Author Notes
Last summer I got carried away at the Greenmarket and bought waaay too many plums. So I tried to prolong some by poaching them. It turned out they were so good I had to go get more plums for a reprise. Vanilla ice cream is a great accompaniment. —ChefJune
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Ingredients
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12
or 18 ripe plums (depending on size of fruit) -- choose red or black plums
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3 cups
cold water
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2 cups
cane sugar (or less if your plums are really sweet)
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1 1/2 cups
Crème de Cassis liqueur (I use Lucien Jacob)
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16
cardamom pods, crushed with the side of a large knife
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1/2 teaspoon
pure vanilla extract (I use Nielsen-Massey)
Directions
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Cut each plum in half and remove the pit. Do not peel them, or they will fall apart while they are poaching.
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In a nonreactive pan, combine all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat to a simmer, and add the fruit. Poach for about 20 minutes, turning the fruit often so the fruit poaches evenly.
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Use a slotted spoon to remove the poached fruit from the liquid. Strain the poaching liquid and return it to the saucepan. Reduce the poaching liquid to a thick syrup and pour it over the plums. Allow the fruit to chill in the syrup. Serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream as an accompaniment.
30+ years a chef, educator, writer, consultant, "winie," travel guide/coordinator
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