Breakfast on the veranda and some plums
>> Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Sometimes when I go into a shop and some food catches my eye, I buy it even when I don't know what I'm going to do with it... I know, it's not a good idea, it could end up in the garbage. Last saturday I visited my favourite greengrocer, to find some gorgeous red plums... I don't like them fresh very much, but they were so red, so round, so cute with their little plum eyes, looking at me saying... take us with you! I couldn't resist so much irresponsibility. So I took some with me and went back home wondering what to do with them. I decided to keep things simple and make some jam/compote to garnish the fresh cheese I usually have for breakfast.
Red plum jam/compote
I use pectine to shorten the boiling time. Besides the mixture takes longer to thicken with fructose than with sugar. You know I'm lazy.
I had to peel the plums because this variety has quite a bitter peel. So peel them, cut them in half and pit them. Put them in an enameled pot with the fructose or sugar, whatever you prefer, you just have to adjust the quantity (I use a ratio of 60/100, fructose/sugar).
Boil on medium heat while stirring every now and then, until it starts to thicken. Drop a small amount on a plate, let it cool and check the consistency and sweetness. Whenever it's done, put off the heat and add the pectine. I had no intention to mix it, by I had to do it because I got a lot of nice pectine lumps I didn't want to smash one by one. Pour the hot jam in a esterilized glass jar (half an hour in boiling water, with a cloth on the pan bottom to prevent the jar from breaking although some claim that washing in a dishwasher is enough), cover with the lid and leave the jar to cool in an upside down position. I think this prevents condensation on the lid, only I don't remember why this is so bad and haven't been able to find out where I got this idea.
Today I had some plum jam for breakfast with my everyday fresh cheese, on the veranda...The Bulbul to the garden winged his way,
Viewed lily cups, and roses smiling gay,
Cried in ecstatic notes, "O live your life,
You never will relive this fleeting day."
Omar Khayyam
7 comentarios:
I have never seen plums such a beautiful color as that! What a delicious breakfast.
The color! Yes, that's exactly what compelled me to buy the plums, how could anyone resist? :-)
i agree - i would not be able to resist! gorgeous!
Hi Miriam!
Superb plums!!! So is it already plums harvest in Madrid (a very jealous Chicago guy is speaking who only has his strawberries in the garden) -
Cheers!
Gabi @ Mamaliga.com
Kiss: Yes, they were gorgeous!
Gabi: The plums didn't come from Madrid, but from somewhere in Eastern Spain... the climate is milder there.
I was looking for how to make plum jam with fructose and your blog came up. I am making the jam as we speak. looking forward to it. I wanted to explain that the reason you turn the jars upside down is that when you put the hot jam in the jars, it sterilises the jar again, and then you turn it upside down to sterilise the lid again as well, as the temperature of the hot jam is really hot. this then helps the jam to keep for a long time until it is opened. You also do that when you preserve pickles or vegetables. It's a matter of not leaving anything to chance. Thanks for the recipe, and all the best!
Hi Poppie! Sorry that it took so long to answer, your comment was awaiting moderation and had gone unnoticed. Thanks for the info!
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