Recipe: Individual Plum Pies With Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and 4 More Recipes Using Plums

I included a couple recipes at the end that are not desserts in case you want to use them in other ways! MMM..love plums wish you were my neighbor.... :-)

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INDIVIDUAL PLUM PIES WITH VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM
Recipe By : Emeril Lagasse

2 tablespoons Butter
3 pounds Fresh plums -- pitted, quartered
1/2 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 pinch Salt
1/2 cup Water
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
2 cups Flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
3/4 cup Lard
3 tablespoons Ice water - (to 4 tbspns)
6 scoops Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the plums and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Continue to saute for 2 minutes. Whisk the water and cornstarch together. Mix well. Stir the water mixture into the plum mixture. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and sugar. Add the lard and work it in with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and work it in with your hands, forming a smooth ball of dough. Divide the dough in half and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let the dough sit out for 5 minutes before rolling out. Roll out each dough on a floured surface into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick. Cut each round of dough out into six 6-inch rounds. Gently fold 6 circles of dough and unfold each round into a 4-inch individual pie pan. Pour 3/4 cup of the filling into each pastry shell. Place the remaining 6-inch rounds over the filling, trimming off the excess. Crimp the edges of the pie crust, sealing the pie completely. Place the pies on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes, before serving. Serve each pie with a scoop of ice cream.
This recipe yields 6 servings.

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PLUM AND ALMOND COBBLER
Recipe By : Sara Moulton

1/2 cup Light brown sugar - (firmly packed)
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 1/2 pounds Prune plums or other plums -- pitted, quartered
2 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Unsalted butter -- cut into bits
1 cup Granulated sugar
3/4 cup All-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Sliced almonds
1 large Egg -- beaten lightly

In a large bowl whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Add plums, lemon juice, and butter. Toss mixture well and spoon into a shallow 3-quart baking dish.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor pulse together granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup almonds until almonds are ground finely. Add the egg and pulse until blended. Spoon flour mixture over plum mixture, pulling some plum wedges up for presentation. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup almonds over cobbler.
Bake cobbler in the middle of oven 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling, and cool on rack. Serve cobbler warm or at room temperature.
This recipe yields 12 servings.

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PLUM CAKE
Recipe By : Elizabeth Powell

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter -- cold
3 eggs
1/2 cup walnuts
8 medium plums -- halved
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar

Mix flour and sugar, and cut in butter with a pastry blender. Add one egg, and stir with a fork until blended. Pat into a 9" quiche pan and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Place halved plums on top. Beat together two eggs, sour cream and sugar. Pour filling over plums.
Bake at 350 for 1-1/4 hours, then brown at 375 for 10 minutes.

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CRISP JICAMA, PLUM AND BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD
Recipe By : Michael Lomonaco

2 tablespoons Lemon juice
1 tablespoon Honey
1/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
2 small Boston lettuce heads
8 ounces Jicama -- peeled, and
thinly julienned
1 pound Plums -- washed, pitted,
and quartered
1/2 cup Walnuts -- chopped
1/2 cup Blue cheese chunks

Combine the lemon juice, honey, and olive oil using a whisk to make a creamy vinaigrette. Toss the jicama, plums walnuts and blue cheese together with 1 tablespoon of dressing.
Place the clean lettuce leaves in a large bowl. Mound the jicama, plums, walnuts and blue cheese in the center, drizzle with vinaigrette and serve.
This recipe yields 4 servings.

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GRILLED ALMOND CHICKEN WITH SAVORY PLUM SAUCE

1 Egg
1/4 cup Cornstarch
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
1 large Garlic clove -- minced
2 whole Boneless skinless chicken breasts -- cut 1" by 3" strips
2 1/2 cups Finely chopped almonds or walnuts -- lightly toasted
2 tablespoons Minced dried or fresh parsley
4 Fresh California plums -- halved and pitted
Fresh tarragon -- optional
Blanched Chinese pea pods -- optional
Shredded iceberg lettuce -- optional
1 Savory Plum Sauce -- see * Note

* Note: See the "Savory Plum Sauce" recipe which follows

Combine the first 4 ingredients in plastic bag. Add chicken pieces and marinate 15 minutes; drain. Place almonds and parsley in plastic bag. Place chicken pieces, a few at a time, in almond mixture. Shake to thoroughly coat. Place chicken, plum halves, and tarragon into barbecue basket or thread onto skewers. Grill over medium indirect heat 8 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Watch carefully to avoid burning. If desired, serve on lettuce and pea pod-lined platter. Spoon the plum sauce over the chicken. This recipe serves 4. **

SAVORY PLUM SAUCE

6 Fresh California plums -- coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons Soy sauce
2 teaspoons Cornstarch
2 teaspoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Grated fresh ginger
1 Garlic clove -- minced

Puree plums in blender to measure 2 cups. In 1-quart glass measure, combine all ingredients. Microwave on High, uncovered, 8 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes until thick and clear. This recipe yields 2 cups of sauce.

Comments: A great sauce for chicken or pork.

Recipe Source: CALIFORNIA SUMMER FRUITS RECIPES