Brown Plum Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
| 1-1 kg / 2 1/2 lb red plums | ||
| 3 medium-sized onions, sliced | ||
| 125 g / 4 oz sultanas | ||
| 15g / 1/2 oz root ginger | ||
| 25 g / 1 oz pickling spice | ||
| 1-2 litres / 2 pints malt or white vinegar | ||
| 225 g / 8 oz granulated sugar | ||
| 50 g / 2 oz salt | ||
| 25 g / 1 oz dry mustard | ||
| Ground nutmeg | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Turmeric | 1 Teaspoon (Leveled) | |
Directions
GETTING READY
1. Wash, dry and stone the plums into a large basin.
2. Bruise the ginger with a mallet and combine with the other spices in a muslin cloth. Tie the muslin with string.
3. Preheat the oven to 225°F/ 110°C/ Gas ¼.
4. In a bowl, add the sugar and place the bowl in the oven to warm
5. Ready 3-4 preserve or coffee jars with tight fitting, vinegar proof lids. The jars should be clean and dry. Place them in the oven to warm along with the sugar.
MAKING
6. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the stoned plums, onions and sultanas.
7. Put the muslin bag with the spices into the pan.
8. Pour in half the vinegar.
9. Place the pan on a medium-low flame and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes.
10. Remove the spice bag and add the remaining vinegar, warmed sugar, mustard, nutmeg, turmeric and salt.
11. Stirring continuously, boil the mixture till all the sugar dissolves. Then reduce the flame and simmer for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally till the mixture becomes thick and viscous, making it difficult to stir with a wooden spoon. Avoid boiling or overcooking, as it will cause the sugar to caramelize.
12. Take pan off the heat and cool.
13. Strain the mixture using a fine nylon mesh sieve, scrapping the puree from the underside of the sieve.
14. It the puree is thin, return to the saucepan and reduce further for 10-20 minutes.
FINALIZING
15. Pour warm puree into the prepared jars, till the brim.
16. Cover jars with waxed paper discs, waxed-side down.
17. When the sauce has cooled to room temperature, close the lids.
18. Label the jars with name and date of making.
19. Store in a cool dry area like your pantry.
SERVING
20. You can use the sauce as an accompaniment or topping or filling.
1. Wash, dry and stone the plums into a large basin.
2. Bruise the ginger with a mallet and combine with the other spices in a muslin cloth. Tie the muslin with string.
3. Preheat the oven to 225°F/ 110°C/ Gas ¼.
4. In a bowl, add the sugar and place the bowl in the oven to warm
5. Ready 3-4 preserve or coffee jars with tight fitting, vinegar proof lids. The jars should be clean and dry. Place them in the oven to warm along with the sugar.
MAKING
6. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the stoned plums, onions and sultanas.
7. Put the muslin bag with the spices into the pan.
8. Pour in half the vinegar.
9. Place the pan on a medium-low flame and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes.
10. Remove the spice bag and add the remaining vinegar, warmed sugar, mustard, nutmeg, turmeric and salt.
11. Stirring continuously, boil the mixture till all the sugar dissolves. Then reduce the flame and simmer for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally till the mixture becomes thick and viscous, making it difficult to stir with a wooden spoon. Avoid boiling or overcooking, as it will cause the sugar to caramelize.
12. Take pan off the heat and cool.
13. Strain the mixture using a fine nylon mesh sieve, scrapping the puree from the underside of the sieve.
14. It the puree is thin, return to the saucepan and reduce further for 10-20 minutes.
FINALIZING
15. Pour warm puree into the prepared jars, till the brim.
16. Cover jars with waxed paper discs, waxed-side down.
17. When the sauce has cooled to room temperature, close the lids.
18. Label the jars with name and date of making.
19. Store in a cool dry area like your pantry.
SERVING
20. You can use the sauce as an accompaniment or topping or filling.
Chef
