French Almond Plum Cake
This cake with its delicate perfume of almonds is rustic, yet elegant, with a slight dusting of confectioners’ sugar. Apricots and cherries can be added for variation.
2 pounds red plums, (or combination of plums, apricots, or cherries)
2 teaspoons lemon juice and zest
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup plain flour
¼ cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup slivered almonds
1 egg yolk blended with ¼ cup cream or milk
½ cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting
1 cup heavy cream whipped with 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9-inch springform pan. Cut plums in half and remove pits. Slice halved plums into wedges, then place in a bowl with lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar. Toss well and set aside. In a small bowl, combine flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the almond and vanilla extracts and beat until smooth. Gently stir dry ingredients into batter, along with lemon zest, until well combined. Spoon batter into springform pan and smooth top with back of spoon. Place plum wedges, skin-side up, leaving a bit of space between each plum. Sprinkle almonds on top and brush top with egg wash. Place cake into hot oven and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place on a rack and let cool completely. When cake is cool, remove rim and bottom of springform pan and transfer to a serving plate. When ready to serve sift powdered sugar on top and serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream if desired.
Yield: 8 servings
Plum Salad with Parmesan Cheese and Cracked Pepper
2 tablespoons champagne or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon cracked pepper
6 ripe plums, pitted and sliced
½ cup shaved Parmesan
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Flaky smoked sea salt
In a small bowl, combine vinegar, honey, and half of pepper. Whisk until well combined. Place plums in a serving bowl and gently toss with dressing until coated. Add half of cheese and toss all together again. When ready to serve, place a lettuce leaf on top of each salad plate and top with dressed plums and cheese. Sprinkle remaining cheese and cracked pepper over each plate. Drizzle olive oil over each plate and sprinkle with smoked sea salt.
Yield:4 servings
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Plums, White Cheddar, and Lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon honey
1 pork tenderloin
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 red or black plums, cut in half, and pits removed
1 lemon, halved and seeds removed
8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, cut into ½ inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Red pepper flakes (for serving)
Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Whisk together olive oil and honey and pour in a large, resealable bag. Season tenderloin generously with salt and pepper. Close bag, pressing out all air and massaging tenderloin to coat. Place plums, lemon, and cheese on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle all with olive oil and toss to coat. Season all with salt and pepper. Remove tenderloin from marinade and place on hot grill or grill pan, turning occasionally until outside is crispy, and internal temperature reaches 128 degrees. Remove and place on a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil pepper and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place plums and lemons on grill, cut side down. Cook, turning several times until all is a bit charred and shows grill marks, about 4 minutes. Add cheese and cook for 1 minute, flip each piece with a spatula and cook 1 minute more. Remove all from grill and place on cutting board with pork. Let plums and lemons cool enough to handle about 1 minute. Slice tenderloin thinly along with plums. Divide meat, plums, and cheese between 4 plates and squeeze lemons over each plate, seasoning with more salt and pepper. Drizzle each plate with extra olive oil and top with fresh parsley and red pepper flakes if desired.
Yield: 4 servings
Plum Berry Sangria
4 black or red plums
4 fresh apricots
1 pint fresh blackberries
1 bottle good red wine
1 cup vodka
1 cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup simple syrup
Ice
1 cup blackberry seltzer or soda
Whole cherries for garnish
Fresh mint for garnish
Cut plums and apricots in half, remove pits, and cut into wedges. Place cut fruit in a large glass pitcher and pour red wine, vodka, pomegranate juice, and simple syrup over fruit. Stir well and refrigerate. When ready to serve, fill pitcher with ice and top with seltzer. Stir to combine. Garnish with fresh mint and cherries if desired.
Yield: 8 servings
Plum and Cherry Bruschetta
2 ripe plums, thinly sliced
1 cup cherries, pits removed and halved
2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Smoked sea salt
¼ vanilla bean, split
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
½ baguette, sliced thinly and toasted
In a glass bowl, toss together plums, cherries, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt. Set aside and let plums and cherries macerate together for 10 to 15 minutes. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a separate bowl. Whisk in ricotta cheese and stir until mixture is smooth. When ready to serve, brush baguette slices with olive oil. Spread each piece with ricotta and top with fruit. Drizzle all with olive oil, juice from bowl, and sprinkle with salt.
Yield: 4 servings
Plum Butter
8 ripe plums, pit removed, and flesh cut into chunks
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring plums, sugar, water, and vanilla to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Simmer mixture uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes to keep fruit from sticking. Using an immersion blender, puree plums until mixture is very smooth. Continue simmering plums on low heat for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, until mixture is very thick. Remove from heat and ladle into clean jars with tight fitting lids. Plum butter will keep refrigerated up to 4 weeks. Delicious with hot biscuits or toast.
Yield: 2 cups
Plum Sherbet
4 cups ripe plums, pitted and quartered
2/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
¼ cup pomegranate juice
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
In a medium saucepan, add plums, sugar, water, and pomegranate juice. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, or until plums have broken down and become very soft. Allow mixture to cool down before pureeing with an immersion blender. Blend on high until mixture is very smooth. Add salt, vanilla, and heavy cream. Blend again until mixture is very smooth. Pour into frozen bowl of an electric ice cream maker and process until sherbet is very thick. Remove from bowl with a spatula and transfer to a freezer-proof container. Keep frozen until ready to serve.
Yield: 4 servings
