Plummy Days
Wednesday, June 20, 2012 at 4:00AM 
By Lori Powell
Plums are popping up all over the green market in Upstate New York and at green markets everywhere in the Northeast. It’s a little early this year, as is everything else, due to the mild winter. If they haven’t hit your market just yet…summer is just around the corner.
When ripe, antioxidant-rich plums have flesh that is super-sweet while the skins add a touch of tartness. High levels of phenols found both in the fresh and dried versions help prevent damage to the fats found in our cells. Another benefit is that plums are a good source of vitamin C.
Aside from the healthy attributes, plums are virtual eye candy as they come in the most amazing spectrum of colors. Perfect to eat right out of hand, these juicy-sweet gems are great cooked. They pair just as easily with grilled pork tenderloin in a main dish, as they do with oats and brown sugar in a crisp.
Since they contain a small center pit, plums are a relative of the peach, nectarine, and cherry family. When it comes to plums, I highly recommend going organic.
Look for fruit that yields slightly to gentle pressure; they should not be rock hard. Ripe ones will be really fragrant. If you have plums that are firm to the touch, leave them at room temperature in a paper bag to ripen for a day or two.
To pit, simply halve, twist and with a small knife or spoon remove the pit. To peel, cut a shallow x on the bottom of the plum and drop in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove plums with a slotted spoon and drop in a bowl of ice and cold water. Slip peels off.
To store ripe plums, keep in a fridge for several days and bring them to room temperature before eating.
Enjoy the following three delicious plum recipes below: as a drink, a savory main or as dessert.
Plum Cocktail
Serves 2
1/2 plum, pitted and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 1/2 cups chilled Prosecco
- Muddle or mash plum with sugar and mint until softened. Divide between 2 tall chilled glasses and add Prosecco. Garnish with mint if desired.
Plum Crisp
Serves 2
3 ripe plums, halved, pitted and coarsely chopped
5 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
3 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Frozen vanilla yogurt, optional
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss together plums with 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar and ½ tablespoon of the flour in a 1-quart greased ceramic or glass baking dish.
- In a small bowl toss together oats, cinnamon, salt, remaining 4 tablespoons brown sugar and remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 forks until coarse crumbs form. Press dough into small clumps with fingers and sprinkle evenly on plum mixture. Sprinkle almonds over top.
- Bake in middle of oven until top is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Top with frozen yogurt if desired.
Grilled Pork and Plums
Serves 1
1 center cut boneless pork chop
Olive oil spray
1 plum, halved and pitted
Two pinches ground allspice
Salt and pepper
- Heat grill to medium heat. Pat pork dry and coat with olive oil spray. Spray cut sides of plum with olive oil spray. Sprinkle pork and plum halves with a pinch allspice each, and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill pork and plum halves, cut sides down, turning once, until pork is cooked through but still pale pink in center and plums are golden brown but still intact, for 5 to 7 minutes total.
- Slice plums and serve on top of pork chop.
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