plums | Saveur Eat the world. Sun, 28 Jul 2024 16:04:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.1 https://www.saveur.com/uploads/2021/06/22/cropped-Saveur_FAV_CRM-1.png?auto=webp&width=32&height=32 plums | Saveur 32 32 Plum-Blackberry Pie https://www.saveur.com/blackberry-plum-lattice-pie-recipe/ Wed, 21 Jul 2021 22:20:00 +0000 https://dev.saveur.com/uncategorized/blackberry-plum-lattice-pie-recipe/
Plum-Blackberry Pie
Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

This striking lattice-topped dessert is a great way to showcase peak summer fruit.

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Plum-Blackberry Pie
Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

This plum-blackberry pie recipe and technique—from chef Laurent Gras and writer Mitchell Davis—can be adapted to use just about any summer fruit that you like. Try substituting the vanilla to your taste with almond extract or any liqueur. If working with extremely ripe and juicy fruit, add an extra tablespoon or two of cornstarch to adequately thicken the filling.

Featured in “4 Simple Steps to Baking Better Pie.”

Yield: Makes one 8-inch pie
Time: 10 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 3¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 12 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled, plus more for greasing
  • ⅓ cup vegetable shortening, chilled

For the filling:

  • 1 lb. fresh plums, pitted and sliced into ⅓-in. pieces (about 6 cups)
  • 5 oz. fresh or frozen blackberries (about 1 cup)
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Instructions

  1. Make the crust: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, incorporate the butter and shortening into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand. Drizzle 5 tablespoons of cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, gently work the mixture into clumps to begin to form a dough. Drizzle in an additional 5 tablespoons of cold water and continue working just until the dough comes together. Use your hands to pull in the last bits of flour, being careful not to overwork and melt the butter. Shape the dough into a ball.
  2. Transfer the dough to a clean surface, and flatten into a ½-inch-thick disk. Fold it over itself, then flatten and fold an additional 4 times to form layers. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a disk, wrap them each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24. Pull the dough from the refrigerator 15–20 minutes before you are ready to roll it out.
  3. Make the filling: In a large bowl, stir together the plums, berries, sugar, vanilla, and salt and set aside at room temperature until the juices begin to run from the fruit, about 30 minutes. Carefully pour off the excess juices, then sprinkle the fruit with the cornstarch and mix gently to incorporate the starch into the filling.
  4. Assemble the pie: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch pie plate with butter. Dust a countertop with flour and roll half of the pie dough out to a 15-inch circle. Gently lift the crust and settle it into the pie plate, leaving any overhanging crust intact. Pour the fruit mixture into the crust and press it down carefully to fill.
  5. Make the lattice top: Roll the other half of the dough out to a 6-by-14- inch rectangle. Use a knife or a fluted pastry cutter to cut the rectangle into ½-inch-wide strips. Place one strip across the center of the top of the pie. Leaving an equal amount of space between each strip, lay one strip parallel to the first. Working in the opposite direction, weave the remaining strips of dough over and under to create a lattice. Trim the ends of the lattice strips to the same size as the bottom crust, then fold the bottom layer up and over the loose strips. Crimp the edges together to decorate the rim of the pie. Chill the pie in the freezer for 15 minutes, or until the dough is firm.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350°F. Continue baking until the juices are thickened and bubbly and the crust is evenly golden, about 1 hour 15 minutes. (If the outside edge begins to darken before the filling has thickened, loosely cover the rim and any dark spots with foil for the remaining time.) Let the pie cool completely, about 2 hours, before cutting into wedges and serving.

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We’re Plum Crazy About These 11 Recipes https://www.saveur.com/summer-plum-recipes/ Fri, 06 Aug 2021 15:49:00 +0000 https://dev.saveur.com/uncategorized/summer-plum-recipes/
Blackberry Plum Lattice Pie
Photography by Belle Morizio

Add a sweet-tart pop to your pies, jams, salads, and more with these crowd-pleasing dishes.

The post We’re Plum Crazy About These 11 Recipes appeared first on Saveur.

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Blackberry Plum Lattice Pie
Photography by Belle Morizio

Ripe plums in the icebox signal the coming of autumn, when peaches peter out of our fruit bowls to be replaced by the deep purple stone fruit. This time of year, they’re juicy enough to be eaten fresh, baked into pies and crisps, or simmered into jams. 

In many cultures, plums symbolize hope and strength. Japanese umeboshi are tucked into onigiri (rice balls). Li hing mui from China are popular crack seed store snacks in Honolulu and, in powdered form, a sweet-tart addition to tropical cocktails. In the Balkans, locals sip slivovitz, a plum-based spirit that is especially revered in Serbia, where it’s the quintessential toast on Slava, the Orthodox Christian feast day honoring each family’s patron saint. Pickled plums are an essential ingredient in chamoy, the Mexican condiment drizzled on fruit cups, paletas, and mangonadas. Plums also pair beautifully with roasted meats, and add tartness to salads. And who can resist the damsons baked into pies and other sweet, syrupy treats?   

These are our favorite plum recipes—the ones we sip, bake, and brûlée whenever we’re feeling (or want to feel) plummy.

