Plums

A plum deal Fill your fruit bowl with plums this autumn.

Photo by Alexandra Kikot on Unsplash As summer wanes, we might lament the passing of the sweet berry goodness of strawberries, raspberries et al, and the juicy flesh of peaches and nectarines, but fear not, there’s another fruity treat just ready to come into season — the plum! For some reason, this autumnal stone fruit doesn’t seem to reap the accolades, but it’s got so much to offer. There are several varieties — some sweet, some more on the tart side — so there’s something for everyone. And when it comes to appearance they can differ widely too, with some boasting a deep red or purple hue, others yellow or green. You might notice a cloudy bloom, but it’s not an indication of poor quality. One thing all varieties have in common though is the smooth, colourful skin, hard stone in the centre, and a wonderful taste. Plums are fabulously versatile too, lending themselves brilliantly to cooking. When choosing your fruit, look for smooth, unbruised skin and firm flesh that gives a little with a gentle squeeze. Since the colours of plums can vary so much, it’s not a guide to ripeness, but if it’s soft at the point where the cleft meets the stem, it’s overripe. Avoid any that are split or shrivelled too. Your plums should keep for three to four days at room temperature, and a day or two longer if stored in a perforated bag in the fridge.

YOGHURT PANCAKES WITH BAKED PLUMS

Based around a traditional Russian recipe called oladi, these yoghurt pancakes have a slight sour tang that works perfectly with sweet fruit.

SERVES 4

500ml yoghurt 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk 40g caster sugar 300g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 6 ripe plums 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 1 nutmeg 3 tbsp honey Zest and juice of ½ an orange 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Halve the plums and place them in a snugfitting roasting tin. Throw in the cinnamon stick, star anise and a cautious grating of nutmeg. Tip in the honey, orange juice and zest. Give everything a mix. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the plums are soft and beginning to collapse. 2 While the plums cook, whisk the yoghurt, eggs and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and then add a good pinch of salt. Mix together until smooth. Leave to rest for 10 minutess or so.

3 To cook the pancakes, heat a thin layer of oil in a non-stick frying pan and dollop generous spoonfuls of the mix into the pan. Cook over a medium heat, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip them over and cook the other side. You'll probably have to cook these in two or three batches, so keep the first lot warm in a low oven. You should get at least 12 pancakes.

4 Serve the pancakes alongside the warm baked plums.

Recipe by Riverford (www.riverford.co.uk)

SHORTBREAD WITH ROASTED PLUMS

An easy-to-make and delectable combination of plums roasted with honey, cinnamon and orange and crisp, buttery traditional shortbread. Add a dollop of crème fraîche if you like when serving. Any shortbread not eaten will keep well for a week in an airtight container for a teatime treat.

SERVES 8

FOR THE SHORTBREAD 225g unsalted butter 100g golden caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 225g plain flour 100g cornflour 1 tsp fine sea salt

FOR THE PLUMS 8 large plums (plus a few more if small) Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange 2 tbsp honey 1 tsp ground cinnamon Crème fraîche, to serve 1 Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas Mark 2.

2 First, make the shortbread. Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the flours and salt and bring together with your fingertips. 3 Tip into a 23cm flan or Swiss roll tin and press into the sides. Prick all over with a fork. Bake for 45-50 minutes until pale golden. 4 Sprinkle lightly with sugar and cut into 8 triangles (flan tin) or fingers (Swiss roll tin). Leave for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

5 Increase oven temperature to 180°C/ Gas Mark 4.

6 Halve the plums and remove the stones. Place cut side up in a baking dish. 7 Mix the orange juice and honey and pour over the plums. Sprinkle with cinnamon and orange zest. 8 Bake for about 20-30 minutes. Serve the plums with the shortbread and crème fraîche.