By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD
Plums are both versatile and feisty. Wild plum trees are symbolic of independence. Plum is the national flower of Taiwan, and its flowers are often depicted in Asian art. Like all stone fruits, plum leaves, flowers, and especially seeds and barks contain toxic compounds that generate cyanide, which lethal in large doses. Don’t eat the pits!
Over the centuries, plums and plum juice have been used as an antibacterial. Nowadays, we know that plums are packed with Vitamin A, some C, lots of potassium, fiber, and some antioxidants thrown in for good measure.
Try not to refrigerate plums, as they will be juiciest and sweetest-tasting at room temperature. Of course, if you have more than you will be able to eat or use in about three days, you may need some cold storage to delay ripening.
Have some fun with plums! Try a stuffed plum-halve by removing the pit and then stuff with some granola mixed with vegan yogurt or silken tofu. If you have the grill on, grill plums, cut side down, add to skewers of mushrooms and onions or wrap in foil and allow to steam on the side of the grill. If you’d like to make a single-serve plum cobbler, pit and dice enough fresh plums to fit into a microwave cup or bowl of your choice. Cover and allow to cook for about 2 minutes, until soft and warm. Mix together sunflower or pumpkin seeds, crumbled cookies, raisins or dried cranberries, oats, and a small amount of vegan margarine or butter. Mix with the plums and microwave until warm and steamy. Eat warm or cool and serve over frozen vegan ice cream or sorbet.
Plums can be used also to make a Hungarian-influenced sweet, chilled soup, or an Asian-style vinegary meal starter. For a sweet plum soup, chop and pit plums, place into a medium pot, add about an inch of water, vegan dry sweetener to taste, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Allow to simmer until the plums are soft and soupy. If you have really, really ripe plums, you can skip the cooking, and just add the mixture to a food processor. Add a small amount of vegan yogurt (plain, lemon, or orange flavored) and a squeeze of lemon juice. Blend until smooth, chill, and serve! To create a savory sour plum soup, pit and crush plums in a bowl, adding just enough vinegar to provide some “sour.” Sauté sliced fresh mushrooms, minced fresh garlic, chopped scallions (white part only), and minced, peeled ginger until just soft. Add a small amount of vegetable broth and allow to simmer until desired texture is achieved (depending on how soft you like your mushrooms). Taste and see if you’d like to add soy sauce for flavor. Add the plum mixture and cook, stirring, until heated. You can garnish with diced extra-firm tofu. Serve warm, over rice. It is thought that the combination of ingredients can be “cooling” in warm weather. We don’t have space for the recipe in this column, but you might like to research Persian spinach and plum stew (khoresht e aloo esfenaj)
Yes, you can freeze plums, first by halving and pitting them. They will soften when frozen, and can be useful for muffins, pancake batter, smoothies, and dessert sauces.