Plum Galette

Plum Galette
Photography by Anna Kovel

This rustic tart adapted from Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse Café Cookbook calls for a combination of plums and pluots (fragrant apricot-plum hybrids), but it’s equally comforting when made with one or the other stone fruit. Get the recipe >

Plum Shrub

Plum Shrub Recipe Plum Recipes
Photography by Thomas Payne

Add a splash of this tart liqueur by Girl Meets Dirt founder Audra Lawlor to any fizzy seltzer, or to a tequila-lime cooler. Get the recipe >

Rye Crêpes with Black Plum Flambée

Plum Crepes on Purple Plate
Photography by Belle Morizio

In this old-school dessert, barrel-aged plum eau-de-vie infuses the caramelized fruit, which is set ablaze and spooned over warm rye crêpes. Get the recipe >

Brûléed Plums with Armagnac Custard

Brûléed Italian Plums with Armagnac Custard
Photography by Farideh Sadeghin

Tiny Italian plums have a dark-berry sweetness that pairs wonderfully with this simple, French-inspired Armagnac custard. Get the recipe >

Peach and Plum Salad

Peach and Plum Salad
Photography by Marcus Nilsson

Red wine vinegar balances the sweetness of ripe peaches and plums in this easy fruit salad. Try it with finger-licking fried chicken. Get the recipe >

Plum Pie

Plum Pie for plum recipes
Photography by James Roper

The secret to author Wendy Drummond’s prize-winning pie is good old-fashioned grape jelly. The gooey filling is intensely sweet, just right with a dollop of ice cream. Get the recipe >

Plum and Raspberry Jam

Plum and Raspberry Jam
Photography by Camilla Wynne

This delicate preserve redolent of mulling spices is adapted from a recipe by Camilla Wynne’s Jam Bake: Inspired Recipes for Creating and Baking with Preserves. Get the recipe >

Roast Duck with Plums

Roast Duck with Plums
Photography by Ingalls Photography

A rich plum sauce infused with cloves and cinnamon enlivens crisp roast duck in this Bavarian-style recipe. Get the recipe >

Fig, Plum and Prosciutto Salad

Fig, Plum, and Prosciutto Salad with Kaltbach Le Crémeux Cheese
Photogrpahy by SAVEUR Editors

This recipe layers ripe figs and plums with Hungarian sonka, a hammy cousin to prosciutto, and creamy Emmi Kaltbach Le Crémeux cheese. Get the recipe >

Plum Blackberry Lattice Pie

Blackberry Plum Lattice Pie
Photography by Belle Morizio

Instead of standard vanilla, use fragrant almond extract as a flavor booster in this classic fruit pie. Get the recipe >

Pickled Stone Fruit and Burrata Flatbread

Pickled Stone Fruit and Burrata Flatbread
Photography by Michael Turek

Schilling Restaurant and Bar is locally famous for this Austrian-style grilled flatbread stacked with pickled peaches and plums. Get the recipe >

The post We’re Plum Crazy About These 11 Recipes appeared first on Saveur.

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Rye Crêpes with Black Plum Flambée https://www.saveur.com/recipes/rye-crepes-with-black-plum-flambee-recipe/ Mon, 30 Aug 2021 16:39:58 +0000 https://www.saveur.com/?p=121511
Plum Crepes on Purple Plate
Photography by Belle Morizio

Light up the eau-de-vie.

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Plum Crepes on Purple Plate
Photography by Belle Morizio

Vielle Prune is a barrel-aged plum eau-de-vie from southwestern France’s Armagnac region. Look for it in your local wine and spirits shop, order it online, or substitute any unsweetened stonefruit brandy such as kirschwasser or slivovitz.

Featured in: “Plum Flambée Is a Fragrant, Fleshy Ode to Eau-de-Vie.”

Ingredients

For the crepes:

  • 1 cup dark rye flour
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 tbsp. unsalted melted butter
  • Grapeseed oil or clarified butter, for greasing

For the plums:

  • 1 lb. black plums, preferably Italian or sugar plums
  • ½ cups sugar
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cups Vieille Prune or other plum brandy or eau-de-vie

