I always look forward to cherry season. It’s a busy time of making jam, baking and using cherries in salads and dinners. I also freeze fruit so I have it all winter long to use. The other night I was looking to create a leftovers recipe for some pork loin and I wasn’t sure of what direction I wanted to go. I don’t like to just slap the same meal on a plate rather I like to try and turn them into a totally different meal. Cherries and pork go very well together so I started planning. Well, not so much planning as throwing stuff in a pan and seeing what came out.

ALL PURCHASE LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH MEANS IF YOU BUY ANYTHING THROUGH THEM I WILL RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION (AT NO EXTRA CHARGE TO YOU)

Leftovers Recipe: Brandied Cherries on Pork Loin

Serves 2

4 slices pork loin or 2 boneless pork chops
2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved
1 TBS honey
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup water
2 tsp dried thyme
1 TBS unsalted butter, optional
2 cups cooked jasmine or other rice

chopped parsley for serving if desired

If you are using the fresh pork chops you will need to cook them: lightly salt the pieces. Then put a saute pan over medium heat and add a tsp of olive oil. Cook the pieces until they are still a little pink in the middle. They will finish in the sauce. It will keep them from drying out.

Make the Brandied Cherries and Finish:

Add the cherries to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the salt, thyme and brandy. Let the cherries cook until the brandy has mostly evaporated and the cherries have softened.
Add the water, stir and then add the pork to the pan.
Lower the heat and let cook for about 5 minutes until the pork is heated through.
Add the butter if using and cook until the butter melts. Stir in the honey.

To serve:

Place 1 cup of rice, add two slices of pork or one of the boneless chops and top with half of the cherries and sauce. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

To serve:

place 1 cup of rice, add two slices of pork and top with half of the cherries and sauce.

How Was the Leftovers Recipe:

I served this with a fresh from the garden salad. Both of us really enjoyed it - the cherries were sweet/tart and the brandy added a rich depth to the sauce. The thyme was a perfect flavor to bring the pork and the cherries together. We both wished there was more. Sometimes that’s the problem with leftovers dinner….

I often showcase leftovers recipes here on the blog and I like to think that you wouldn’t realize you were eating a second take on a meal. That is what I love about playing in the kitchen; I can make a classic risotto one night and then serve risotto cakes with bacon and eggs the next and it’s like a whole new meal! One of my favorite uses for leftover risotto happens around Thanksgiving when I make Holiday Risotto - it’s so good.

Best Leftovers Base Meals

Some base recipes are better starting points for leftovers than others; obviously risotto is one of them as evidenced by the recipes I referenced above. Soups are another great leftovers meal. If fact I just ordered a ham so I can have a bone and the pickings to make ham and corn soup. Souffles are another great way to use leftovers but you have to choose wisely because you can’t add too much weight to a souffle. I have made a ham and cheese souffle that worked beautifully.

Leftovers can become something completely new and delicious with a little imagination.