Pickled Plums

These were made with local ’Methley’ plums, a Japanese variety. I hope they taste as beautiful as they look in the jars – the deep red flesh of the plums floating in the pink pickling juice. Alas, we have to wait a week before we find out. As my obsession with preserving continues, my patience improves.

Pickled Plums

Adapted from Nigella Lawson’s How To Be a Domestic Goddess.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 star anise
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 T coriander seeds
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 T orange peel preserves
1 1/2 pounds plums, halved and pitted
2 pint jars or equivalent

Preparation

1. Simmer all ingredients except for the plums for 15 minutes.
2. Pack plum halves into sterilized jars, allowing two inches of head space at the top of each jar.
3. Pour pickling liquid over the plums covering them and allowing a 1/2 inch of head space. Evenly distribute the spices between the two jars.
4. Tap the jars to make certain there are no air bubbles.
5. Seal the jars and store in a cool, dark place for at least week. Refrigerate after opening.