Instructions

  1. Prepare the crepe batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the rye flour and salt, then form a well in the dry ingredients. Add the eggs to the well, then begin whisking, gradually bringing in a bit of the flour mixture and drizzling in the milk as you go. Once all the milk has been added, whisk in ½ cup cool water followed by the melted butter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. (The batter should be slightly thicker than heavy cream; if it seems too thin, whisk in a tablespoon or two more rye flour.)
  2. Cook the crepes: Heat an iron crepe pan or a non-stick skillet until over medium-high heat. Grease the pan very lightly with oil or clarified butter, then pour in about ¼ cup of the batter. Immediately swirl to coat the surface, then let the crepe cook until the edges start to brown and release from the sides (1–2 minutes). Flip and continue cooking 30 seconds more. Transfer the crêpe to a plate and set aside as you repeat with the rest of the batter, stacking the pancakes neatly as you go. Once all the batter has been cooked, tent loosely with plastic wrap and set aside while you prepare the plums.
  3. Cook the plums: Pit the plums and cut them into bite-sized pieces; cut larger plums into wedges and smaller fruit into halves or quarters.
  4. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the sugar and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and let cook, swirling the pan from time to time so the syrup colors evenly. Cook the caramel until it becomes an amber color, about 8–12 minutes, then add the plums in an even layer. Cook the plums without stirring until the plums release their juices and dissolve the caramel into a glossy sauce, 3–4 minutes. Stir the plums gently, then continue cooking until they have softened and the skins start to separate from the fruit, 8–10 minutes more. Add the lemon juice and cook for another minute. Turn off the heat, tthen pour the brandy into a glass or measuring cup before adding the to the skillet (do not pour directly from the bottle). Using a long lighter, ignite the plums and let them continue to cook in the residual heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the flames die down, 2–3 minutes. 5. To serve, push the fruit to one side of the pan. Dunk each crepe in the sauce, fold in quarters, and transfer to a platter. Add a spoonful of plums to the top of each crepe and serve warm.

Our Best Summer Plum Recipes

Plum Galette
Photography by Anna Kovel

The waxy little stone fruits are in season for a short while, take advantage of them while you can »

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Plum Flambée Is a Fragrant, Fleshy Ode to Eau-de-Vie https://www.saveur.com/food/plum-flambee-is-a-fragrant-fleshy-ode-to-eau-de-vie/ Mon, 30 Aug 2021 16:39:53 +0000 https://www.saveur.com/?p=121497
Plum flambee with Eau-de-vie
Belle Morizio

Light up the night with this simple summer dessert.

The post Plum Flambée Is a Fragrant, Fleshy Ode to Eau-de-Vie appeared first on Saveur.

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Plum flambee with Eau-de-vie
Belle Morizio

Some of the world’s greatest dishes demand a nip of wine or spirits to reach their full potential. Welcome to Splash in the Pan, where writer and drinks expert Tammie Teclemariam teaches you how to bring them to life.

Even at peak season farmers markets, fruit isn’t always perfectly ready-to-eat. Case in point: plums, which appear at the end of every summer in a spectrum of yellow, red, and purple fruits from walnut- to apple-size. The best plums for cooking and baking are dark and small, and since they hold a lot of their flavor in the skin, they benefit from a little coaxing with heat and sugar. But instead of turning on the oven to bake, I reach for some eau-de-vie and flambé away. 

Eau-de-vie (unaged fruit brandy) is one of my favorite things to drink (and cook with) for the way it captures the full fleshy fragrance of the fruit. The most popular ones are made from pears, apricots, cherries (known as “kirschwasser” in Germany), and plums (aka “slivovitz” in Eastern Europe). Because it takes a lot of fruit to make a single bottle of eau-de-vie, it can be pricey depending on the source. There are some extremely fancy brandies out there, as well as a lot of more approachable ones, often available in half-bottles for between $20 and $30 from producers like Trimbach in France and St. George in California. 

You can flambé plums with any stone fruit brandy you might already have on hand, but I love matching fruit with a kindred spirit whenever possible. I use a plum brandy called La Vieille Prune—which hails from Gascony, France, a region best known for Armagnac—which undergoes a bit of time in barrel (versus most plum brandy on the market being unaged).  

I start by making a caramel, which adds a richness that matches the dark fruit flavor. Next, I cook the plums until soft and add lemon juice to correct the acidity before I flambée. I pour a couple of shots of brandy into a measuring cup or empty saucepan (never pour spirits directly from a bottle into a pan, as they can ignite) and then carefully add the liquid to the hot pan. You can ignite the alcohol fumes by tipping the pan toward the flame of your stove, but the safest way is to use a long lighter so you can stand as far back as possible. 

Flambée is pretty underrated in my opinion. There’s nothing like a little bit of controlled fire in your food. Not only is it fun to watch things burn, it also lets you know that the bulk of your alcohol has burned off, an important step to keep your dish from having an unbalanced boozy heat. 

Once the saucy plums have stopped flaming, they’re ready to serve. You can have them with ice cream or custard, but I take a page from another flaming dish, crêpes suzette, by serving dark rye crepes dipped in the caramelized sauce and topped with plums.

The post Plum Flambée Is a Fragrant, Fleshy Ode to Eau-de-Vie appeared first on Saveur.

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Plum and Raspberry Jam https://www.saveur.com/recipes/plum-and-raspberry-jam-recipe/ Wed, 25 Aug 2021 21:15:10 +0000 https://www.saveur.com/?p=121077
Plum and Raspberry Jam
Photography by Camilla Wynne

Forget the store-bought stuff. DIY preserves are the sweetest way to extend your summer.

The post Plum and Raspberry Jam appeared first on Saveur.

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Plum and Raspberry Jam
Photography by Camilla Wynne

Pectin—a naturally occurring polysaccharide in fruit—is what makes jam gel. Different fruits naturally contain more or less pectin, so, while you never need to worry about a Seville orange marmalade or quince jelly getting a proper set (unless you undercook or overcook them), some low-pectin fruits, like cherries and pears, don’t gel so easily. 

