Allotments 4 All

It's raining plums on the allotment!

They are an unknown yellow variety (oval like victorias) not too great to eat raw, bit pithy but thought cooking them would do the trick ;)

Could anyone help please?

Lucky old you!!

Not the same as person to person, but masses on Google?

Easier than writing it all out?

made some yesterday - see the gallery!
We used a combination of victoria, cherry plums and yellow one - we thought they were greengages, but not sure!

Is from Delia Smith's original cook book, going from memory so will check at home later:

2 lb plums,
700 grams preserving sugar (withOUT added pectin),
8 fl oz water,
^1/2 oz of butter,
Oven - gas mark 4.

Makes 5 x  1 lb jars (or 3 1/2 jars in our case - but our jars were prob a bit too big!)

1. Put plums in water in preserving pan and simmer gently till soft. At same time. put suger in a bowl in preheated oven - gas mark 4 to warm and put 4 side plates in the freezer.
2. When plums are soft, gradually incorporate suger, stirring gently, keep on mild heat until suger has dissolved (look at back of wooden spoon for crystals)
3. Once all suger is dissolved, bring to boil and boil rapidly for 10 mins - do not remove any scum that forms, then turn off heat.
4. Take one of the side plates from freezer, place a teaspoon of jam on plate and let cool, push it with your little finger, if a skin has formed it is ready, if not, boil for another 5 mins and repeat. Once you are happy with consistency add the butter (it makes the scum formed incorporate back in - not sure how/ why).
5. Put 5 x 1lb jars in oven for 5 mins to warm, leave jam to cool for 15 mins, then pour into warm jars, cover with wax circle and lid, leave to cool before labelling.

Had it on my toast for breakfast this morning - is gorgeous!

Delia also has a plum chutney and ketchup recipe but have not made them.

Good luck!

Daisymay,

I made some plum jam on Monday following the same recipe.

We got the plums from the market in Frome ,Somerset - a boxful for £1  ;)

Have now got 4 jars of plum jam and a rather nice spiced plum sauce

courtesy of Jamie Oliver for an appetizer as follows:-

Japanese Rolled Pork with Plums, Coriander, Soy Sauce and Spring Onions

10 plums ,  2 tablespoons olive oil ,  2 star anise ,  2 thumb sized

pieces of fresh ginger peeled & finely grated ,  2 cloves ,  2 heaped

tablespoons of muscovado sugar ,  600g pork loin , salt & freshly

ground black pepper ,  1 small handful of coriander washed &

chopped ,  spring onions ,  soy sauce.

Wash plums, remove stones.

Cut into 1/2"  dice.  Heat oil, fry star anise, ginger & cloves for 1

minute.  Add plums,  sugar and couple of tablespoons of water.

Place lid on and simmer for 20 mins. Allow to cool.

Remove any fat from pork, cut into 1/4" slices and bash between

2 pieces of cling film.  Complete with remaining meat and lay out on

tray.

Season the plum sauce and stir in half the coriander.

Smear a tablespoon of  sauce in middle of each slice & roll up like a

swiss roll.  Put rolls into a bamboo  steamer & steam for 10-15

minutes. 

Remove and serve on bed of finely  sliced spring onions, sprinkled

with the rest of the coriander and doused with lots of soy sauce.   :P  :P  :P

sounds yummy! still got about 8 lb of plums to use so will be trying any variation of plum possible!  :P

How about...?


1. Plum Chutney.

1lb cooking apples (peeles & cored)
1lb shallots/onions
2lbs stoned plums
1lb seedless raisins
6ozs brown sugar
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp ground allspice
1/4tsp each of ground cloves, grated nutmeg, cayenne pepper, dry mustard
1oz salt
1pint vinegar

Chop apples & onions(or shallots), mix in large saucepan, add plums. stir in all remaining ingredients, heat chutney until it is boiling, then reduce heat & simmer until thickened. Makes approx 4 1/2 lbs.


2. Plum Sauce (for meats)

8lbs plums
1lb onions
8oz currants
1/2 oz root ginger (bruised)
1/4oz dried red chillies
1/4 oz black peppercorns
1/4oz mustard seeds
2pints vinegar
1lb sugar
2oz salt

Cut up plums (no need to stone) and put in saucepan. Rough chop the onions and add to the pan with currants and all the spices. Pour in half the vinegar and bring to boil. Reduce heat & simmer for 30 mins or until reduced to a pulp.

Rub pulp through sieve, return it to a clean pan and add rest of vinegar. Stir in sugar & salt, bring to boil then reduce heat. Simmer sauce for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to pan. Bottle while hot.

Makes about 3 1/2 pints (2 litres)

I make lots of plum jam and my recipe is as follows:
Microwave the plums (no water)in a bowl until mushy. Allow to cool for handling.
Weigh out the plum into the saucepan.
Add an equal weight of ordinary white sugar.
Stir on a very low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Bring up to 220 degrees F (104 degrees C) and at this temperature boil for about 5 minutes, stirring. Take pan off heat, put a spoonful on a prechilled plate (plate previously put in fridge) and leave for 5 minutes. if you then push with your finger on the spoonful of jam and it wrinkles, it's done.
If not, boil up to 220 degrees again and re-check.

Wow, thank you ladies,  I'm off to the kitchen right now.

Been a bit out of sorts recently, daughter just left home to travel for a year, huge loss for me. :'(

This will help to distract me.

No problem flowerlady.

Will fly by and I am sure she will be in touch as much as possible - just think of all the adventures she will be having, be the time of her life!  :)

I know how you are feeling flowerlady,

My two children are staying with their nan & grandad in Somerset.

My 8 yr old daughter was crying over the phone saying how much

she missed me and wanted to come home   :'(

We collect them on friday and I can't wait...

Debs

You girls are great.   ;D 

It was all made much worse by the fact my son left for a year away as well in April.   I know I have been blessed with them wanting to stay at home for so long.  But it's so QUIET at home now.

Moment of achievement tomorrow night she climbs Mt Fuji to see the sun rise.  Wish I was there too .........

wow - me too! What a great experience for her.

I was lucky enough to go to Tokyo with work in Feb, it is an incredible place! the people and culture is just mind blowing, it really is a different world out there.

Men stood to one side and let me on the underground first, public toilets with built in stereo systems and heated seats! got an apology from a passer by in the street because there was a peice of litter - was the only bit I saw all week! I have never felt so safe walking the streets on my own, even at night - there is no crime at all.

I could see Mount Fuji out of my hotel window, the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen. 

Just taken the call, she is on the mountain as I write ;D

Sunrise approx 6.30 a.m. tomorrow our time :D