A Spirited Redux. From plain Jane vanilla extract to fancy-pants elderflower liqueur, we like to keep a little liquor in the kitchen. Show us how you like to cook, bake or mix-it-up with spirits, extracts and other alcohols. A splash of vodka makes summer sauces shine – and liqueurs brighten desserts: What’s your healthy recipe with spirit?
Red wine was my spirit of choice and I knew I wanted to create a reduction to be used on a salad instead of dressing. At first I had way too many ingredients and was making it more complicated than it needed to be. The basic reduction recipe was simple to come up with and the tweaking to find just the right amounts took only a few tries. In the end, simple was best. The few ingredients in the reduction were complimentary without any single ingredient overwhelming the flavor of the dish.
My obsession with cherries continues. Slightly tart combined with the fresh sweet flavor makes cherries the perfect accompaniment with red wine.
A simple reduction combining the bold wine flavor with the tart sweet cherries make this the perfect complement to rich salmon fillets. Gluten Free - Lunch - Dinner
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup red wine (I used Malbec)
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon corn starch
- 4 cups Spring Mix
- small handful of red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 ounces grilled salmon fillets
- 2 tablespoons feta
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan add cherries and spritz with extra virgin olive oil and let cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the wine and sugar and bring to a low boil and let reduce for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. The cherries should be cooked but not too soft.
- While the reduction is simmering, grill salmon fillets for approximately 12-13 minutes.
- After the reduction has simmered add pepper.
- Divide the following on 2 plates to serve, spring mix, top with salmon fillets, feta, red onion slices and reduction including the cherries.
- Enjoy!
The combination of wonderful textures and the variety of complimentary flavors makes this a dish to savor.
If you’re looking for more wonderful ways to enjoy cherries other than right out of the bag, try my Fruit and Yogurt Snack with a Protein Boost.
What’s your favorite spirited recipe? Do you prefer red or white wine?
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Oh I love salads, this one looks amazing! Cant wait to try it, great post!
Salmon and cherries: a worthy combination and one I’ve done in the past, too, but as grilled salmon with a cherry compote. I do love salmon salads, too, and here in the Northwest I get to enjoy them often. I like to use a bit of liquor in reductions and desserts, too, but for whatever reason have not used red wine much for that application, it looks delicious here!
That reduction sounds downright dreamy and so perfectly paired with the salmon and cherries! This is salad worth getting excited about.
Beautiful photos Jill! This salad looks so healthy, love the addition of cherries! I’ve can’t stop eating fresh cherries right now… so good!
Salmon is what keeps me ALIVEEEE!!! And this recipe is making me crave it so badly right now! But not to worry, I will be eating it SOON ENOUGH! ha ha.
UM YUM!!! I LOVE CHERRIES! For cooking though, I must say I use white wine a lot more than red. I enjoy doing reductions with shrimp and garlic. For red wine, that comes out during hunting season when we have a supply of venison. It makes a delish reduction with garlic, mushrooms and onions.
Love this! You had me at cherry. 🙂
This looks divine… grilled salmon salads are potentially my favorite food. Now to just figure out if I like cherries…
Your photos are so beautiful! This recipe looks absolutely amazing.
This looks amazing! I love salmon so much, and this cherry reduction? Perfection!
xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.
Looks incredible, I’m a big fan of salmon and cherries so I’ll try this for lunch this week.
this looks so good and now I’m hungry lol. I love salmon salads…my favorite are salmon ceasar salads. I’ve never tried cherries in a salad before , but definitely want to try it now! Thanks for sharing!
The salmon is making me salivate! I bet it tasted too good with the cherries
Oooh, salmon and cherry? Sounds delicious!
Love salmon. I have never made a reduction. Will definitly try!
I never thought about cherries in a reduction. I did blackberry a few weeks back. Any fruit this time of year is so good.
This looks so yummy. I love salmon so will definitely be giving this a try
Gorgeous pictures! Love cherries right now!
I love how you used the red wine! Excited to try the wine and cherry reduction!
I love cherries AND malbec… perfect combination!
oh my goodness! I’m now craving this…
I’m not the biggest fan of red wine, although your beautiful photos are changing my mind. I LOVE salmon, cherries, and salad, so this looks delicious!
Beautiful salad! What a great summertime dinner!
MMMMMM cherries!!! They are so yummy right now! This looks fabulous! Oh and I’m a white wine girl!
This looks so good! I love fresh dishes like this in the summer, especially featuring fruits and veggies that are in season!!! 🙂
I COULD SPOON THAT CHERRY REDUCTION! I love using both red and white wine, but it just depends on the main dish, ya know?
What a clean, healthy meal! Cherries are my favorite fruit and they are perfect for this time of year. Love this, Jill!
Mmm, cherries. I seriously can’t get enough of them!
Oooooh what a wonderful idea! Salmon and cherry, would never have thought, but I can definitely see it working! Salmon is so good for recovery as well, I need to increase my fish intake as my mileage goes up! Thanks for sharing Jill!
Love. Cherries are the best for reductions. I did an amazing cherry-red wine reduction with pork once. Oh, so, so good.
I read your recipes and I wonder how delicious they must be. I am a no-cook, but I love eating good food. 😛 My mom prepares amazing spirited deserts. Maybe one day I will get there. thanks for sharing!
Never thought to add cherries to a savoury salad- pinning this, I reckon the tartness would compliment salmon perfectly!