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Do You Eat Bruised Fruit?

partysugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:50:24 -0700

Monday's Leftovers: Roasted Chicken With Fall Fruit Salsa

YumSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:15:01 -0700

Lately, I've been stocking up on all the great-looking Fall produce that's at the farmer's market, but sometimes I run out of creative ideas for cooking with it. This entrée is just the solution to my quandary, as it incorporates a flavorful topping with in-season fruits. It's also perfect if you have chicken thighs on hand. To get the hassle-free recipe, read more.

Roasted Chicken Thighs With Fall Fruit Salsa
From Perdue

Ingredients

Fall Fruit Salsa
3 ripe pears, coarsely diced
4 ripe plums, coarsely diced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons basil, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Chicken
5 chicken thighs (about 1 pound)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
In large bowl, toss chicken thighs, olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper.
Place chicken thighs in large roasting pan, skin side down. Roast 20 minutes.
Turn thighs over to skin side up; roast an additional 20 minutes or until chicken is browned and cooked through, with an internal temperature of 180ºF.
While thighs roast, make salsa by combining all ingredients in large bowl. Mix gently and set aside at room temperature. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
Place thighs on serving platter. Spoon salsa over each thigh; pass remaining salsa at table.

Serves 4.

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Plum Delicious Crumble With Pistachios

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:00:21 -0700

One of my favorite things about Summer is when friends occasionally stop by with a large bag of freshly picked fruit from their gardens. This past weekend, my dear friend bestowed on me a basket full of fresh plums. I could have made a pie, but I was in the mood for an easy, yet delicious crumble.
Crumbles are stewed fruit with a mixture of butter, flour, and sugar to make a crisp topping once baked. I added pistachios to the topping for extra crunch and spicy fresh ginger to the plum filling. Combine with a scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream to make this fruity, nutty, and crunchy crumble the perfect Summer dessert. Crumbles are easily altered to suit just about any taste, so to learn how to make one, read more!

Plum and Pistachio Crumble
Modified from Delicious Crumbles & Cobblers

Ingredients

8 firm but ripe plums
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger or ground ginger
grated zest of lemon

Crumble Topping
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger or ground ginger
1/4 brown sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a sharp knife, halve the plums, remove and discard the pits, then cut the flesh into fairly thick slices.
Mix the plums with sugar, ginger, and lemon zest. Divide the plum mixture evenly into each of six ramekins. Cook for 5-10 minutes until heated through.

Crumble Topping

Put the flour, ginger, pistachios, and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in the melted butter until crumbly.
Carefully arrange the crumble over the plums in an even layer; keep your touch light, or the crumble will sink into the filling and go mushy. Scatter a touch more sugar on the top of each.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Makes 6 individual crumbles.

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Would You Rather Eat Peaches or Plums?

partysugar — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:30:36 -0700

Source

Duck, It's What's For Dinner

YumSugar — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:00:20 -0700

Last weekend, I met up with some friends at a nearby butcher shop. The place is known for quality meats, and on this particular morning the duck legs looked mighty tasty. So I picked up a pair of them and went home for a cooking adventure.

I came across a recipe for roasted duck breast, but I adapted it to suit the legs. However, as much as I love dark meat, I think breasts would actually have been a better choice. It's a nice pairing of fresh plums and duck, and actually comes together in a short amount of time. To see how to put it together for yourself, read more.

Note: Bon Appétit called this recipe "roasted," but I think they actually meant to say "fried in its own fat." The duck skin actually lets out quite a bit of grease, and if you're not careful it'll pool up. For my execution, I halved the recipe and used two duck legs instead.

Duck Breasts With Grilled Plums
From Bon Appétit, June 2008

Ingredients

4 12- to 14-ounce boneless Muscovy duck breast halves, trimmed of excess fat
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
6 firm but ripe Santa Rosa plums or other purple plums, halved, pitted
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Using sharp knife, score skin of duck breasts in crisscross pattern (cut skin only; do not cut through meat), spacing cuts 1 inch apart.
Sprinkle duck breasts on both sides with 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and chill.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat) [I used an indoor grillpan on my stovetop].
Toss plum halves, olive oil, sugar, 1 teaspoon thyme, remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl.
Grill plum halves, cut side down, until grill marks appear and plums begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
Turn plums over and grill, skin side down, until skin begins to soften but plums still retain their shape, about 4 minutes.
Transfer plums to bowl. Cover with foil and let stand while cooking duck.
Heat 2 large skillets over medium-high heat. Add 2 duck breasts, skin side down, to each skillet. Cook until skin is crisp and golden, about 7 minutes.
Turn duck breasts over and cook to desired doneness, about 8 minutes longer for medium-rare.
Remove from heat and let duck rest 5 minutes.
Thinly slice duck crosswise. Divide among plates.
Place 2 plum halves alongside each serving. Drizzle any plum juices from bowl over. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons thyme and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

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Come Party With Me: Fourth of July - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:00:34 -0700

Every year on the Fourth of July, I like to make a red, white, and blue dessert. It's my personal salute to America. While a flag cake is festive, this year I'll wow guests with a red, white, and blueberry cheesecake tart.