High-pectin fruits include apples, citrus, currants, cranberries, gooseberries, plums, and quince. On the lower end of the pectin spectrum are blueberries, cherries, peaches, pears, and strawberries. You must also take the fruit’s degree of ripeness into account, however. The riper the fruit, the less natural pectin it contains. For the best jams and jellies, aim for a mixture of 75% perfectly ripe fruit and 25% slightly underripe fruit. 

This recipe, which can be adjusted to feature a variety of different fruits, is adapted from the basic jam recipe in Camilla Wynne’s book Jam Bake: Inspired Recipes for Creating and Baking with Preserves.

Featured in: “How to Quickly and Safely Can Jams and Jellies.”

Yield: makes Three 8-oz. jars
Time: 24 hours
  • 1 lb. 1½ oz. raspberries (3¾ cups)
  • 1 lb. 1½ oz. pitted plums, finely chopped (3 cups)
  • 1 lb. 3 oz. sugar (2½ cups)
  • 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 small cinnamon sticks
  • 3 star anise pods

Instructions

  1. To a large bowl, add the berries, plums, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and star anise, and toss to combine. Cover and mascerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 week. (If mascerating for longer than 24 hours, transfer to the fridge.)
  2. Sanitize your jars: Preheat the oven to 250°F. Wash three 8-ounce mason jars and place them upside down on a baking sheet, reserving your ring bands and unused snap lids. Transfer the jars to the oven and bake for at least 20 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, make the jam: To a wide, heavy-bottomed pot, transfer the fruit mixture, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bubbles are sputtering violently, the surface is glossy and jewel-like, and the jam is thick when stirred with a silicone spatula (this is the “setting point”), around 15–20 minutes. (The jam should slide off the spatula in sheets or clumps or try to cling to the spatula when you bring it to eye level. If you’re uncertain, pour a teaspoon of jam on an ice cold plate and place in the freezer for two minutes. Remove and run your finger through the jam. If it has formed a skin and parts evenly, it’s ready; if not, continue cooking 3–4 minutes more.
  4. When the jam is ready to be added to the jars, remove them from the oven and flip them over carefully. Working over the sheet pan and using a funnel or ladle, fill the jars to within ¼ to ⅛ inch of the rim. Tap the jars gently or use an air bubble remover, then wipe the rims clean of any drips or splatters. Place the snap lids on the jars and screw the ring bands on tightly. Once filled, invert the jars for 2 minutes, then flip right side up. Set aside and do not disturb for 24 hours; if canned properly, the jam will be hot enough to create a vacuum and seal the jars closed.

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Kofta Chalau (Afghan-Style Meatballs with Saffron, Split Peas, and Sour Plums) https://www.saveur.com/recipes/kofta-chalau-afghan-meatballs-with-saffron-split-peas-and-sour-plums/ Tue, 06 Jul 2021 21:10:00 +0000 https://www.saveur.com/?p=118221
Afghan Meatballs with Saffron, Split Peas, and Sour Plums
Photography by Fatima Khawaja

A savory homestyle dish in a rich and golden gravy.

The post Kofta Chalau (Afghan-Style Meatballs with Saffron, Split Peas, and Sour Plums) appeared first on Saveur.

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Afghan Meatballs with Saffron, Split Peas, and Sour Plums
Photography by Fatima Khawaja

Afghan saffron dealer Tahmina Ghaffer prepares this rich and fragrant stew when she misses her family. She says her mother always adds dried sour plums, which can be found at well-stocked Middle Eastern and Asian markets and spice shops. Saffron intensifies the flavor and aroma of the finished dish, so don’t be tempted to omit it. Find Ghaffer’s own “super negin” saffron—the highest grade of the spice—online.

Featured in “This Afghan Entrepreneur Directly Supports Women Who Harvest The World’s Most Precious Spice.

Saffron Blooming in Hot Water
Blooming saffron in hot water before using helps to draw out the spice’s fragrance and color. Anne Kim
Yield: serves 4
Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the korma:

  • 1 cup yellow split peas
  • 1 generous pinch of saffron (about 15 threads)
  • <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (1½ cups)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped (1 Tbsp.)
  • 1 tbsp. paprika
  • 1 tbsp. ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp. dried mint
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> tsp. ground coriander
  • 4 dried sour plums

For the kofta:

  • 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped (1¼ cups)
  • 3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped (1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp.)
  • 1 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> cups coarsely chopped cilantro
  • 1 lb. ground beef or lamb
  • 1 tbsp. ground coriander
  • 2 tsp. ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> tsp. cayenne pepper
  • Steamed basmati rice or tahdig, for serving

Instructions

  1. Make the korma: In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring 4 cups of water to a boil; add the split peas and cook until they begin to soften but still have a bit of bite to them, about 20 minutes. Strain, discarding the cooking liquid, and set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, to a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons of boiling water and the saffron and set aside to steep.
  3. In a large wide pot over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown, 12–14 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the paprika, turmeric, tomato paste, cayenne, mint, salt and cayenne, and cook while stirring until lightly toasted and aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in 2 cups of cool water, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces slightly and begins to thicken, 15–20 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, make the kofta: To the bowl of a food processor, add the onion, garlic, and cilantro and blend until finely minced. Transfer to a medium bowl, then add the ground beef, coriander, turmeric, cumin, salt, black pepper and cayenne; using your hands, mix well to combine, then divide and form the mixture into ten 1-inch meatballs. Carefully add the kofta and the sour plums to the korma and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kofta begin to firm up, about 15 minutes. Stir in the reserved split peas and the saffron water and continue cooking until the peas are cooked through but not mushy, about 15 minutes more. Remove from heat and serve hot, over steamed basmati rice or tahdig.

