Sautéed Cherries with Raspberry Coulis

I had this dessert at an Italian restaurant years ago and it was so wonderful I had to recreate the recipe so I could enjoy it at home.

This is basically a cleaned-up, modernized version of cherries jubilee, but with more sophisticated flavors. The raspberry coulis give it a little tartness and slight crunch and the olive oil adds an unexpected layer of flavor that really makes this dish special. I know, it seems weird to add olive oil to a dessert, but trust me, you'll love this dish. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz Frozen Raspberries

• 2 Tbsp Raw Honey

• 2 tsp Thyme (finely minced)

• 2 tsp Lemon Juice

• 1 Tbsp Cherry Liquer Or Kirschwasser

• 1 Tbsp Water

• 1 lb Cherries (pitted and halved)

• 2 tsp Lemon Juice

• 1 Tbsp Cherry Liqueur Or Kirschwasser

• 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Remove the cherry pits using a cherry pitter, slice the cherries in half and set aside. You may want to wear rubber gloves as the cherries will stain your fingers.
2. For the raspberry coulis: Combine raspberries, honey, water, lemon juice, thyme and cherry liqueur or kirschwasser (cherry brandy) in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Cook and stir until raspberries break down, and sauce is heated through and slightly thickened, 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. For the cherries: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the cherries and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cherries are tender and heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the cherry liqueur and lemon juice, stir, then remove from the heat and mix in extra virgin olive oil until well combined.
6. Divide the cherries among 6 shallow dishes, drizzle with warm or chilled raspberry coulis and top with non-dairy vanilla ice cream.