 |
Plum harvest starts a little later than that of peaches and nectarines,
but now it's well underway.
In
stores, plums are often labeled "red" or "black," but
that's usually an approximation. Some are definitely red
on the outside...some are definitely black...and a whole
lot of them are totally, beautifully indescribable. Their
skin can be tart or sweet, and inside, their flesh can range
from a light amber to a deep, dark purple.
There's
so much variation because there are more than 200 varieties
of plums grown in California, and each type has a color,
flavor, and harvest timing all its own.
So
when you're shopping, if where you found a red plum last
week, this week you find one that looks red but sort of different,
or the plums labeled "black" look
pretty close to purple, don't worry - it just means there's
something new to enjoy. |
 |
 |
 |
Plum
Caprese Salad
A
new take on a summertime classic, plums take over for
tomatoes in this refreshing salad with a pomegranate
and balsamic vinegar dressing. |
| |
|
|
|
Ingredients |
|
| |
|
Pomegranate Drizzle |
|
| 1/2 |
|
cup pomegranate juice |
|
2 |
|
tablespoons white balsamic vinegar |
|
1/2 |
|
teaspoon sugar |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Caprese Salad |
|
| 2 |
|
black California plums, pitted and
thinly sliced |
|
| 1 |
|
green California plum, pitted and
thinly sliced |
|
| 1 |
|
(8 ounce) ball fresh mozzarella,
thinly sliced |
|
| 2 |
|
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
|
| 2 |
|
tablespoons snipped fresh basil |
|
| 1 |
|
teaspoon grated lemon zest |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Preparation
Place
pomegranate juice in a saucepan and simmer over medium
heat for about 10 minutes until reduced to 2 tablespoons.
Stir in vinegar and sugar; cover and chill until
ready to use. To prepare salad, arrange plum slices
alternately with mozzarella on a platter. Drizzle
with chilled pomegranate mixture and olive oil; sprinkle
with basil and lemon zest. Serve as a salad or as
an appetizer with grilled baguette slices.
Prep
time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes
8 servings
Nutritional
analysis per serving: Calories: 150, Total Fat: 11g,
Saturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 20mg,
Sodium: 200mg, Carbohydrates: 9g, Fiber: 0g, Sugars:
5g, Protein: 6g, Vitamin A: 8%, Vitamin C: 4%, Calcium:
15%, Iron: 0% |
|
|
|
About Color
Ever
had a green plum? Plums have a broad variety of colors
when fully ripe, and green is one of them! Green plums
are just as sweet as those of any other color, and checking
when they’re ripe is done just the same as with
other plums. With all plums, see that they “spring” when
lightly squeezed and have a fragrant plum aroma.
|
|
|
|
|
|