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Plum Galette https://www.saveur.com/plum-galette-recipe/ Wed, 21 Aug 2019 20:08:55 +0000 https://dev.saveur.com/uncategorized/plum-galette-recipe/
Plum Galette
Photography by Anna Kovel

The post Plum Galette appeared first on Saveur.

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Plum Galette
Photography by Anna Kovel

The filling-to-crust ratio in this rustic tart adapted from Alice Waters’s Chez Panisse Café Cookbook lets the fruit shine. The original recipe calls for a combination of plums and pluots (the sweet-tart, intensely perfumed cross between a plum and an apricot), but it’s also delicious made with just one or the other.

Adapted from Chez Panisse Café Cookbook by Alice Waters (HarperCollins) © 1999.

Featured in: The “Chez Panisse Café Cookbook,” by Alice Waters, Still Holds Up

Equipment

Yield: serves 8
Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 12 Tbsp. (6 oz.) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces, divided

For the galette:

  • 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp. ground almonds
  • About ¼ cup sugar, divided, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1¼ lb. ripe plums, unpeeled, halved, pitted, and cut into ⅓-inch slices (about 3 cups)
  • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 Tbsp. plum jam, warmed (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, and salt; stir to combine. Add half the cold butter and use your fingertips to work it into the dry ingredients, pinching the butter pieces until the mixture has the texture of coarse oatmeal. Add the remaining cold butter and quickly work it into the dough until the biggest clumps of dough are the size of large lima beans. Dribble about ½ cup ice water into the dough, a little at a time, tossing and mixing between additions. (Don’t try to dampen all of the dough evenly. It should look rather ropy and rough.) Stop adding water when there are still a few bits of dry flour remaining in the bottom of the bowl. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and flatten each into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap each disk tightly with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.
  2. Make the galette: Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
  3. Lightly flour a large sheet of parchment paper and a rolling pin. Retrieve and unwrap 1 disk of dough (reserve the remaining disk for another use) on the prepared parchment. Roll the dough out to an even 14-inch round. In a large bowl, combine the flour, almonds, and 2 tablespoons sugar. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Arrange the plums over the filling in barely touching concentric circles, again leaving the 2-inch border. Sprinkle the plums evenly with 2–3 tablespoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Trim away most of the 2-inch border, leaving about ½ inch of dough. Fold the exposed border over on itself, crimping to make a narrow rim around the plums. Brush the rim generously with the melted butter, and sprinkle lightly with more sugar. Use the parchment to carefully slide the galette onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Freeze until the outer rim of dough is firm to the touch, about 10 minutes.
  4. Bake until the plums are tender, the juices are thickened and bubbly, and the crust is well-browned and caramelized at the edges, 40–45 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 20 minutes. Using a thin offset spatula, loosen the galette from the parchment and carefully slide onto a cake stand or large flat plate. Glaze with jam, if desired, and serve warm.

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Plum Paste (Plumbrillo) https://www.saveur.com/plum-paste-plumbrillo-recipe/ Mon, 20 May 2019 17:30:39 +0000 https://dev.saveur.com/uncategorized/plum-paste-plumbrillo-recipe/
Plum Paste (Plumbrillo)
Italian plums on their way to becoming plumbrillo, a riff on the quince paste known as membrillo. Get the recipe for Plum Paste (Plumbrillo). Amber Fouts

The post Plum Paste (Plumbrillo) appeared first on Saveur.

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Plum Paste (Plumbrillo)
Italian plums on their way to becoming plumbrillo, a riff on the quince paste known as membrillo. Get the recipe for Plum Paste (Plumbrillo). Amber Fouts

The key to this type of preserve is a long, slow cook to concentrate the purée into a smooth, dense paste. To avoid sticking, bubbling, and scorching, be sure to give the plumbrillo plenty of attention and time on the stove. It can also be cooked on a baking sheet in a low oven like a traditional quince membrillo. A byproduct of this method is a vibrant plum juice: save it for another use, such as this Plum Shrub.

