Sweet and Sour Shallots Salad with Tart Cherries

Ingredients:
5 whole shallots (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup white wine
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup frozen tart cherries
Salt

For the garnish:
4 French breakfast radishes (washed and finely shredded)
1/4 cup Crème Fraiche (whipped lightly)
1 pinch Chinese Five Spice
Picked fresh thyme leaves (about 2 stems)
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
For the salad (must be made well in advance up to 24 hours):
Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pan with a heavy bottom. Cook slowly, at first covered (about 8 minutes), then uncovered, until shallots are soft, then add the frozen cherries. Cook until the cherries are plump and the liquid is reduced to syrup. Taste when cool and season with salt and pepper as needed. Find and remove the cloves. Allow to stand overnight in the refrigerator.

For the garnish (can be made a couple of hours in advance):
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the crème fraiche until light and fluffy. Next, season with the salt and pepper, then the small pinch of Chinese Five Spice, and finally the drops of sherry vinegar. Allow to stand in the refrigerator at least one or two hours before serving. Serving: To serve this as a Hors D'Oeuvre or palate cleanser, carefully arrange equal amounts of the chilled shallot and cherry mixture (salad) on five or six individual canapé spoons or wide shot glasses. Top with a small quenelle of the spiced crème fraiche. Sprinkle the remaining thyme leaves and top with a whole cherry.

Serves 5-6