Roasted Plums With Spices Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Toast the star anise and coriander seeds in a dry pan until aromatic. Tip the toasted spices into a spice grinder with 2 tsp sea salt and grind into a fine powder (or crush using a pestle and mortar). Put the spice salt in a bowl, add the sugar, mix well and set aside.
• Lightly score the skin of the duck in a criss-cross pattern and heat the oil in a large casserole. Using a pair of tongs to turn it, brown the duck well on all sides, pour off the excess fat, then sit the duck breast-side up and season all over with the sugar and spice mix. Pack the plums around the outside, then scatter over the bay and pour over the vinegar and stock.
• Roast in the oven for 2 hrs or until the duck is golden and the plums have broken down. Turn the oven right up for 10 more mins to crisp up the skin. Take the duck out of the pan to rest for 10 mins and spoon the excess fat off the plums. Carve the duck and serve with a good spoonful of plums.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Mix the sugar with 2 tbsp water in a baking dish, add the star anise, then pop in the plums, cut-side down. They should fit quite snugly. Dot with the butter. Roast for about 5 mins until the plums are starting to soften on the bottom, then turn them over. Roast for another 5 mins or until tender - this will depend on how ripe your fruit is.
• Roughly crush the Hobnobs, then spoon a little on top of each plum half. Return to the oven for a few mins more until the biscuit topping takes on a dark gold colour. Serve the plums and their scented, syrupy juices with custard or ice cream.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place plums cut side up on sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until soft and some juices run off, about 15 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls, top each with 2 tablespoons yogurt, sprinkle with nuts and drizzle with honey.

Steps:

• Halve and stone the Plums. Place them cut side down in an ovenproof dish so that they fit fairly snuggly. Pour over enough Orange Juice to come half way up the plums in the dish. Sprinkle over the cloves, Cinnamon and a generous grating of fresh Nutmeg. Bake at 180 for 20 minutes until the Plums are tender,and serve with some of the syrupy cooking juices spooned over the top. In winter serve hot with fresh cream, in summer serve cold with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.