Featured in: This Orcas Island Jam Company Transforms Local Plums into Vibrant Seasonal Preserves

Equipment

Yield: makes about ten 4-oz. jars
Time: 11 hours 15 minutes
  • 3½ lb. ripe Italian plums (about 40 small plums)
  • 12 oz. (1½ cups) sugar, plus more as needed
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Wash the plums (do not peel or remove the pits) and place in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add enough water to barely cover the plums, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to maintain a strong simmer, and cook until the fruit is very tender, 20–25 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let cool slightly. In a large strainer set over a large, heat-resistant bowl, strain the plums without pressing on the fruit or attempting to force the pulp through the strainer. Reserve the plum juice for another use. Pass the plums through the 3-millimeter plate of a food mill, removing the pits manually so as not to jam up the mill. Measure the pulp (you should have about 2½ cups or 1¼ pounds). Stir in the sugar, adding more as needed to maintain a ratio of 6 parts sugar to 10 parts fruit. Add the lemon juice, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
  2. When ready to cook, place a small, heat-resistant plate in the freezer.
  3. Transfer the plum mixture to a large, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to maintain a very low simmer. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent hot spots and scorching, until very thick and glossy, about 1 hour 15 minutes. (Use a candy thermometer to ensure the mixture never exceeds 221°F.) You should be able to run a wooden spoon through the mixture, and it will briefly stay apart.
  4. Retrieve the plate from the freezer and place a small drop of the plum mixture on the surface. If it starts to set and form a skin after a minute, the preserves are ready. If it remains runny, return the plate to the freezer and cook the plum mixture a few minutes more before testing again.
  5. Remove the plum mixture from the heat. Ladle carefully into sterilized jars, then clean the rims and sides with a kitchen towel and seal firmly with lids. Check for air bubbles, and if necessary, tap the jars gently on the towel to work any bubbles upwards and out. Follow recommended water bath canning procedures to jar, or let cool completely and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

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This Orcas Island Jam Company Transforms Local Plums into Vibrant Seasonal Preserves https://www.saveur.com/girl-meets-dirt-jam-company/ Thu, 16 May 2019 14:48:12 +0000 https://dev.saveur.com/uncategorized/girl-meets-dirt-jam-company/
Orca fruits
Orcas owes its long history of orchards to the area’s unique climate. Amber Fouts

Girl Meets Dirt is on a mission to save the island's legacy fruit trees and jar their bounty

The post This Orcas Island Jam Company Transforms Local Plums into Vibrant Seasonal Preserves appeared first on Saveur.

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Orca fruits
Orcas owes its long history of orchards to the area’s unique climate. Amber Fouts

If you’re driving the winding roads of Orcas Island in late summer, you can smell the ripening fruit all around. On one such morning last year, I stopped the car at my destination and met Audra Lawlor, owner of Girl Meets Dirt, who was surveying one orchard’s recent Italian plum harvest in tall rubber boots and a denim shirt. As we walked among the rows of trees with their full canopies spilling over onto the trail, Audra picked up a fallen plum from the ground and turned it over in her hand between us. “Before I got here, most of the fruit from these trees would have rotted on the ground,” she says. Lawlor and her team of five mighty women at Girl Meets Dirt harvested more than 2,500 pounds of Italian plums alone last season.

Audra Lawlor reaching for an Italian plum
Audra Lawlor reaches for an Italian plum in an orchard on Orcas Island. Amber Fouts

Some people leave their corporate jobs to rescue animals. Audra left Wall Street to rescue pink pearl apples and Orcas pears. Today, many of the island’s residents see her as the steward of the legacy fruit trees on the island, a 57-square-mile piece of the San Juan Islands, an archipelago that lies in the waters between Seattle and Vancouver, just barely on the U.S. side of the border.

Orcas owes its long history of orchards to the area’s unique climate. Known as Washington’s “banana belt,” and also called the Olympia Rainshadow Zone, this area is protected from excess rain by the Olympic Mountains, Vancouver Island, and the Cascades, and it enjoys more sun annually than mainland coastal Washington. Lawlor likens it to Northern California in its ability to sustain crops.

Orcas Island docks
Orcas Island Amber Fouts

It was horticulturist E.V. Von Gohren in the late 1870s who first proclaimed the climate ideal for growing Italian plums, better known to the locals as prunes, because that is what most of them eventually became. The mild climate and rich soil encouraged settlers on the island to plant nurseries of these plums, along with apples, pears, and, by some records, up to 20,000 total fruit varieties, from apricots to cherries and berries. But the Italian plums had the prized seeds, the trees bearing them deemed to have the greatest commercial potential at the time.

By the end of the 19th century, many inhabitants had made their way over to work the plum orchards and operate the prune dryers (barnlike structures where the fruit was set to shrivel up), and the economy was surging. The success allowed the building of docks for steamships, as well as a boon for jobs sorting, grading, and packing fruit for transport. It also led to an island that became far more orchard than anything else. The country lane that runs through the center of Orcas Island’s main village is still named Prune Alley.

Italian prune plums macerating in sugar
Italian prune plums macerate in sugar before being turned into preserves.
Get the recipe for Plum Paste (Plumbrillo) »
Get the recipe for Plum Shrub » Amber Fouts

Many of the legacy fruit trees—entire orchards of them—fell into disrepair during a period of economic downturn around 1915. It was in part due to the rise of railroads, improved irrigation, and heavy planting in nearby eastern Washington, which became a fierce competitor. Islanders began to ignore the fallen fruit, and tree limbs weakened with overgrowth. Thousands of trees were left to die, and the plum industry collapsed. It wasn’t until decades later, when the island began attracting new residents—those who sought out the area for its bucolic landscape—that the trees gained new stewards. Today, Lawlor and her company are working with fellow islanders to revive and utilize those trees that remain.

