Plum Recipes

June 29, 2011
Photo: Jennifer Causey
Turn one of summer’s more humble fruits into dazzling salads, sauces, drinks, and sweet-tart desserts.
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Neglected Plum No More

Photo: Anna Williams

Stone fruits of all sorts jumble the farm stands each summer, none more diverse than the puckery-sweet but curiously neglected plum. The plum ranges from inky purple to burnished gold in color. Its flesh may be anything from astringent to syrupy sweet—sometimes in the same single fruit—and its diversity makes it as versatile as, say, the apple. Yet we Americans mostly like our plums fresh and don’t cook them as often as we should. Check out these plum recipes to help you add the glorious plum to your go-to ingredient list this summer.

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Softened Plums with Vanilla Yogurt

Photo: Victor Protasio
View Recpe: Softened Plums with Vanilla Yogurt

The ideal summer dessert is fresh, juicy, not overly sweet, and not overly complicated, which is why this end-of-season treat features only six ingredients. Skip turning on the oven by cooking the plums just on the stove. The plums cook just long enough to often slightly and release their juices; use a knife and fork to dive in. Butter, honey, and orange juice mixed with juice from the peaches creates a light syrup that is simply divine. Sub any toasted nut or seed for the granola. This recipe serves four people, and each portion of three peach halves topped with yogurt and the peach syrup contains just 25g of added sugar, 184 calories, and 6.6g of fat.

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Fizzy Plum Bellini

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Fizzy Plum Bellini

Perfect for any summer cocktail hour, this Bellini remix is full of delicious, and tingly, flavor.

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Sweet & Sour Plum Quencher

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Sweet & Sour Plum Quencher

Kickback and unwind with a glassful of this quencher. We guarantee it will satisfy your craving—even if you didn’t know you were having one.

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Plum Kuchen

Photo: Anna Williams
View Recipe: Plum Kuchen

Almost any slightly firm plum will work in this lovely cake. In fact, we prefer a mix of black, red, and yellow fruit for contrasting flavor and color.

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Yellow Plum Salad

Photo: Anna Williams
View Recipe: Yellow Plum Salad

As gorgeous as it is delicious, this salad will become a summer staple. Serve it with grilled chicken, pork, steaks, or seafood. Look for the Mirabelle or other golden-fleshed plums.

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Roast Pork Tenderloin with Plum Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Anna Williams
View Recipe: Roast Pork Tenderloin with Plum Barbecue Sauce

Asian spices give this barbecue sauce a complex flavor, which enhances the sweet-tart flavor of the plums. Once it’s cooked, set aside 2-1/2 cups sauce to serve with the pork, and use remaining to baste as it cooks.

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Stone Fruit Cobbler

Photo: Anna Williams
View Recipe: Stone Fruit Cobbler

Tender and buttery, this cobbler’s crust is a nice foil for the intense filling. You can bake in any 2-quart baking dish, from round to rectangular. For a special treat (and an extra 55 calories and half a gram of saturated fat), top with a small scoop of vanilla low-fat ice cream.

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Basil Plum Granita

Photo: Anna Williams
View Recipe: Basil Plum Granita

Although complex black plums, with their winey flavor, taste and look spectacular in this refreshing granita, you can use most any variety.

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Open-Faced Prosciutto and Plum Sandwiches

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Open-Faced Prosciutto and Plum Sandwiches

Sweet fig preserves balance the tartness of the plums. Choose red or purple plums with bright, unblemished skin that are firm and plump to the touch.

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Honey Glazed Plums with Almonds and Crème Fraîche

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Honey Glazed Plums with Almonds and Crème Fraîche

Honey helps the stone fruit caramelize lusciously on the grill, while crème fraîche adds the perfect tangy counterpoint.

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Roasted Plum Breakfast Parfaits

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Roasted Plum Breakfast Parfaits

Make-ahead roasted plums bring intense fruity sweetness to a satisfying morning meal. Nectarines or peaches would be just as delicious.

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