A Celebration of Plums

One of the many things I love about summer is the availability of stone fruits and berries.  This week I celebrate plums.  This is what is on Marilyn's Table:

Almond Crusted Chicken with Plum Chutney
Avocado Vegetables Lettuce Wraps
Plum Shortcakes on Basil Parmesan Biscuits

All of these are very simple. Onion, jalapeno, chopped plums, brown sugar, cider vinegar, curry powder and ground ginger are sauteed until the plums are soft.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  The chicken pieces (skin on or off, your choice) are seasoned with salt and pepper and brought to room temperature.  The outside is then brushed with Dijon mustard and rolled in finely chopped almonds.  The pieces are baked on a rack in a foil lined pan until juices run clear.  The pieces are served with a spoonful or two of the chutney.  I really liked the tartness of the chutney, the crunch of the almond crust and the juiciness of the chicken.

The vegetable wraps were sort of semi-successful.  Avocado is mashed and seeded chopped tomatoes, diced jalapeno, diced onion, garlic and fresh corn cut from the cob are stirred in.  Juice from a lime is added along with salt and pepper. A couple of tablespoons are spooned onto a lettuce leaf and wrapped into a packet.  I would not use romaine again as it falls apart, probably iceberg would work better.  I would also use some different vegetables for more texture.

The biscuits were a simple baking powder mix: flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and chilled butter are mixed together.  Chopped basil and grated Parmesan are stirred in.  Egg and milk are mixed and then added to the flour mixture.  I patted the dough into a round about an inch thick.  Two inch circles are cut out and baked on a parchment covered baking sheet until the tops are browned. These have a very nice flavor and can be used in many ways other than shortcakes.  I had leftovers with jam for breakfast and again with my tea in the evening.

The sauce for the shortcake is simple; thinly sliced plums with a pint of blackberries are put in a bowl.  Add a pinch of salt and sugar to taste.  Squeeze an inch piece of fresh ginger over the fruit and let sit at room temperature for an hour or so.  The biscuit is split, the fruit spooned over and a sauce of Greek vanilla yogurt is spooned over the fruit.  I added a spoon full of brandy to the yogurt and with a sprig of mint the dessert looked great (tasted great as well)

This was a very nice summer meal.  The plums were perfect, but I can see using any number of other stone fruits and berries.  I am not sure about this weeks meal. We shall see what the farmers market has to offer.  Have a good rest of the week.  It's supposed to warm up again.  I am ready for fall.