4
Easy
10 minutes
20 minutes
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Halve three plums and leave the remaining 3 whole.
Place the sugar and water in a medium-sized saucepan over a medium to low heat.
Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add the halved and whole plums and vanilla pod to the liquid. Simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the plums are soft and the skins peel off easily. Remove the plums from the liquid and peel, then simmer the plum syrup for a further 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Lightly brush the baguette slices with butter and toast in the oven for a few minutes a side, or until golden and crunchy.
When the plums are completely cool, serve with creamy Gorgonzola and buttery baguette slices and drizzle over a little syrup. Garnish with the herbs.
Cook's tip: Any leftover plums and syrup can be stored in an airtight, sterilised jar in the fridge for up to 3 to 5 days.
TASTE's take
The gorgeous warm blush of colour of a bowl of poached plums adds a festive glow to any meal. I also like chargrilling poached plums and serving them with pan-fried steaks and Gorgonzola butter at a braai, and as a side to Chinese five-spice duck for Christmas dinner.
