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This salad is delicious on its own or as a side dish with grilled pork or lamb. The recipe yields about 12servings, making it suitable for a potluck or party. If you want a smaller amount, reduce the ingredients by half. Have a cooking question? Contact C
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Yield:
about 13 cups, amounts can be halved if desired
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⁄ cup chopped, dried apricots Dressing:
Garnish:
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Zabaglione:
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6 servings
5
Couscous with plumcots (or plums) and mint
Plum or plumcot Bleeding Heart “Pies” are made with plum filling that is baked separately from the heart-shaped crust atop.
Couscous with plumcots (or plums) and mint is a salad that can stand on its own or be a side dish for grilled pork or lamb.
Zabaglione, an Italian custard sauce made with sweet wine, can be spooned over fresh plums and figs. To give the dish a hot-weather twist, put chocolate ice cream on the bottom of the bowl and add the fruit and sauce on top. 4 ⁄ cups water
⁄ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
2 (10-ounce) packages couscous (3 ⁄ cups uncooked) ⁄ cup dried currants or golden raisins
PROCEDURE
In large saucepan combine water, oil, cumin and salt; bring to boil on high heat. Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Add raisins and apricots. Fluff with fork.
Prepare the dressing. Combine shallots, vinegar, honey and olive oil; stir vigorously to blend. Stir in mint and garlic salt. Toss dressing with couscous. Add green onions and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding lemon juice and pepper, and additional salt as needed. (Amount of lemon juice will vary depending on tartness of plumcots or plums.)
Add nuts and plumcots (or plums); toss. Garnish servings with chopped fresh mint, and if desired, a nice sprig of mint.
“Melissa’s Everyday Cooking With Organic Produce,” by Cathy Thomas (Wiley, $29.99)
Plums and figs with zabaglione
Zabaglione, the boozy Italian custard sauce, can showcase a variety of sweet wines, but marsala is the traditional choice. It is delicious spooned over fresh summer fruit. Here it is a topping for fresh plums or plumcots along with fresh figs. If you like, substitute peaches or pitted cherries for the figs. Accompany with crisp cookies. Or, my favorite variation, augment this dish with chocolate ice cream; place the ice cream at the bottom of the bowls, top with fruit and then drizzle with zabaglione.
INGREDIENTS
5 large or 6 small plums or plumcots (or some of each), pitted, cut into wedges 6fresh figs, stems trimmed, cut into lengthwise quarters
Optional: 6 scoops of chocolate ice cream 6 large egg yolks
⁄ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
⁄ cup sweet wine, such as marsala, moscato or vin santo