Spiced Plums Food

PARMESAN AND PROSCIUTTO SPICED PLUMS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the port, sugar, cider vinegar, cloves, orange zest, cinnamon, salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the prunes; simmer until softened and plumped, about 10 minutes. Allow the prunes to cool in the poaching liquid for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the prunes to a plate and allow to cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Using a paring knife, make a slit from stem to tip in each of the prunes. Stuff each with a piece of Parmesan and wrap in a quarter slice of prosciutto. Place the wrapped prunes, seam-side down, on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake until the prosciutto is crispy and the Parmesan is soft and melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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.

SPICED PLUM JAM FROM FRESH PLUMS

Steps:

• Wash the plums well. To remove the seeds - first cut the plum in half. Next, cut the plum half with the seed, in half again (into quarters). One of these quarters will have the seed attached, which you can easily pull out. Alternatively, you can cut the plum flesh around the seed.
• Repeat with all the plums.
• Cut all the plums into 1 inch chunks (roughly). It's OK if the plums are a little crushed at this point, since they will be cooked down anyway.
• WEIGH the chopped plums, so you can decide how much sugar needs to be added. Place the plums in a large bowl (large enough to accommodate the sugar that will be mixed in too).
• Add sugar, salt, lemon juice and spices into the bowl. Mix well.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (or up to 48 hours). Also, place some small saucers / bowls / spoons in the freezer for the jam test (explained below).
• When you're ready to cook the jam, scrape all of the plum-sugar mix into a large pot. Add the grated apple and stir to combine.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir the mixture to let it heat evenly. Lower the heat to medium - medium low, and cook until the fruits start to soften.
• MASH the plums with a potato masher, OR you can pass about ¾ of the mix through a food mill (this will remove the skins).
• Continue to cook the plums until the mixture reduces and starts to thicken slightly. Stir frequently to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom and burning. While the jam is cooking, sterilize some heat-proof jam jars and lids.
• Check the temperature of the plum jam every 10 - 15 minutes (more frequently as it thickens more). Cook the jam until the temperature reaches 220°F (105°C).
• If you don't have a thermometer, you can perform the JAM TEST. To do this, drop a little jam on a frozen surface (saucer / bowl / spoon). Then keep it in the freezer for about a minute and check the consistency. If the consistency is jelly-like without being runny, then you've cooked the jam to the right temperature. (If you run a finger through the jam to create a streak, the jam shouldn't join back up in the middle to fill the streak, if it's at the right consistency).
• Remove the pot from the heat.
• Using clean tongs, clean ladles and clean paper towels, carefully ladle hot jam into the hot, sterilized jars. Please be careful, as the jam and jars will be very hot at this stage (wear gloves or oven mitts to protect yourself).
• Screw on the lids while the jars are hot. As the jam and jars cool down, this will create a seal.
• Allow the jars to cool to room temperature completely. Then label and store.

SPICY OVEN-ROASTED PLUMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
• Place the plums, cut-side up, in a single layer in the baking dish.
• Whisk together the orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, and cardamom in a bowl; drizzle over the plums.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until plums are hot and the sauce is bubbly. Top with toasted almonds, if desired (see Cook's Note).

GRILLED SPICED CHICKEN AND PLUMS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, and salt and black pepper to taste; transfer to a large bowl and toss with 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons olive oil and half of the lemon juice. Toss the plums with 1 teaspoon olive oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon allspice and a pinch each of cayenne and salt in another large bowl.
• Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until marked, 10 minutes. Cover and continue grilling until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. (Move the chicken to a cooler part of the grill if it's getting too dark.) Grill the plums, flipping, until slightly softened, 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken and plums to a platter; brush the chicken with the honey.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; pat dry and transfer to a medium bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the almonds; season with salt and black pepper and toss to coat.
• Whisk the yogurt with the remaining grated garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl; season with salt. Serve the chicken with the plums and broccoli; spoon the yogurt sauce over the broccoli.

SPICED PLUM PIE

Steps:

• Roll out 1 pie crust disk on floured surface to 13 1/2-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Refrigerate crust while preparing filling.
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 375°F. Place foil-lined baking sheet in bottom of oven to catch any spills. Mix 3 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl; set aside. Whisk 1 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, and next 6 ingredients in large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Add plums and toss to coat. Spoon filling into crust, mounding slightly in center.
• Roll out second pie crust disk on floured surface to 13 1/2-inch round. Drape crust over filling; trim overhang to 1 inch. Press top and bottom crust edges together. Fold edges under; crimp. Using sharp knife, cut four 2-inch-long slits in center of top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush crust (but not edges) with cream. Sprinkle reserved cinnamon sugar over crust.
• Bake pie 30 minutes. Tent pie loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake until filling bubbles thickly through slits, about 1 hour longer. Cool completely on rack.

CRUNCHY SPICED PLUMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Mix the sugar with 2 tbsp water in a baking dish, add the star anise, then pop in the plums, cut-side down. They should fit quite snugly. Dot with the butter. Roast for about 5 mins until the plums are starting to soften on the bottom, then turn them over. Roast for another 5 mins or until tender - this will depend on how ripe your fruit is.
• Roughly crush the Hobnobs, then spoon a little on top of each plum half. Return to the oven for a few mins more until the biscuit topping takes on a dark gold colour. Serve the plums and their scented, syrupy juices with custard or ice cream.

SPICED ITALIAN PLUMS (PRUNES) IN PORT

Steps:

• Cut plums in half and remove pit. Combine sugar, water, orange peel, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer a few minutes. Add plums, a layer at a time to heat through, about 2 minutes. Remove plums from syrup.
• Pack hot plums into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
• Repeat with remaining plums.
• Reheat syrup to a boil. Remove from heat; discard cinnamon sticks. Stir in port.
• Pour over plums, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. (add a few cloves and pieces of orange peel to each jar). Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps.
• Process 20 minutes in boiling water bath.

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.

STOVETOP STEWED PLUMS WITH CINNAMON

Steps:

• Enjoy!

SPICED PLUM CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Finely grind star anise, clove, and cinnamon stick in spice mill or coffee grinder.
• Combine spice mixture, vinegar, sugar, ginger, mustard seeds, and pepper in heavy large saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and bring to boil. Add plums; reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chutney thickens and chunky sauce forms, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool. Season to taste with salt.
• *Available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Asian markets.

SPICED PLUM COMPOTE

Steps:

• Bring water, brown sugar, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and cloves. Add plums, and return to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until plums are tender but still hold their shape, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer plums to a medium bowl. Continue to simmer sauce until syrupy, about 8 more minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in salt. Add sauce to plums. Serve chilled with yogurt and granola.