Nectarines Plums And Blueberries In Lemony Ginger Anise Syrup Food

CANNING NECTARINES IN LIGHT SYRUP

Steps:

• Cut each nectarine in half, remove pit, and then cut each quarter into three pieces.
• To keep the fruit from darkening, place the slices in water containing lemon juice, ascorbic acid (3 grams ascorbic acid to 1 gallon of cold water), or vinegar. Drain.
• Add ¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger, plus 1 tablespoon blueberries to the bottom of each jar.
• Pack nectarine slices into pint jars, leaving ½ an inch of headspace from the top of the jar.
• Boil 4 cups of water and add ¾ cup honey to make light honey syrup.
• Cover the nectarines and spices with boiling light honey syrup, keeping the ½ inch headspace.
• Swipe a butter knife or spatula around the outside of the jars to release air bubbles. Cap the jars.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or process as directed below.
• Be sure to leave at least ¼" headspace. Wipe rims clean and place lids and rings onto jars finger-tight.
• Process jars in a water bath canner for 25 minutes per pint or 30 minutes per quart using a raw pack method.
• After processing, remove jars from canner and allow to cool on a towel for 24 hours. Before storing, check for seal. Store sealed jars in the pantry. Opened or unsealed jars of canned nectarines should be kept in the refrigerator.

BLUEBERRY NECTARINE CRISP

Steps:

• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• In a large bowl, combine the nectarines and blueberries. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt and orange juice and mix gently. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish.
• For the topping: In a large bowl, add the flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt and mix to combine. Cut 1 1/2 sticks of the butter into cubes, then cut the butter cubes into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or 2 knives. Stir in the pecans and the reserved orange zest.
• Spread the topping over the fruit. Cut the remaining 1/2 stick butter into cubes and dot the top of the crisp with it. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool a bit before serving.
• For the whipped cream: Mix the cream and granulated sugar in a bowl and whip to the desired consistency.
• Plate the crisp into individual bowls and top with the whipped cream.

BLUEBERRY AND NECTARINE COBBLER

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• For the fruit: Halve the nectarines along their natural seam, but leave skins on. Cut each half into 3 wedges. Toss nectarines with blueberries, sugar, and tapioca and put into a buttered 9-inch round gratin or casserole dish. Dot the top of the fruit with the pieces of butter.
• For the cobbler top: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Rub in 2 tablespoons of the butter with your fingertips until no visible pieces remain. Rub in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter just until it is in even, pea-size pieces. Whisk together the egg and cream and stir into the dry ingredients to make a shaggy, loose dough.
• Spoon large spoonfuls of dough on top of the fruit in clumps (it should look like rough, old-fashioned cobblestones, hence the name cobbler). Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the topping comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cobbler on a rack, about 20 minutes.
• Serve warm or room temperature, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
• Serving suggestions: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

NECTARINE PLUM COBBLER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in apple juice until smooth. Stir in plums and nectarines. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil; cook 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. , Remove from the heat; cool for 10 minutes. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Make a well in the center; stir in buttermilk just until a soft dough forms. Drop by tablespoonfuls over fruit mixture. Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired.

NECTARINE AND BLUEBERRY CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. and butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
• Cut nectarines into 1/4-inch-thick wedges and in a bowl macerate with blueberries in wine 15 minutes.
• Melt butter and cool slightly. In a large bowl whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and salt. Whisk in flour until combined well and whisk in milk, butter, vanilla, and 1/4 cup wine from fruit mixture until smooth. With a slotted spoon transfer fruit to baking dish, reserving wine for another use (such as sangría), and arrange in bottom. Carefully pour batter over fruit (the fruit will rise to the top) and bake in upper third of oven until puffed and set in center, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer clafouti to a rack to cool.
• Just before serving, dust clafouti with confectioners'sugar. Serve clafouti warm or at room temperature.

NECTARINES, PLUMS, AND BLUEBERRIES IN LEMONY GINGER ANISE SYRUP

Steps:

• With a vegetable peeler remove three 3 x 1/2-inch pieces zest from lemon. In a saucepan bring water to a boil with zest, gingerroot, star anise, sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice and simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup and discard star anise. Syrup may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Halve and pit nectarines and plums. Cut nectarines into wedges. In a bowl toss cut fruit together with blueberries, syrup, and remaining lemon juice. Mixture may be made 8 hours ahead and chilled, covered.