Prunes: love them or hate them? Perhaps it is the humourous asides that accompany their mention – perhaps it’s memories of school dinners – I don’t know, after all, they are simply dried plums and if you like plums I cannot understand why you would not like prunes as well. So, let’s hear it for the much maligned but versatile prune! How do I eat them? Well stewed, of course, hot or cold, which is the simplest way but I also put them in fruit cakes and even, in spite of my dislike of meat and fruit together, in a Moroccan style dish we love of chicken. Now I have a new way…
I came across this recipe recently whilst leafing through one of my favourite chutney and pickle books The Penguin Book of Jams, Pickles & Chutneys by David & Rose Mabey and is extremely simple. The instructions say it goes well with ham and I plan to make sure it goes on the table at Christmas & New Year. I tried a quarter quantity using inexpensive supermarket Value brand prunes and was able to almost fill two attractive tall jam jars, just having to add a few extra prunes (say 50g) for good measure to top up the jars.
'Meanderings through my Cookbook' http://www.hopeeternalcookbook.wordpress.com
Pickled Prunes
(Makes around 1½lb)
8-10ozs/250-300g no soak pitted (stoneless) prunes
2ozs/125g sugar (I used white)
1 small blade of mace – original used a pinch each of ground nutmeg & mace
12 black peppercorns
½pint/10fl ozs/300ml white malt vinegar
½tbsp brandy (optional)
(As I was using no soak prunes I omitted the step soaking them in water overnight until plump and juicy, before draining.) However …
1. … if the prunes seem a little dry cover with boiling water. Leave for 5-10 minutes to plump up before draining well.
2. Wash the jars well and sterilise. I usually do this by filling the jars with boiling water and putting the lids in a bowl of boiling water. I pour away the water just before filling each jar and immediately take the lid from the bowl and screw it on. Shake as much water from them as possible before filling.
Alternatively put the jars in an oven set to 180oC/350oF/Gas 4 for 10 minutes. Be careful to put them on a dry surface when removing or they could crack. Lids can be placed in a small pan of boiling water. Shake as much water from the lids as possible before filling.
3. Place the sugar,vinegar and spices in a small pan. Boil for about 10 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve and the flavours to permeate the vinegar.
4. Pack the prunes into prepared jars, using extra prunes if necessary.
5. Adding brandy is optional and if using it should be divided equally between the jars before adding the vinegar mixture.
6. Place the peppercorns and mace blade in the jar (cut the blade into pieces if you have more than one jar) and finally pour the vinegar over the prunes.
7. Put the lids on the jars and invert until cool, which helps with the seal.
8. These prunes can be eaten immediately but are better kept a few weeks or even months. They have a spicy slightly sharp flavour and are good eaten with cold ham.
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