Plums work in savory and sweet dishes
Consider savory as well as sweet dishes as the fruit comes into season
Red, purple, black or green. The visual reverie starts in the produce section, where plums and plumcots display their eye-popping array of skin colors, some displaying solid hues; others are generously speckled with tiny yellow dots.
Their juicy flesh is smooth-textured like deep-pile velvet, imbued with flowery fragrance. They are an alluring balance of sweet and irresistible tartness. They are delicious eaten out of hand or baked into desserts, from homey to show-off. Pies and tarts, cakes and custards. Jams.
Look for plump plums or plumcots (delectable apricot-plum hybrids, sometimes labeled pluots) that are relatively firm yet give ever so slightly to gentle pressure. If the fruit is too soft, it can be mushy. Avoid those with shriveling or soft spots. Store them unwashed, loose in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer, for up to six days. Wash in cold water just before use.
Plums are generally available from May through October. Plumcots are most often available from May through August.
Warm Plum-Plumcot Bleeding Heart ‘Pies’
These baked plums and plumcots are vibrantly flavored and delectably juicy. This simple presentation showcases small “pies” baked without bottom crusts. The fruit and heart-shaped top crusts bake separately. Once the filling is baked, each one is topped with a sugared crust and allowed to sit about 20minutes before serving with sweetened whipped cream. To save time, store-bought refrigerated crust can be substituted for the from-scratch dough.
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
Easy food-processor crust:
1 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour, plus flour for dusting work surface
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄2 cup (1stick) cold butter, cut into 8pieces 1⁄4 cup ice water (without the ice)
Filling:
3⁄4 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish, divided use
2tablespoons instant tapioca 1tablespoon cornstarch
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger 3pounds plums or plumcots, pitted, cut in 3⁄8-inch wedges
Wash: about 1 tablespoon cream or 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water
For serving: sweetened whipped cream
PROCEDURE
1: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2: In food processor fitted with metal blade, pulse flour, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar 2or 3times. Add cold butter pieces and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With motor running, add ice water through feed tube, processing until mixture just barely comes together. Pat into disc shape; place in plastic bag and refrigerate.
3: Whisk 3⁄4 cup sugar with tapioca, cornstarch, cinnamon and ginger in large bowl. Add plums or plumcots; toss. Arrange 8 (3⁄4-cup to 1-cup) soufflé cups or ramekins on rimmed baking sheet. Divide plum mixture between cups, filling each even with top.
4: Lightly flour clean, dry work surface, as well as a rolling pin. Place dough in center and roll to 1⁄4-inch thickness. Use small sharp knife to cut out 8hearts large enough to sit atop filling without touching sides of soufflé cup or ramekin (or if preferred, use a heart-shaped cutter). Place hearts in single layer on parchment paper-lined baking sheet; dip pastry brush in wash (either cream or egg mixture) and brush lightly on tops of hearts. Bake in preheated oven until cooked through and nicely browned, about 13-15minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
5: Wipe rims of cups or ramekins with clean cloth. Still on the rimmed baking sheet, place in oven. Bake 25minutes in 450-degree oven or until plums are soft. Remove from oven. If tops look dry, carefully stir hot mixture to bring some juicy portion to top. Place a baked crust heart on top of each; press down gently to surround edges of heart with juice. Allow to cool at least 20minutes. Serve warm with cold, sweetened whipped cream.
Source: “Melissa’s Everyday Cooking With Organic Produce,” by Cathy Thomas (Wiley, $29.99)
Couscous With Plumcots (or Plums) and Mint
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. Yield: about 13 cups, amounts can be halved
if desired INGREDIENTS
4 1⁄2 cups water
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
2 (10-ounce) packages couscous (3 1⁄3 cups uncooked)
1⁄2 cup dried currants or golden raisins
1⁄2 cup chopped, dried apricots
Dressing:
4 small shallots, or 2 large shallots, minced (about 4 tablespoons)
1⁄2 cup rice vinegar
1⁄3 cup honey
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint Garlic salt, to taste
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced, including half of dark green stalks Lemon juice to taste (juice of 1-2lemons) Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1cup shelled pistachios (salted or unsalted) 4pitted plumcots or red-fleshed plums, cut roughly into 1⁄2-inch pieces
Garnish: chopped fresh mint and sprigs of fresh mint
PROCEDURE
1: 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 5minutes. Add raisins and apricots. Fluff with fork.
2: 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.)
3: Add nuts and plumcots (or plums); toss. Garnish servings with chopped fresh mint, and if desired, a nice sprig of mint.
Source: “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.
Yield: 6 servings
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
Zabaglione:
6 large egg yolks
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of kosher salt
1⁄2 cup sweet wine, such as marsala, moscato or vin santo
Optional garnish: sprigs of fresh mint
Optional for serving: crisp cookies
PROCEDURE
1: Cut fruit and set aside. Set aside 6 shallow bowls. If adding ice cream, form 6 “ball-like” scoops of chocolate ice cream and place in freezer on a small baking sheet.
2. For zabaglione: Beat egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until well combined. Add sugar and salt, beating until well combined. Pour wine into mixture and whisk until sugar is dissolved, about 30seconds.
3: Heat mixture over a saucepan of barely simmering water, whisking vigorously to incorporate air into mixture. Water should not touch the bottom of the bowl that contains the yolk mixture. Whisk until custard is warm and tripled in volume, and dragging the whisk across it leaves a ribbon for a second or two on the surface, about 9minutes. Remove from heat.
4: If using ice cream, place a scoop in each of 6 shallow bowls. Place plums and figs in bowls (without ice cream if desired). Immediately spoon zabaglione over fruit (and ice cream, if using) and garnish with mint if desired. Pass a plate of crisp cookies. Source: Adapted from “Food and Wine Annual Cookbook 2019” (Food and Wine Books, $34.99)