Title: Spiced Pickled Damson Plums
Categories: Fruit Pickle Canning
Yield: 4 Servings

1	kg	(2lb 4oz) damson plums
450	g	(1lb) brown sugar
300	ml	(1/2 pint) red wine
200	ml	(7fl oz) red wine vinegar
2		Cinnamon sticks
8		Cloves
1	ts	Coriander seeds
1	ts	Allspice berries
5		Cm fresh root ginger, peeled
		And sliced

The small dark damson is rarely sweet but has bags of flavour. My chum Steven Doherty has an orchard of them near his pub, the Punch Bowl at Crosthwaite in the Lake District. In spring he feasts his eyes on their blossom. In autumn he makes chutney, which he serves all year with Cumbrian ham or Lancashire cheese.

Prick each damson and place in an oven tray or saute pan so that they just cover its base. Pour wine, vinegar and sugar into a separate saucepan and heat to dissolve to a syrup. Add the spices and simmer for five minutes, then pour over the damsons. Bring the mixture gently to the boil, switch off the heat, cover the pan and leave to cool overnight (eight to 12 hours).

Strain off the cool syrup into a saucepan, boil quite hard until reduced by a third to a half into a syrupy consistency.

Arrange the cold damsons in jars fitted with vinegar-proof seals (or lids with thick plastic). Pour the hot syrup over the fruit, seal and store in a dark cupboard for at least a month.

MM format by Manny Rothstein, 8/27/98

Chef Rowley Leigh, Kensington Place, London. Electronic Telegraph/London Telegraph, Saturday 15 August 1998

From: Manny Rothstein Date: 09-08-98 (07:18) The Once And Future Legend (1) Cooking

previous

next