Nigel Slater's Recipes for Pork Chops with Chilli Plum Jam and Plum Almond Pie
There was no sign of dessert. (I'm going back a bit now.) We looked at each other anxiously, wondering if our hosts had forgotten, or were about to pull out a plate of cheese. Suddenly our host got up, slipped into the garden and returned with a tree branch which he dropped, almost bluntly, on the dining table. Hidden among the leaves were plums, each barely larger than a robin's egg, golden, rusty and sweet as honey. I can't remember a more appealing pudding. I couldn't bear to ask if the branch was a bit of an out of season pruning or a spur of the moment. Either way, it was a genius time.
Plum season is short and precious, with the off-season variety almost inedible unless you make them bake. The plum, like the fig, is a fruit that we stuff ourselves with. But unlike figs, they are relatively cheap, probably because stores need to sell them. Anything that doesn't ripen, as it sometimes does, can be cooked with a little honey or sugar, or brought to a sloppy jam on the hob, either with sugar or, as I I made pomegranate molasses, brown sugar and chilli this week. flakes. A tangy-sweet-pie side dish to dip a pork chop or rib into. (We also used it with thick slices of blue cheese, which was both dazzling and extraordinary.)
Plum pie is what you make when plums are cheap. Jam when there is an overabundance, which you are only likely to experience if you have your own tree or a caring and generous neighbor. The juice that's so welcome in a plum crumble can be a nuisance in a pie - likely to make your bottom crust as soggy as a bath sponge. I get around this problem by tossing the stone fruits with a mixture of jam and ground almonds before piling them on the dough. Baking the pie on a hot baking sheet will also help.
Grilled pork chops, chili and plum jamRight now, with the first plums appearing in the stores, I'll either make it into a salad to go with a plate of grilled pork (a light sprinkle of red wine vinegar, walnut oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds) or this slightly addictive slightly tangy jam. Serves 4
steaks or pork chops 4 x 250gpeanut or olive oil 1 tbsp sage leaves 1 tbsp coffee chopped salt and black pepper
For the chilli plum jam: 10 medium-sized garlic plums 1 flattened clove with a heaping weight of sweet brown sugar 35g chilli flakes 1 tsp pomegranate molasses 3 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp cherry vinegar 2 tbsp
Cut the plums in half and pit them. Cut each half in 2, then put in a non-stick saucepan with the garlic clove, sugar, chilli and molasses and bring to the boil. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums are soft enough to mash with a fork, then remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and vinegar, add a generous seasoning of salt and set aside. The jam will keep for several days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
To cook the chops, first brush them with a little peanut oil or of olives. Using a pestle and mortar, grind some salt and pepper, add the sage leaves, then season the pork. Heat a grill pan, add the pork and press down firmly with a heavy weight. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then flip, repeat and cook for a few more minutes until the pork fat is browned and the flesh inside is juicy and still slightly pink inside. Serve with plum sauce.
Plum and almond tart
There was no sign of dessert. (I'm going back a bit now.) We looked at each other anxiously, wondering if our hosts had forgotten, or were about to pull out a plate of cheese. Suddenly our host got up, slipped into the garden and returned with a tree branch which he dropped, almost bluntly, on the dining table. Hidden among the leaves were plums, each barely larger than a robin's egg, golden, rusty and sweet as honey. I can't remember a more appealing pudding. I couldn't bear to ask if the branch was a bit of an out of season pruning or a spur of the moment. Either way, it was a genius time.
Plum season is short and precious, with the off-season variety almost inedible unless you make them bake. The plum, like the fig, is a fruit that we stuff ourselves with. But unlike figs, they are relatively cheap, probably because stores need to sell them. Anything that doesn't ripen, as it sometimes does, can be cooked with a little honey or sugar, or brought to a sloppy jam on the hob, either with sugar or, as I I made pomegranate molasses, brown sugar and chilli this week. flakes. A tangy-sweet-pie side dish to dip a pork chop or rib into. (We also used it with thick slices of blue cheese, which was both dazzling and extraordinary.)
Plum pie is what you make when plums are cheap. Jam when there is an overabundance, which you are only likely to experience if you have your own tree or a caring and generous neighbor. The juice that's so welcome in a plum crumble can be a nuisance in a pie - likely to make your bottom crust as soggy as a bath sponge. I get around this problem by tossing the stone fruits with a mixture of jam and ground almonds before piling them on the dough. Baking the pie on a hot baking sheet will also help.
Grilled pork chops, chili and plum jamRight now, with the first plums appearing in the stores, I'll either make it into a salad to go with a plate of grilled pork (a light sprinkle of red wine vinegar, walnut oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds) or this slightly addictive slightly tangy jam. Serves 4
steaks or pork chops 4 x 250gpeanut or olive oil 1 tbsp sage leaves 1 tbsp coffee chopped salt and black pepper
For the chilli plum jam: 10 medium-sized garlic plums 1 flattened clove with a heaping weight of sweet brown sugar 35g chilli flakes 1 tsp pomegranate molasses 3 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp cherry vinegar 2 tbsp
Cut the plums in half and pit them. Cut each half in 2, then put in a non-stick saucepan with the garlic clove, sugar, chilli and molasses and bring to the boil. Simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums are soft enough to mash with a fork, then remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and vinegar, add a generous seasoning of salt and set aside. The jam will keep for several days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
To cook the chops, first brush them with a little peanut oil or of olives. Using a pestle and mortar, grind some salt and pepper, add the sage leaves, then season the pork. Heat a grill pan, add the pork and press down firmly with a heavy weight. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then flip, repeat and cook for a few more minutes until the pork fat is browned and the flesh inside is juicy and still slightly pink inside. Serve with plum sauce.
Plum and almond tartWhat's Your Reaction?
