Plums
Plums are juicy stone fruits with a flavour ranging from refreshingly tart to distinctly sweet and aromatic. They are delicious eaten fresh and also work well in baking, compotes, sauces and other cooked dishes.
Botanical name: Prunus domestica
Plant family: Rosaceae (rose family)
Part used: fruit
Native range: Transcaucasia to northern Iran
Description
Plums are round to oval stone fruits with a single hard stone at their centre. Depending on the variety, the skin may be green, yellow, red, blue or purple. The flesh also varies: some plums are firm and tart, while others are soft, juicy and very sweet. The skin of many varieties naturally has a thin, dull, waxy bloom.
The European plum belongs to the genus Prunus, which also includes cherries, apricots and peaches. There are many plum varieties, including small, sweet greengages and elongated types whose firm flesh makes them well suited to cooking and preserving.
In the kitchen
Ripe plums are juicy and sweet, often with a slightly tart edge. They pair well with cinnamon, vanilla, ginger, almonds and citrus, among other ingredients. Less ripe fruit is firmer and more acidic; as it ripens, the flesh softens and the sweetness becomes more pronounced.
Plums can be eaten raw or used in tarts, crumbles, compotes, jams and chutneys. They soften quickly when heated and release plenty of juice, making them suitable for fruity sauces to accompany savoury dishes. Plum halves can also be roasted or pan-fried, which deepens their flavour and brings out their natural sweetness.
In the Netherlands, plums are mainly harvested in summer and early autumn; the exact timing varies according to the variety and growing conditions. Imported plums are available outside the Dutch harvest season.
Storage & preparation
Leave firm, not fully ripe plums at room temperature to ripen. Ripe fruit can be stored in the fridge to slow further ripening. Check regularly and discard any fruit that is mouldy or badly spoiled. For packaged plums, follow the storage instructions on the packaging.
Rinse plums briefly under running water just before use. Cut all the way around the fruit, following the stone, then twist the halves apart; in some varieties the stone comes away easily, while in others it clings more firmly to the flesh. To freeze plums, remove the stones and cut the fruit into pieces. Once thawed, they will be softer and are therefore best suited to dishes where texture is less important.
