Poached Spiced Plums Food

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• To prepare the plums: wash and cut them into quarters, then remove the stones.
• Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Slide the fruit into the syrup. Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins - depending on the ripeness - until the plums are soft. Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.

PERFECT POACHED FRUIT

Steps:

• Place the vin santo, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, and zests in a large, shallow saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Peel the pears, leaving the stems intact, and scoop out the seeds from the bottom with an apple corer or melon baller. Lay half the pears on their sides in the poaching liquid and simmer for 20 minutes, carefully turning the pears once with a spoon. Remove with a slotted spoon. Poach the remaining pears in the same liquid. Snip off the hard stems from the figs with scissors. Add the figs, apricots, prunes, and the first batch of poached pears and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes, until the pears and the dried fruit are all tender.
• Chill the pears, dried fruit, zests, and poaching liquid. Remove the cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla bean before serving if you like.

SPICED POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• Score a cross shape in the bottom of each peach. Put the peaches into a large pot of boiling water, for 30 seconds, then transfer the peaches to a large bowl filled with cold water to refresh. Set aside for another 40 to 45 seconds, then drain the peaches, and peel using a sharp knife.
• Put the measured cold water, cinnamon, whole star anise, ginger slices, and sugar into a large saucepan, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture resembles syrup.
• Add the peaches to the syrup mixture, and cover them with a disk of greaseproof or parchment paper measuring the same diameter as the pan. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peaches are cooked through (they will be soft when pricked with a knife.) Remove the peaches, and set aside on a warm plate. Continue to boil the syrup until its volume has reduced to about 1 cup. Set aside to cool.
• Brush the peaches with a little of the syrup. Stir half of the remaining syrup and the ground star anise into the Greek-style yogurt until well combined, adding more syrup as necessary, to taste.
• To serve, cut each of the spiced poached peaches in half and place 2 of the peach halves onto each of the serving plates. Spoon a portion of the star anise yogurt alongside each peach. Drizzle a little syrup over each peach. Sprinkle over the toasted almonds.

VANILLA POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise.
• Scrape seeds into a small bowl, discard bean (or place in a container of sugar for a very pleasant vanilla scented sugar) Add sugar, and stir well.
• Place plums in a 1 quart baking dish, add sugar mixture and lemon juice, tossing gently to coat.
• Dot with margarine, cover and bake at 400f degrees for 20 minutes or until plums are tender, stirring once.

POACHED PEARS IN SPICED TEA

Steps:

• Put the sugar, honey, jelly and tea bags into a big saucepan with 600ml water and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the pear halves, then cover and simmer for 12-15 mins until the pears are just tender - poke them with a skewer or the tip of a knife.
• Lift out the pears, then turn up the heat, throw in the cranberries and boil for a few mins until syrupy. Discard the tea bags. Serve the pears with the warm syrup poured over and a spoonful of crème fraîche or yogurt.

POACHED SPICED PLUMS

Steps:

• Combine plums, sugar, anise,cinnamon sticks and vinegar in saucepan.
• Bring to boil, stirring gently until sugar has dissolved.
• Cook then gently for 5 - 6 minutes until plums are tender.
• Serve as desired.