Poached Plums

Thursday 20th Jan

Poaching syrup:

1 1/2 cups white sugar (I guesstimated)

1 1/2 cups white wine (can use red wine, or orange juice too)

1 1/2 cups water (the recipe calls for a total of 3 cups hot water, but says you can replace up to 1 cup with orange juice or red or white wine - I did 1 1/2 cups white wine and it was yum)

Flavouring - vanilla bean, lemon verbena or scented gernaium leaf, citrus peel, cardamom pops, cinnamon stick or star anise. I chose cinnamon stick this time.

Plums from our small, but fruit laden tree - don't know what kind they are, they are mostly about 4-5cm in diameter.

To make the poaching syrup
Put sugar, hot water (and juice/wine) and your choice of flavouring (cinnamon stick for me) in a heavy-based saucepan and heat over medium heat to dissolve sugar, stirring. Once all sugar has dissolved, simmer syrup for 3-4 minutes.

Preparing the poaching liquid:

When your syrup is ready, pop in the fruit. Poach til soft.

The recipe is from Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Companion - and has some other fussy options, including covering with a piece of baking paper to stop evaporation, but I just did it in my favourite 28cm Chasseur pot and it worked really well.


Poached!

I now have them waiting patiently in the freezer, for their turn to make an appearance at the breakfast table!