Of all the summer fruits, it is the plums on which I gorge. I cannot get enough of their crimson and gold skin and sweet, giving flesh. Their juice, sticky as honey, is the very best of all to have running down your chin (save, perhaps, for the perfectly ripe greengage, which is a fleeting treat and a nightmare to track down, even for a plum fiend such as myself).
The fruits do end up in the kitchen, too, as the luscious base for a sugar-crusted pie, the filling for puff-pastry turnovers and the middle layer of a trifle, held between sponge and vanilla custard.
Plums also make a fine chutney. They introduce sweetness to balance the onions and vinegar, soften the edge of the chillies, lending a silky texture to the preserve. I made plum chutney this week, hot with chillies and flecked with raisins and yellow mustard seeds. I added a few apricots to the pot, introducing an even deeper fruity note (I have the chutney in mind as an accompaniment to a truckle of cheddar).
But there is more and this is the preserve that will be scooped up by jagged shards of a broken poppadom, stirred into steamed rice and slathered into the layers of a ham sandwich. In other words, a workhorse of a condiment, lending its fruity heat to all manner of occasions.
There have been a couple of plum puddings on the table already: a plum fool using stewed Victorias and custard, as well as cream and an impromptu dessert with cake crumbs and ice-cream. Both were made with a stew of plums and spice that contained star anise and chopped preserved ginger. I know of no spice that is so comfortable in the company of a plum, whether in the form of ground ginger in a plum cake or as the warm and translucent addition of preserved ginger. The syrup from the jar is a useful ingredient to have around, too, to trickle over vanilla ice-cream or to stir into a jug of cream.
Plum and apricot chutney
The character of a chutney can change over time. I like the fresh heat of a newly made batch but, over a few weeks, the hot and spiciest notes will mellow a little to produce a more rounded chutney. I sterilise the jars by washing them thoroughly, then pouring boiling water into them from the kettle. I leave it to cool, then pour it away and dry the jars with a clean tea towel. They are then ready to fill. Makes 3 x 250g jam jars. Ready in 2 hours.
plums 450g
apricots 350g
onions 350g
raisins 125g
light muscovado sugar 250g
crushed dried chillies 1 tsp
salt 1 tsp
yellow mustard seeds 2 tsp
cider vinegar 150ml
malt vinegar 150ml
cinnamon stick 1
Cut the plums and apricots in half and remove the stones. Put the fruit in a stainless steel or enamelled saucepan. Peel and roughly chop the onions and add them to the fruit.
Stir in the raisins, muscovado sugar, crushed dried chillies, salt and yellow mustard seeds. Place the pan over a moderate heat, add the vinegars and cinnamon stick and bring to the boil.
As the mixture boils, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, then partially cover with a lid and leave to simmer for an hour or so, giving the occasional stir to stop the chutney sticking.
When all is soft, remove the cinnamon stick and spoon into sterilised jars and seal. The chutney will keep in a cool place for several weeks, although I do keep mine in the fridge.
Plums with ginger crumbs and ice-cream
Layers of gorgeousness here, with softly stewed plums gently spiced with star anise and cloves, delicate ginger crumbs and cold vanilla ice-cream. You could make your own ginger cake, of course, but you don’t need to: a shop-bought ginger cake is good here, too. Serves 4. Ready in 40 minutes
For the plum layer:
plums 12, medium sized
caster sugar 80g
water 250ml
star anise 2 whole flowers
cloves 4
preserved ginger 3 lumps, in syrup
syrup from the ginger jar 4 tbsp
To finish:
ginger cake 250g (the darkest you can find)
vanilla ice-cream 250ml (4 loose scoops)
You will also need 4 glasses or small jam jars
Wipe the plums, then halve them from stalk to tip. Pull out the stones and put the fruit in a stainless steel or enamelled saucepan. Sprinkle with the sugar, then pour over the water. Drop in the whole star anise flowers and the cloves and bring to the boil. As the mixture starts to bubble, lower the heat to a low simmer. Finely dice the ginger and stir into the plums, together with the ginger syrup, then set aside.
Crumble the ginger cake into large crumbs (it is probably best to do this by hand, so you don’t process them too finely), then divide them between 4 glasses, jars or bowls. Spoon the fruit over the crumbs together with some of the cooking syrup, then place a ball of ice-cream on each.
Stewed plums on brioche
Toast 2 thick slices of brioche and, while still hot, spoon over some of the juice from the stewed plums, above. Let the juice soak into the toast. Arrange a few of the stewed plums on top of the toast, then flash under a hot grill for 4 or 5 minutes until the plums have just started to caramelise. Watch carefully, so that the brioche doesn’t burn, then slide on to plates and serve with thick yoghurt, labneh or buttermilk.
Follow Nigel on Instagram @NigelSlater