The easy, crisp crust is a mixture of ground graham crackers and almonds. The filling is smooth, creamy, and classic. The red topping is a juicy syrup made with red plums. Garnished with plump, burst-in-your-mouth blueberries, this is one star-spangled dessert.

To learn how it's made, read more.

Red, White, and Blueberry Cheesecake Tart
From Everyday Food magazine

Ingredients

6 graham crackers (2 1/2 by 5 inches each)
1/3 cup whole almonds
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 bars (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
4 red plums (1 to 1 1/2 pounds total), halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 pint (2 cups) blueberries

Directions

Make crust: preheat oven to 350°.
In a food processor, grind graham crackers, almonds, and 1/4 cup sugar until finely ground; add butter, and process until moistened. Transfer to a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Using the base of a dry measuring cup, press mixture firmly into the bottom and up sides of pan. Freeze at least 15 minutes.
Make filling and bake: carefully wipe processor blade and bowl clean. Place cream cheese, sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt in food processor; blend just until smooth.
Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet; fill with cheesecake mixture.
Bake until filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer tart pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make topping: in a medium saucepan, combine plums, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon juice. Cook at a rapid simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture is jamlike and moves around pan in a single mass when stirred, 15 to 25 minutes (time will depend on ripeness of fruit). Reserve 1 tablespoon cooking liquid (no solids) for blueberries; cool remaining plum mixture.
Assemble tart: leaving a 1-inch border, spread cooled plum mixture over tart. Reheat reserved plum liquid (on stove or in microwave) until liquefied. In a medium bowl, combine with blueberries, and scatter on top of plum mixture.
Chill until ready to serve, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Remove from pan before serving.

Serves 8.

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Yummy Link: Plum Cornmeal Cake

YumSugar — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 13:27:31 -0700

With its thick pudding-like batter and beautiful jeweled plums, this plum cornmeal cake sounds like the perfect way to sendoff summer. - Dessert First

Dessert For The Lactose Intolerant: Plum Sorbet

partysugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:58:39 -0700

As much as I love a creamy decadent bowl of ice cream, there is a time and a place for sorbet. There is no milk or cream, making it an awesome dessert for those who are lactose intolerant. This tasty alternative is just as cool and twice as fruity. Made with my favorite stone fruit, the juicy ripe red plum (peaches were my fav last week), it has a decadent, deep color. No ice cream maker is necessary for this treat, but you will need a food processor to blitz everything efficiently. Serve alone or sandwiched between 2 cookies for a satisfying finish to a hot day. You'll see the recipe if you read more

Plum Sorbet
From I Village
Image Source

4 Tbsp grape juice
2 pounds ripe red plums
4 Tbsp water
6 Tbsp granulated sugar

Cut plums in half and remove pits.
In a medium saucepan over low heat combine plums, sugar and water. Stir until sugar is melted, then cover and simmer gently for about 5 minutes until plums are soft.
Transfer fruit mixture into a food processor and puree until smooth. Stir in red grape juice and cool completely.
Transfer into a freezer container and freeze until firm.
Spoon frozen fruit mixture into food processor and puree until smooth.
Return to freezer container and freeze once again until solid. Remove from freezer and allow to soften slightly and serve.

Serves 10.

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Simple Tip: Easily Peel Peaches

YumSugar — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 08:43:38 -0700

If you're planning on cooking with peaches (like I did with the peach puzzle), you'll want to peel them first. Cooking causes the skin to become rough and the texture could be unappetizing in pies, etc. However peeling peaches seems like an messy task. Ripe peaches are soft and delicate and prone to bruising. Luckily there's an easy way to get around it.

Bring a pot of water to boil (enough to submerge the peach fully - see note).
Using a slotted spoon, dip peach for 30-45 seconds.
Transfer immediately to a waiting ice water bath (again, enough to submerge peach fully).
You should now be able to easily pull the skin off with your hands. Some people prefer to use a paring knife, but I prefer hands. You can also give it a quick rub with a dishtowel or paper towel. If the skin does not come off easily, repeat the process.

Note: The picture shown does not have enough water and resulted in having to continuously rotate the peach.

This method also works well for nectarines, plums and tomatoes.

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What Fruit Are You Most Looking Forward To Eating?

partysugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 09:57:57 -0700