Ingredients

Method

• 6 ripe plums
• 100 g sugar
• 125 ml water
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 1 baguette, sliced
• 50 g butter
• soft Gorgonzola, for serving
• pea shoots or other young herbs, to garnish

Method

Ingredients

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.