Seasonal plums freshly delivered to the fruit stand or produce counters offer a variety of ways to enjoy their goodness long after the season has passed.
This week’s recipes featuring plums are adapted from a popular guide to home preserving.
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Plum Orange Jam
- 5 cups pitted and finely chopped red plums
- 1 tbsp. grated orange rind
- 1 pkg. fruit pectin (57 g)
- 5 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup orange liqueur
Sterilize 7 half-pint jars and lids in boiling water.
Pit and finely chop plums to measure 5 cups. Combine prepared plums and orange rind in a large, deep stainless steel saucepan. Gradually add fruit pectin, stirring until dissolved.
Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Return to a full boil and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and using a metal spoon, skim foam from top of mixture. Stir in orange liqueur.
Ladle jam into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between glass and mixture. Wipe jar rims to remove any stickiness. Apply lids and return jars to canner, cover with water and place lid on canner.
Boil for five minutes. Remove from boiling water and cool for 24 hours. Store in cool, dark place.
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Spiced Plum Freezer Jam
- 5 cups prepared plums
- 1 1/4 cups water, divided
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 7 cups granulated sugar
- 1 pkg. fruit pectin
- 1/2 tsp. ground mace
Using any type of plums — black, red or yellow, separately or combined — pit and finely chop the plums to measure 5 cups.
Combine plums with 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan. Cover and boil gently for five minutes.
Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and sugar. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved, about three minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Measure remaining 3/4 cup of water into a small saucepan. Gradually add the pectin and stir until dissolved. Bring to a full boil and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.
Stir the pectin mixture into the fruit and stir until well mixed. Add the mace and stir for three minutes longer.
Ladle into freezer containers and cover tightly. Let stand at room temperature for several hours until jam sets. Freeze or refrigerate within 24 hours.
Jam may be stored in refrigerator for up to three weeks or kept frozen for one year.
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Plum Sauce
- 10 cups prepared plums
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tbsps. mustard seed
- 2 tbsps. finely chopped green chili peppers
- 1 tbsp. salt
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 pieces ginger root, minced
Pit and finely chop plums to measure 10 cups. Place other ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add plums and return to a boil, boiling gently and stirring occasionally, about 1 3/4 hours or until thick and syrupy.
Ladle into six sterilized half-pint jars with sterilized lids. Place jars in canner, cover with water and boil for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool for 24 hours. Store in cool, dark place.
Serve with Oriental foods, chicken or pork.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