Raised in Washington, Lawlor spent years working in New York City but always knew she would one day return to the Pacific Northwest. The San Juan Islands were her fantasy destination, but the move never seemed practical. That is, until 2011, when she left her lucrative but hectic job with her husband and two dogs to go full-on Green Acres. The couple bought a farmette on the secluded island, determined to live a simpler life. “I didn’t have a plan,” Lawlor says. “I just knew I wanted to get my hands dirty.”

Audra Lawlor stirring fruit in seasoned copper pots
Audra Lawlor, founder of Girl Meets Dirt, stirs the fruit in seasoned copper pots in her company’s production kitchen; when the consistency is right, the preserves are ready to jar and sell. Amber Fouts

It was in those early days that Lawlor found a passion for fruit. During her first fall season on the island, the seven fruit trees on her property bore more than 200 pounds of apples and pears. She began making pies and jams but quickly found her kitchen filled with yet more fruit—quince, crab apples, and plums—as her new neighbors welcomed her with edible gifts. “I fell in love with the sense of abundance on my property, and all around me on the island. I wanted to learn more,” she says. She turned to a local cookbook club for education, camaraderie, and inspiration.

Lawlor cutting fruits on cutting board
Lawlor and her cooks boil fruits whole with their skins intact to extract natural pectin, which helps to set the preserves. Amber Fouts

Come Thanksgiving 2013, Lawlor found her kitchen filled with boxes upon boxes of homemade preserves she had taught herself to make. At the urging of family and friends, she created Girl Meets Dirt to do something productive with her newfound hobby. She began producing handmade, organic preserves from the island’s ­century-​old trees, and selling it locally under the small label.

As her business grew over the years, so did the need for more fruit and other flavors. But rather than purchasing it from commercial farmers, Lawlor decided to take a more community-minded approach and build win-win relationships with local residents. “Some people don’t even know they have [fruit trees] on their property,” she says. She didn’t have to go far to find her first stewardship arrangement; it was right next door. The 5-acre farm was covered with overgrown, untended Bartlett pear trees, prompting Lawlor to approach the farm’s owners, Dale and Marcia Gillingham, about helping. “It started with a casual ‘use our fruit’ relationship, and then over the years, I offered to start taking care of the pruning in winter just to give something back,” she says. “They were never farmers or commercial growers; they just happened to have bought property with a lovely old orchard on it and are glad to see the fruit being used.” Since then, a few local farmers have offered to sell her items—tomatoes, peppers, and local herbs, including sage and rosemary, and chamomile, which she uses in her jams and products.

Girl Meets Dirt Kitchen and Shop employee
A staffer prepares for the day outside the Girl Meets Dirt kitchen and shop. Amber Fouts

Lawlor’s approach is “to make the most of what trees are still here.” She adheres to the practice—as in the nose-to-tail movement—of using all parts of the ingredient. This year, she began processing the pits, bark, and leaves of plum, apple, and fragrant peach trees and fruits (and a little alcohol) to create “tree bitters,” which she barrel-ages using either bourbon barrels from Washington distilleries or spent local apple-brandy barrels. The latter relationship led to her creating her first batch of apple brandy in 2019, in partnership with Orcas Island Distillery.

Lawlor trades with up to 100 people each harvest season, including those on neighboring islands, whose fruits arrive by ferry. “Often, people just show up at my door with boxes of whatever they have,” she says, “and sometimes they just want to trade it for some preserves.”

Orcas pears
Orcas pears (a variety native to the island), cane sugar, lemon juice, and bay leaves are all that go into Lawlor’s pear preserves. Amber Fouts

The Girl Meets Dirt commercial kitchen is more reminiscent of your grandmother’s kitchen than that of a finely tuned business that sells and ships handcrafted preserves around the nation. In summer and fall, dozens of rustic crates teeming with reds, purples, and greens are stacked ceiling high, creating a maze of narrow passageways for Lawlor and her team. Large copper pots sit atop expansive burners that line an entire wall. There’s little prep work required; Lawlor boils the fruit with the skin still intact to take full advantage of the peels’ natu­ral tannins, pectin (which thickens juices so they set into jams), and full flavors.

Girl Meets Dirt cook breaking down simmered fruit
Cooks at Lawlor’s kitchen break down simmered fruit into a smoother consistency for preserves. Get the recipe for Italian Plum Jam » Amber Fouts

The team uses a classic French confiture technique to create their spoon preserves. It starts with a quick, high-heat cook in broad-bottom copper pots to remove water from the fruit as quickly as possible to fortify the fruit’s essence. The cooks will then macerate the fruit with sugar for 24 hours to concentrate and sweeten the flavors. Finally, they’ll cook the fruit slowly until it’s broken down into pieces and suspended in a clear, thickened syrup. Some preserves are inspired by Lawlor’s travels. In Spain and Argentina, she encountered dulce de membrillo (a prized quince paste), and now makes a plum version inspired by it. Once the ripe, purple fruit—some from trees nearly 100 years old—is cooked, it’s hand-milled and simmered slowly into a concentrated spread, perfect for cheeseboards or slathering on toast.

