PLUMS CAN PLAY MANY PARTS IN COOKERY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 20

PLUMS CAN PLAY MANY PARTS IN COOKERY

A GOOD plum season means a great ' deal to the resourceful cook. There are so many excellent puddings, pies and sweets, both hot and cold, to be made for luncheon and dinner which have plums as their basis. Plum preserves can be very varied both in the species of plum used and in the choice of flavouring. On the whole, the home cooks, and particularly those who live in towns, are Inclined to overlook the possibilities that are presented by plum pickles —spiced plums, chutneys or bottled sauces—all of which bring interest to cold fare later. An important point in plum cookery is to use only sound fruit. Most hostesses to-day are attracted by the idea of special preserves. These can be eaten in the usual way with the tea-time bread and butter, or as a dainty little luncheon sweet with sponge fingers. They may be used as filling’s for tarts or additions to trifles. The great aim is to give them individuality of some kind. Chinese Marmalade Required: 31b. of golden plums. 41b. Demerara sugar, 11b. seedless raisins, 1 lemon, 1 orange, 4oz. preserved ginger, 1 breakfastcupful of water, 1 dessertspoonful of brandy. Stone and pick the plums and cut in halves. Chop the raisins and preserved ginger, grate orange rind and strain the juice of orange and lemon. Put the plums into the preserving pan, add water, grated rind and strained juice of orange and lemon. Cook till tender. Pass through a sieve. Return the pulp to the pan; add sugar and chopped raisins. Bring to the boil slowly and simmer for 30 minutes. Add preserved ginger, and again bring to the boil, and boil rapidly for five minutes. Now stir in the brandy. Pour into warm jars and seal in the usual way.

the plums, without damaging them, and strain the syrup over them. Leave for a couple of days, then drain, and spread in one layer only on large dishes to dry.

The plums may be kept for quite a time by packing in air-tight containers. Syrup for Many Purposes.

Boil 71b. ripe plums gently with 71b. sugar for 20 minutes. Pour on to a large hair sieve and allow to drain without pressure. Measure liquor and add one teaspoonful almond essence and one teaspoonful brandy or whisky to each quart. Bottle and cork well. This is delicious, and may be used in milk cocktails, drinks of all' kinds and fruit salads. The plum pulp can be used for cheese'or a pickle. To Serve With Meat This relish is suitable for serving with various cold and hot meats, particularly beef and ham. Stalk and wash lib. of red plums. Put into pan and pour on quarter pint vinegar. Add 6oz. brown sugar, 1 teaspoonful salt,-2 small onions, 6 crushed peppercorns, 1 pod chilies, 3 cloves, and i teaspoonful mixed spiee. Put on lid. Bring very slowly to the boil and then boil gently for half an hour. Leave till cold, remove onions, and then press through a sieve. Boil up for five minutes and bottle.

Sprinkle generously with Demerara sugar.

Halve and remove the stones from Victoria plums, and pack the plums, cut side up, in the dish, adding sugar to hist layer. Cover with bread and butter, buttered side uppermost, and bake in a moderate oven till plums are cooked and crust a golden brown. Turn out and serve with cream. This is good when either hot or cold. Novel Tart Slew 41b. plums, drain, and put through a sieve. Line a cake tin with short crust, put in the puree. Whip the white of a large egg with | cupful of castor sugar. Beat in 1 tablespoonful ground rice and 2oz. ground almonds. Pile on top of the puree. Place criss-cross strips of pastry on top. Southern Pie For southern pie take 21b. chops, 2 teaspoonfuls sugar, 11b. sour plums, 2 onions, pepper, salt and allspice to taste. Trim chops, stone plums aud peel and slice onions. Put a layer of plums in a large piedish, sprinkle with spice and sugar, add a layer of chops with pepper, salt and onions. Repeat till all are used up. Cover with flaky pastry. Make a hole in the top, lightly brush over with milk, and bake in moderate oven for one and a half hours.