Yep -- it's happened once again. It isn't even October yet, but every yoga-pants-clad food blogger is waxing poetic about all the pumpkin-spiced things that bring her joy. Except The Ninj. I may be wearing the ubiquitous yoga-pants uniform of the work-from-home writer, but I'm still refusing to talk about pumpkin. I'm still hung up on end-of-summer / beginning-of-fall fruit.
Plums to be exact, which you'll recall featured prominently in my recent fresh plum breakfast cake. Good lordy, y'all, I haven't even gotten started on apples yet, let alone pumpkin!
(And, frankly, when the heck did fall become all about pumpkin of all things? Not apples, not butternut squash, but pumpkin? I blame Starbucks.)
Plus, I realized, much to my chagrin that, given my lack of a real garden this year, I haven't canned or preserved very much. And that, my friends, is more than a little TRAGIC.
The lack of canning and abundance of fresh plums brought me to this ginger spiced plum sauce. ERMERGAHD, this stuff is so heavenly spread on freshly grilled chicken or pork -- just the right amount of earthy spice, tartness and sweetness. Shred the chicken and mix in the plum sauce and you've got the basis for an Asian-inspired taco that will blow your mind.
I have even mixed this plum sauce with a little oil and vinegar to make a jammy vinaigrette for a peppery arugula salad. And I also think it would be lovely baked into some marmalade muffins or my favorite homemade granola.
Plus, you don't have to be a canner to enjoy this ginger spiced plum sauce. You can keep it for several weeks in the fridge or even freeze small jars of it to enjoy later in the cold winter months.
Have you gone off the deep end for pumpkin-spiced whatevs yet? If not, what's your favorite fruit or veg to indulge in in the early fall months? Leave a comment: The Ninj wants to know.
Ginger Spiced Plum Sauce
As written, this recipe makes about 4 cups of sauce.
(from Put 'Em Up Fruit)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon five spice powder
2 pounds red or black plums, pitted and coarsely chopped
Directions:
Add all the ingredients EXCEPT the plums to a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes or so, then add the plums and continue to simmer until thickened and jammy (about 20 minutes or so). Carefully puree until smooth using an immersion blender. If not canning for storage, simply cool the sauce and keep it in the refrigerator. If canning, process using the boiling-water canning method for 10 minutes.
www.yankeekitchenninja.com
-- print recipe --
Very unusual sauce and so pretty, Jules. Love the idea of a spiced plum sauce. Would be delicious on pork tenderloin!
ReplyDeleteYes, it would be AWESOME on pork tenderloin, Allie! Great suggestion. And thanks for checking it out.
Deletethat's a great idea. am making this sauce in a few mins. i have tenderloins in the freezer yumm
DeleteOh yum, that sounds great, not to mention that gorgeous color. The recipe looks easy, I think I will give it a try!
ReplyDeleteIt's easy, yummy and super pretty -- I highly recommend it!
DeleteHow important is it to remove the peel from the plums?
ReplyDeleteDon't bother to remove the peels at all -- that's too complicated! They are also responsible for the beautiful color. The only thing that needs to be peeled is the fresh ginger.
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