Some varieties of plums are making an appearance now. Look out for them at farmer’s markets or country farm shops. Before long, more varieties will appear as will greengages and damsons.
Simply stewed, with or without their stones, plums become jewel-like and the juice they produce, deep in colour and flavour, is a luscious nectar.
This recipe can easily be scaled up or down, but you need at least 600g plums for it to work well.
For approximately 12 portions
900g plums, washed, halved and stones removed or, if you like, leave the stones in for added flavour and carefully remove them after cooking.
A strip of lemon or orange zest if you like.
3 tbsp golden granulated sugar plus a little more if needed.
- Put the prepared plums in a pan.
- Add 3 tbsp cold water and the lemon or orange zest if using.
- Sprinkle the plums with the sugar.
- Set the pan over low to medium heat and let them stew for 15 to 20 minutes. Give them a gentle stir after about 10 minutes to help them cook evenly. They should be just tender and will have released their delicious, syrupy juice.
- Taste the juice and stir in a little extra sugar if necessary.
Eat them warm or cold, perhaps with yogurt or Labneh and even some Crumble Crumbs as well. Click on the highlighted links for related pieces in these pages.
Covered and stored in the fridge these plums will keep for about a week. They also survive freezing very well.
Sherbhert champions delicious, healthy and sustainable food where its production minimises environmental damage, exploitation, animal suffering and subsequent processing. Sherbhert’s recipes are simple and use mainly UK seasonal produce sourced as locally as possible.
Sherbhert occasionally recommends suppliers entirely on the basis of their good produce and ethos.
