Plums are at the height of their powers now, but they suffer a slight public relations problem. In a season when peaches are the stone fruit everyone is making a fuss over, and blueberries, melons and even mangoes are the juicy fruits of choice, plums are often passed over. Maybe it’s because the plum’s elastic, tannic, skin is more effective at hiding the perfume inside, unlike the downy wrap of a ripe peach.
“I know when you look at plums in the store you think of a sour taste,” says pastry chef Della Gossett of Trio in Evanston. “But I like the tartness.” Gossett created “plum heaven” for the restaurant, a chilled soup of pureed plums infused with ginger and lemon grass, and swirled with vanilla frozen yogurt.
“The plums really bring out a sweet-sourness that goes along with the sweet and creamy taste of the yogurt,” she says.
Gossett recently prepared a plum, nectarine and cherry cobbler for the restaurant and has also featured oven-baked plums in a warm compote to go with baked custard.
There’s more inspiration at other restaurants.
Chef Michael Bellovich at Adagio on the Near North Side serves a grilled sea bass entree garlanded with sauteed, prosciutto-wrapped plums. At con fusion in Bucktown, pastry chef Dawn O’Rourke put on the menu a dish of Burgundian plums in spiced wine with citrus semi-freddo, a soft ice cream and custard dish.
The Flat Top Grill in Old Town blends Asian plum sauce with soy sauce and lemon pepper for basting grilled meats. And at Cafe Las Bellas Artes in Elmhurst, Michael Duarte combines plums with chipotle peppers, red wine and beef stock for a puree to go with beef tenderloin or venison.
For some, the fruit’s deep, royal color seems more suited to cold weather, but a well-stocked grocery will feature plums that range from purple to pale red to golden to green.
And of course there’s a bit of prejudice against plums when they’re associated with their ugly stepsisters: prunes.
But take another look at these beauties.
Plums were a favorite European fruit for centuries, celebrated for the moist sweetness they add to desserts, for the deep flavor they give to roast meats and for the fermented fruit essence that yields plum brandy and clear eau de vie.
Ancient Romans imported plums from the Syrian territories; those plums from Damascus came to be known as Damson plums. The Chinese were eating plums as far back as the 5th Century B.C., according to James Trager in “The Food Chronology.”
But the fruit has a role in American culinary life as well, most notably as the wild beach plums that were served at the original Thanksgiving feast. The United States now produces most of the world’s plums, primarily on the West Coast, particularly California. One of the most common plums is the “improved French” variety, or the prune d’Agen, which was brought to America from France 150 years ago.
There’s a huge market for prune plums, varieties that have a high sugar content and are best for drying. Much of the prune plum crop is exported to Japan and Germany. Scandinavian countries feature prunes in soups, stuffings and a garnish for roast goose; French cooks braise pork loin with prunes or use the dried fruit in tarts.
And although prunes are commonly eaten out of the box or drunk as prune juice in this country, our consumption of fresh plums still lags behind other fruits.
For instance, in Washington state, a big plum producer, the 1997 yield is expected to be 1,000 tons; compare that with the estimated 12,500 tons of peaches that will come from Washington this summer.
Marilyn Watkins of the Plum Marketing Board in Reedly, Calif., says that plums haven’t been able to capture the consumers’ imagination because the fruit’s season is so brief.
“People don’t know that there are about 200 varieties of plums, because one variety may be harvested for a week and then they’re gone,” Watkins says. “Apples can be stored and shipped throughout the year, but not plums. Our industry hasn’t really pushed specific varietiesyou go into a store and fall in love with Santa Rosas but can only get them two weeks a year.”
So take advantage of the remaining weeks that plums are in season. Take them in hand if that’s the way you like to eat plums, or make them a part of a main course or dessert. But hurry; fresh plums disappear fast, like the other pleasures of the season.
PLUMBING PLUMS’ FLAVOR
Plums add a juiciness to main dishes and desserts in the same way mangoes and peaches do. Just-ripe plums often have a hint of tartness that gives the recipe a little tang. Consider using plums in these dishes:
— Pureed with raspberries, blueberries, ginger and cream for a cold fruit soup
— Braised with pork loin and peaches
— Sliced thick and wrapped in thin prosciutto slices
— Stewed with blueberries and sugar
— Halved and pitted, then filled with curried crab meat salad
— Stir-fried with duck breast, onions, ginger and plum sauce
— Diced with ginger and citrus and cilantro for salsa
— Sugared, wrapped in puff pastry and baked
— Roasted with lamb or chicken sausages
ASIAN CHICKEN PLUM SALAD
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This salad, developed in the Tribune test kitchen, can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled.
1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons each: vegetable oil, hoisin sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
4 ounces dried angel-hair pasta
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked, cubed
3 ripe, firm red plums, pitted, cut into chunks
2 cups shredded bok choy
2 green onions, sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional
1. For dressing, combine broth, soy sauce, vegetable oil, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, sugar, pepper flakes, salt and pepper in blender container. Blend until mixed.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; toss with 2 tablespoons of the dressing.
