Ingredients

• 4  cups pitted tart red cherries or one 16-ounce package frozen unsweetened pitted tart red cherries
• 2/3  cup sugar
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 2  tablespoons orange juice
• 1/3  cup cornmeal
• 3  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  tablespoon finely chopped pecans
• 3/4  teaspoon baking powder
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  slightly beaten egg white
• 1  tablespoon milk
• 1-1/2  teaspoons sugar
• 1/8  teaspoon ground cinnamon
•   Half-and-half, light cream, or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions

1. For filling, in a medium saucepan combine the cherries, the 2/3 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and orange juice. Let fresh cherries stand for 10 minutes or let frozen cherries stand for 20 minutes. Cook and stir mixture over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Reduce heat and keep hot.

2. Meanwhile, for biscuit topping, in a medium bowl stir together the cornmeal, flour, the 1 tablespoon sugar, the pecans, and baking powder. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl combine the egg white and milk. Add all at once to the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened.

3. Spoon the hot fruit mixture into a 1-1/2-quart casserole. Immediately spoon the biscuit topping into 4 or 8 mounds over the hot fruit mixture. Stir together the 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture over biscuit mounds.

4. Bake in a 400 degree F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of a biscuit mound comes out clean. Serve warm. If desired, serve with half-and-half or ice cream. Makes 4 servings.

Graham Cherry Cobbler: Prepare the Cherry Cobbler with Corn Bread Topping as directed, except for biscuit topping omit cornmeal and the 1 tablespoon sugar. Increase the flour to 1/3 cup, add 2 tablespoons finely crushed graham crackers, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Increase the milk to 2 tablespoons.