Girl Meets Dirt Products
Girl Meets Dirt ships its small-batch products nationwide. Amber Fouts

As we talk over the sounds of the busy kitchen, Charles West of Orcas Island Distillery stops by to check on a recent collaboration. “How is the pear situation going?” he asks. Lawlor responds: “I can’t process them fast enough. But what’s urgent right now is rotting plums,” she says, indicating her need to get back to her kitchen. Before long, the copper pots are gurgling with deep-purple juices.

Her relentless, ever-growing enthusiasm for the region and its community, and for putting its bounty to use, is as pure as the products Lawlor makes. “The very challenges of the island,” she says—of its particular weather, the island’s rhythms, and keeping up with fruit bursting from tree limbs—“are also the things that make it romantically ideal, and intriguing. Our difference is the fruit we use,” she adds, pausing, “and all the ways we get it.”

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Italian Plum Jam https://www.saveur.com/italian-plum-jam-recipe/ Mon, 20 May 2019 16:29:22 +0000 https://dev.saveur.com/uncategorized/italian-plum-jam-recipe/
Italian Plum Jam
The elusive Italian plum makes a luscious, ruby-colored jam. Get the recipe for Italian Plum Jam. Matt Taylor-Gross

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Italian Plum Jam
The elusive Italian plum makes a luscious, ruby-colored jam. Get the recipe for Italian Plum Jam. Matt Taylor-Gross

There’s a reason the Italian prune plum is one of Girl Meets Dirt’s signature spoon preserves. Full of natural pectin and with a skin that lends a crimson color to the syrup, this tart fruit practically begs to be made into jam. Founder Audra Lawlor makes hers with licorice-like anise hyssop, but fresh mint or basil also pairs nicely for a more summery flavor.

Featured in: This Orcas Island Jam Company Transforms Local Plums into Vibrant Seasonal Preserves

Equipment

Yield: makes 5 cups
Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
  • 2½ lb. ripe Italian plums, quartered and pitted
  • 2 lb. (4 cups) sugar
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. anise hyssop leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, toss the plums, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
  2. When ready to cook, put a small plate in the freezer.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a heavy medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring and scraping the pot as needed, until the juices are concentrated and syrupy but not caramelized, 15–18 minutes. (Use a candy thermometer to ensure the mixture never exceeds 220°F.) Skim any foam that forms at the surface.
  4. Retrieve the plate and drizzle a small drop of the plum mixture on the surface. If it starts to set and form a skin after a minute, the preserves are ready. If it remains runny, return the plate to the freezer and cook the plum mixture a few minutes more before testing again. Stir in the herbs (if using), bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat.
  5. Follow recommended water-bath-canning procedures to jar and preserve the jam for long-term storage. Or, let it cool completely, then refrigerate and serve immediately or within the next 2 weeks.

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Plum Shrub https://www.saveur.com/plum-shrub-recipe/ Mon, 20 May 2019 17:43:48 +0000 https://dev.saveur.com/uncategorized/plum-shrub-recipe/
Plum Shrub Recipe Plum Recipes
Photography by Thomas Payne

The post Plum Shrub appeared first on Saveur.

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Plum Shrub Recipe Plum Recipes
Photography by Thomas Payne
Plum Shrub
Girl Meets Dirt founder Audra Lawlor uses the precious juice left over from making plum paste (plumbrillo) for this bright, tangy shrub. Thomas Payne

While a similar product can be made by macerating whole plums in sugar to extract a syrup, Girl Meets Dirt founder Audra Lawlor likes the harmony of using the “waste” from her Plum Paste (Plumbrillo) for this tangy cocktail mixer. Add a splash of the shrub to a glass of seltzer, or shake over ice with tequila and lime.

Featured in: This Orcas Island Jam Company Transforms Local Plums into Vibrant Seasonal Preserves

Equipment

Yield: makes 5 cups
Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
  • 2½ lb. ripe Italian plums, quartered and pitted
  • 2 lb. (4 cups) sugar
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. anise hyssop leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, toss the plums, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
  2. When ready to cook, put a small plate in the freezer.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a heavy medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring and scraping the pot as needed, until the juices are concentrated and syrupy but not caramelized, 15–18 minutes. (Use a candy thermometer to ensure the mixture never exceeds 220°F.) Skim any foam that forms at the surface.
  4. Retrieve the plate and drizzle a small drop of the plum mixture on the surface. If it starts to set and form a skin after a minute, the preserves are ready. If it remains runny, return the plate to the freezer and cook the plum mixture a few minutes more before testing again. Stir in the herbs (if using), bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat.
  5. Follow recommended water-bath-canning procedures to jar and preserve the jam for long-term storage. Or, let it cool completely, then refrigerate and serve immediately or within the next 2 weeks.

The post Plum Shrub appeared first on Saveur.

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