Plum Good

Its been a sensational season for stone fruit - some of the best peaches and nectarines I can remember for a long time. At my local farmer's market last weekend there were at least six varieties of plums for sale including Black Doris, my favorite for our family sauce recipe, and several heirloom varieties. We bought some Haweras to make jam and several kilos of Black Doris for our annual sauce making. Hawera, named for the New Zealand town in which it was discovered, is a blood plum too, juicy and very sweet - perfect for jam.

I am not a great jam maker or eater, but spurred on by my daughter's desire to make it, out came the jam pan and long handled wooden spoons. The sugar thermometer was nowhere to be found so we had to employ the old technique of cold saucer and the finger test to see if it had reached setting stage.
Our recipe was dead simple - just 2 kilos of plums, halved, stoned and then quartered plus 1.2 kilos of white sugar.Next time I would use just one kilo for these sweet plums.
Mix the fruit and sugar together in a large bowl and leave on the bench, covered, overnight. Next day, the juices will have run and much of the sugar will have dissolved.

Stir over a low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved then increase the heat until boiling . Boil hard - stirring occasionally .  As the mixture nears setting point the bubbles will become denser, a good sign. Put a small plate in the freezer for a few minutes then drop a little jam onto it. As it cools draw your finger across the top. If it wrinkles it is ready for bottling.  Ladle into steralised jars , cool and then cover.

The Plum Sauce recipe has been in my family for a long time. My mother made it every year and I have carried on the tradition. We wouldn't be without a jar, open in the fridge to have with good sausages or lamb. It is delicious in a cold lamb sandwich.

4 kilos Black Doris plums

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

25 grams whole cloves

1 large onion, chopped

2 kilos brown sugar

2 tablespoons cayenne pepper (this may seem a lot but the sauce mellows with time - reduce the amount if desired) 

1 litre malt vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large, heavy based pot. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 hours. Strain the sauce through a sieve and discard the solids. Pour into sterilized jars or bottles and seal while hot.

Store in a cool dark place. The sauce will thicken with time.

Makes approximately 4 litres of sauce.

To sterilise bottles and jars: Put jars or bottles and their lids through a hot cycle of the dishwasher. Alternatively, wash in hot soapy water and rinse well. Place them on an oven tray in a cold oven. Turn the heat to 120°C and leave for ½ hour.

It is very simple.