35 minutes.

You can find the detailed recipe in New Food of Life by Najmeh
Batmangli, a great book for Persian cooking.

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