Half Moon Bay Poached Plums Recipes

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• To prepare the plums: wash and cut them into quarters, then remove the stones.
• Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Slide the fruit into the syrup. Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins - depending on the ripeness - until the plums are soft. Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.

HONEY-ROASTED PLUMS WITH THYME AND CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475°F. Stir first 4 ingredients in large ovenproof nonstick skillet over high heat until butter melts. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will bubble vigorously). Add plum halves, cut side down. Cook plums without stirring for 2 minutes. Turn plums over and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until caramel is deep brown, checking frequently to prevent burning, about 4 minutes.
• Divide plum halves among 6 plates. Spoon sauce from skillet over plums, leaving most of thyme sprigs behind. Drizzle plums with crème fraîche, garnish with additional thyme sprigs, and serve.

PLUMS POACHED IN VANILLA, CINNAMON, ANISE

Steps:

• Cut plums in half and remove the stones. In a sauce pot bring the remaining ingredients to a boil. Add plums and cook quickly until tender. Pour out onto a sheet pan to stop cooking and allow to cool. Serve fruit with a bit of the poaching liquid.

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large nonreactive saucepan. Add tea bags, remove from heat, cover, and steep for about 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and bring back to a boil. Add sugar and lemon juice and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium low so that liquid is barely simmering. Add plums and poach until tender, 30 seconds to 1 minute. (If plums are not very ripe, this will take longer.) Remove plums from liquid and let cool. Reduce poaching liquid to the consistency of light syrup. For an elegant presentation, pull plum skin back from fruit, leaving it attached at the stem end (this doesn't work on all plum varieties). Serve plums with some of the poaching liquid.

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• Stir sugar and water together in a 2 1/2-quart souffle dish. Add cinnamon stick. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent in a high-power oven for 3 minutes. Stir thoroughly, making sure there are no grains on the bottom of the dish. Cover with a lid or microwave plastic wrap. Cook for 6 minutes. Prick plastic, if used, to release steam.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla bean. Add plums. Cook, covered, at 100 percent power in a high-power oven for 8 minutes.
• Remove from oven and uncover. Let cool. Remove vanilla bean and store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled, in a bowl, with some of the syrup.

HALF-MOON BAY POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• Peel plums, slice in half, remove stone and place in lemon water.
• Combine wine, bay leaf, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange zest and lemon zest in a shallow braising pan. Bring liquid to a full boil and whisk liquid well.
• Reduce to a simmer, add plums and cover with Baker's Paper. Turn and baste plums several times. Keep pan covered and poach plums 15-20 minutes or until plums are tender. Remove plums with a slotted spoon and hold warm for service.
• Strain poaching liquid and return to braising pan. Bring liquid to a full boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes or about a 1/2 cup remains.
• Combine 2 teaspoons arrowroot with 2 teaspoons cold water water in a small bowl and whisk until combined. Wisk into sauce and stir until sauce has thickened. Season with a pinch salt and ground cinnamon. Hold sauce warm for service.
• Service.
• Drizzle warm wine sauce over the bottom of plate. Fan each plum, place in center and drizzle sauce over the plum.
• Garnish with Fresh Strawberries, Fresh Red Raspberries and Whipped Cream.

HALF-MOON BAY POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• Peel plums, cut in half, remove pits and place in a bowl of lemon water.
• Combine wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, anise, bay leaves, orange juice, lime juice, orange zest and lime zest into a shallow braising pan. Bring to a full boil and reduce to a slow simmer. Place plums in and cover with a sheet of bakers paper.
• Poach plums 15-20 minutes or until they are tender. Remove plums with a slotted spoon and hold warm for service.
• Strain wine sauce with a chinoise or fine sive. Bring to a full boil and reduce to a slow simmer. Reduce sauce by half or about 10 minutes.
• In a small bowl wisk together arrowroot and cold water. Slowly wisk arrowroot into the wine sauce. Wisk sauce for 3-4 minutes or until thickened. Remove wine sauce from heat and hold warm for service.
• Add heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon fine sugar to a chilled steel bowl and whip heavy cream until firm.
• Dizzle wine sauce over the bottom of a warm plates. Place one plum pit side down and drizzle warm wine sauce over the plum.
• Garnish plates with Fresh Red Raspberries, Fresh Strawberries and Whipped Cream.