3. Combine chicken, plums and bok choy in large bowl. Toss with remaining dressing.
4. Place pasta on serving platter or individual plates. Top with chicken salad and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if using.
Nutrition information per serving (with sesame seeds):
Calories …… 340 Cholesterol .. 35 mg Carbohydrate .. 38 g
Fat ………. 13 g Sodium …… 815 mg Protein ……. 20 g
PLUM CHAMPAGNE SORBET
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Standing time: 1 hour
Freezing time: varies
Yield: 4 servings
A refreshing end to any meal. Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup each: sugar and Champagne or sparkling wine
4 to 5 ripe firm plums, pitted, cut into chunks
1. Mash zest with 1 teaspoon of the sugar to release oil. Combine zest mixture with remaining sugar and Champagne in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.
2. Puree plums with lemon juice in blender or food processor fitted with metal blade. Add syrup while motor is running; process until smooth.
3. Freeze mixture in ice-cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. If ice-cream maker is not available, pour mixture into 9-inch square metal pan. Cover, freeze until firm, 3 to 4 hours. Spoon into food processor or bowl of electric mixer; beat until light and fluffy. Transfer to bowl; cover and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories … 260 Cholesterol .. 0 mg Carbohydrates .. 60 g
Fat …… 0.5 g Sodium ……. 1 mg Protein ……. 0.5 g
PORK RIB ROAST WITH ROASTED PLUMS
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
This roast looks impressive, but you don’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
2 large white onions, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
6 firm plums, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch wedges
4 bacon slices, chopped
1 eight-rib pork roast, 41/2 to 5 pounds
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary sprigs
Salt, ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup water
1 to 2 tablespoons light brown or granulated sugar
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange onions and plums on bottom of roasting pan; top with bacon pieces.
2. Cut small slits into fat layer of roast about 1 inch apart. Insert garlic slice and a small piece of rosemary sprig into each slit. Season both sides of roast with salt and pepper; place roast rib-side down on onions and plums. Bake until meat thermometer inserted into center of meat reads 160 degrees (be sure thermometer is not touching bone), about 1 hour, 30 minutes.
3. Transfer roast to cutting board; loosely cover with aluminum foil. Carefully drain fat from pan; add water and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to loosen any brown bits from bottom of pan, until liquid is almost evaporated. Season to taste. If too tart, add additional sugar as needed.
4. Spoon onion-plum mixture onto serving platter. Slice roast into chops between ribs; arrange on onions and plums.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 485 Cholesterol .. 120 mg Carbohydrates .. 18 g
Fat ………. 24 g Sodium ……. 280 mg Protein …….. 49 g
TANGY LEMON-PLUM TART
Preparation time: 1 hour
Baking time: 18-22 minutes
Standing time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings
The lemon curd filling is quite tart. If you like a sweeter filling, increase the sugar to 2 cups. Developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
5 to 6 plums, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 large eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plum preserves
9-inch baked, cooled tart crust, see recipe
1. Combine 11/2 cups of the sugar and water in medium saucepan. Heat over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium; heat to a boil. Boil until syrup reaches soft ball stage, 238 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add plum slices; return to a boil. Remove saucepan from heat. Let stand 1 hour.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine zest, lemon juice, eggs and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in bowl of electric mixer; beat until light. Add cream and salt; beat until smooth. Pour into cooled crust and bake until set, about 18 to 22 minutes. Cool.
3. Remove plum slices from syrup, drain and arrange on top of filling. Heat preserves in small saucepan over medium heat. Pour through mesh strainer; discard plum pieces. Brush over plum slices. Serve.
Nutrition information per serving (including crust):
Calories ….. 565 Cholesterol .. 140 mg Carbohydrate .. 89 g
Fat ……… 23 g Sodium ……. 110 mg Protein …….. 5 g
FRUIT TART CRUST
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 14-16 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
This basic pastry is perfect for fruit pies or tarts.
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (11/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 egg yolk
1 to 2 tablespoons cold water
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor fitted with metal blade (see note). Add butter; process until mixture resembles pieces about the size of small peas.
2. Mix egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of the water together in small bowl. Add to flour mixture. Pulse on and off just until dough forms a rough ball. If too dry add small amounts of remaining water, processing after each addition.
3. Press crust onto bottom and up sides of ungreased 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Bake until lightly golden brown, 14 to 16 minutes. Cool completely.
Test kitchen note: To mix by hand, cut butter into flour mixture using pastry blender. Stir in yolk and water with fork. Proceed as above.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 255 Cholesterol .. 75 mg Carbohydrate .. 21 g
Fat ………. 18 g Sodium ……. 40 mg Protein …….. 3 g
