|
|
|
 |
 |
| Plums can be used in a wide variety of recipes - check out the plum recipe page for some delicious suggestions. |
|
| However, their uses do not end there. The laxative effects of the fruit both fresh and dried as prunes is very well known. But what is perhaps less well known is the cooling lubricant properties of the fresh flesh, although we do not recommend rubbing them on any wounds! |
|
Nutritional value
Plums contain more antioxidant than any other fruit. They provide about 40 kilocalories per
100g/33/40Z. |
|
Buying and Storing
 Plums are delicate, so make sure that the ones you buy are unblemished. They should be plump and firm, with some "give" (but never squashy), and they should be fully coloured for their variety. Plums should always have a pleasant aroma.
These fruit ripen fast and quickly become over-ripe, so store them in the fridge for only a day or two. For cooking at a later date, plums can be frozen: halve the fruit and remove the stones. Place on trays and open freeze, then pack the fruit into polythene bags and seal.
|
|
Preparing and Cooking
 Dessert plums are delicious eaten on their own. Dual varieties (suitable for eating and cooking) and cooking plums make excellent pies and tarts, compotes, crumbles, dumplings, sauces, mousses and souffles. They can be poached, baked or stewed, either whole or in halves or slices. It is not recommended that plums with tough skins are cooked in the microwave, as they will not soften in the short cooking time. Cook plums until just tender; do not let them disintegrate. Plums make tasty ice cream, and the poached fruit goes very well with ice creams flavoured with spices like cardamom, nutmeg and cinnamon.
 Plums go extremely well in savoury dishes. The Chinese make them into a thick sweet-sour sauce to serve with Peking duck, lamb or pork. Spiced stewed plums are good with gammon, cured meats, terrines and poultry. Plums add a special flavour to beef or lamb casseroles.
Plums also make superb jams and jellies. They can be preserved in many different ways; dried (as prunes), crystallized and candied, bottled or made into wine and liqueurs like slivovitz and plum brandy.
|
|
|
