- 250ml Aspall Red Wine Vinegar
- 250ml water
- Pared zest and juice 1 unwaxed orange
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 10 x green cardamom pods, bashed
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
- 2 or 3 cloves
- 1kg slightly underripe plums
- 300g sugar
- 2 tsp rosewater (optional)
- 4 bay leaves
Sweet Pickled Plums
A RECIPE BY PAM CORBIN
Makes 2 x 500ml clip sided Kilner jars
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Prep time: 5 minutes
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Cooking time: 30 minutes
Plums, one of our great national fruits, are grown all over Britain. And with a long fruiting season — from July until October - and over 300 varieties to choose from this recipe is an excellent way to preserve some to enjoy later in the year. The recipe can easily be changed to use your favourite spices, as it is also to use different stone fruits such as apricots or cherries. These pickled plums are gorgeous served with cooked ham, duck, pate, crunchy nut roasts or served with a rich vanilla ice-cream.
Variation ideas: Swap plums for apricots; red wine vinegar for white wine or cider vinegar; the orange with lime; the spices for cinnamon, a few slices of root ginger; the rose water for a vanilla and the bay leaves for a few sprigs of thyme or rosemary.
- 250ml Aspall Red Wine Vinegar
- 250ml water
- Pared zest and juice 1 unwaxed orange
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 10 x green cardamom pods, bashed
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
- 2 or 3 cloves
- 1kg slightly underripe plums
- 300g sugar
- 2 tsp rosewater (optional)
- 4 bay leaves
- Put the vinegar, water, orange juice and zest, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, coriander seeds and cloves into a medium sized pan. Bring to a simmering point for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.
- Rinse the plums in cold water removing any stalks as you do so. Prick the plums 5 or 6 times with a needle or skewer (this will help to prevent them splitting).
- Strain the spiced vinegar, discarding the spices. Pour the vinegar into a wide based pan or preserving pan and add the sugar. Bring to simmering point stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Carefully add the plums and simmer — just a quiver of a simmer — a for approximately 10-15 minutes until the plums are just tender. — this will depend on the variety of plum used. Remove from the heat.
- Using a slotted spoon carefully lift out the plums and pack them into warm sterilised jars tucking in a couple of bay leaves down the inside of the jar.
- Return the vinegar mix to the heat. Turn up the heat and bring to a fast boil for 5-6 minutes to reduce and slightly thicken the syrup — you will need approx 450ml-500ml. Add the rose water, if using.
- Pour or ladle the syrup over the plums ensuring they are completely covered and seal immediately. Please see below. Store in a cool, dark, dry place. use within a year and keep in fridge once opened.
Tip: if you have any of the vinegar syrup over, pop it in a jam jar and use to add to gravies, casseroles or to drizzle over cakes, ice-cream or rice pud’.
Sealing and finishing your pickled plums
For jam jars with twist on lids:
- Seal immediately with a twist on lid. Invert the jar for a minute or so then turn the right way up and leave to cool.
For clip sided jars with rubber seals:
- To ensure a good tight seal this type of jar needs to be processed in a water bath.
- Have ready a wide, deep pan of warm water with a trivet or folded tea towel on the base.
- Fill the jar to within 5mm of the brim. Make sure there isn’t any of the preserve on the rubber ring. Close the jar with the clip.
- Immerse the jars into the pan of water and bring the pan to simmering point (90°c) for 10 minutes
- Using a pair of bottling tongs remove the jars from the water bath and place on a wooden surface or folded tea towel. Leave undisturbed until cool.
ingredients
method
- Put the vinegar, water, orange juice and zest, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, coriander seeds and cloves into a medium sized pan. Bring to a simmering point for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.
- Rinse the plums in cold water removing any stalks as you do so. Prick the plums 5 or 6 times with a needle or skewer (this will help to prevent them splitting).
- Strain the spiced vinegar, discarding the spices. Pour the vinegar into a wide based pan or preserving pan and add the sugar. Bring to simmering point stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Carefully add the plums and simmer — just a quiver of a simmer — a for approximately 10-15 minutes until the plums are just tender. — this will depend on the variety of plum used. Remove from the heat.
- Using a slotted spoon carefully lift out the plums and pack them into warm sterilised jars tucking in a couple of bay leaves down the inside of the jar.
- Return the vinegar mix to the heat. Turn up the heat and bring to a fast boil for 5-6 minutes to reduce and slightly thicken the syrup — you will need approx 450ml-500ml. Add the rose water, if using.
- Pour or ladle the syrup over the plums ensuring they are completely covered and seal immediately. Please see below. Store in a cool, dark, dry place. use within a year and keep in fridge once opened.
Tip: if you have any of the vinegar syrup over, pop it in a jam jar and use to add to gravies, casseroles or to drizzle over cakes, ice-cream or rice pud’.
Sealing and finishing your pickled plums
For jam jars with twist on lids:
- Seal immediately with a twist on lid. Invert the jar for a minute or so then turn the right way up and leave to cool.
For clip sided jars with rubber seals:
- To ensure a good tight seal this type of jar needs to be processed in a water bath.
- Have ready a wide, deep pan of warm water with a trivet or folded tea towel on the base.
- Fill the jar to within 5mm of the brim. Make sure there isn’t any of the preserve on the rubber ring. Close the jar with the clip.
- Immerse the jars into the pan of water and bring the pan to simmering point (90°c) for 10 minutes
- Using a pair of bottling tongs remove the jars from the water bath and place on a wooden surface or folded tea towel. Leave undisturbed until cool.
