Plums Poached In Marsala Recipes

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• To prepare the plums: wash and cut them into quarters, then remove the stones.
• Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Slide the fruit into the syrup. Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins - depending on the ripeness - until the plums are soft. Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.

MARSALA-POACHED PEARS

Steps:

• Cut pears in half lengthwise and remove cores. Measure Marsala cooking wine into a small mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg; stir to dissolve sugar.
• Melt butter in a large 12-inch skillet. Stir in Marsala mixture. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Place pears in pan, cut side down. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 30-45 minutes or until cool enough to serve.
• Place each pear half in a small bowl. Stir remaining sauce in pan; drizzle each serving with 1-2 teaspoons warm sauce. Top with a small scoop of ice cream, and if desired, toasted pecans. Serve immediately.

FRESH PEACHES BAKED IN MARSALA WITH MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• Begin by halving the peaches and removing their stones, then place the halves in a bowl, pour boiling water over them and, after 30 seconds, drain them and slip off their skins. Now place the peach halves in the shallow baking dish, mix the sugar and Marsala in a jug and pour it over the peaches. Add the cinnamon stick and vanilla pod to the dish, then place it on the centre shelf of the oven and bake without covering for 35-40 minutes. Then remove the peaches from the oven and drain off all the juices into a small saucepan. Mix the arrowroot with a little cold water and then add it to the saucepan and whisk over a gentle heat until slightly thickened. This will happen as soon as it reaches simmering point. Then pour it back over the peaches and leave to cool. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the flavour to develop fully. To make the mascarpone cream, simply beat all the ingredients together thoroughly and pile into a pretty serving bowl to hand round separately.

BAKED MARSALA PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
• Trim a disk off the bottom of each pear, providing a flat bottom so you can stand the pears up in a baking dish. Fit the pears in a baking dish that's big enough to hold them all, without a great deal of room around them.
• Pour the marsala over the pears, then drizzle the honey over them. Sprinkle the sugar over the pears.
• Baking the pears, basting them frequently with the liquid (I use a turkey baster, although a soup spoon will work) as they cook. I usually baste them more frequently closer to the end of the cooking time, when the sauce thickens to a syrup.
• Cook the pears until a paring knife inserted into one meets no resistance, meaning the pears are cooked through. They should take between 50 and 60 minutes to cook, although because fruit can vary (due to variety and ripeness), check them before the recommended time. And if necessary, they may take longer.
• Remove from oven and continue to baste the pears, as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Although cooking the pears this way provides some sauce, if you want extra (especially if you are serving them with ice cream), you can use this recipe to make more: Mix a few tablespoons of the marsala with the corn starch in a saucepan, stirring until the corn starch is completely dissolved. Whisk in the sugar, then the rest of the marsala. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently with the whisk. When the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly with the whisk, until it noticeably thickens to the consistency of warmed maple syrup. Remove from heat. The sauce will thicken more as it cools. (The sauce can be made up to one week ahead and refrigerated.)

PLUMS POACHED IN MARSALA

Steps:

• Preset oven to 180C (350F).
• Cut plums in half and remove stones.
• Place plums, cut side up, into a rectangular baking dish- corningware, pyrex or similar.
• In a large jug, combine Marsala, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar and lemon rind.
• Mix well then pour this mixture evenly over the plums.
• Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 40 minutes, turning plums over after 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven and strain liquid into a small saucepan.
• Remove the lemon rind and discard.
• Make a paste with the arrowroot and a little water and add to the juice in the saucepan.
• Place pan over a medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until it reaches simmering point.
• Simmer sauce for about 5 minutes until it is slightly thickened and glossy- it will thicken more as it cools.
• Pour the liquid back over the plums.
• Serve plums hot or cold with cream or ice-cream.

POACHED PEARS WITH MARSALA, CINNAMON, AND VANILLA

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups dry Marsala, 2 cups water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, split vanilla beans, and orange peel strips in heavy large pot. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peeled Bosc pears. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover pot and simmer until pears are tender, turning pears occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to platter. Boil liquid in pot until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 12 minutes. Pour syrup over poached pears. Chill until cold, turning pears occasionally, at least 3 hours and up to 1 day.
• Divide poached pears among 6 shallow bowls. Strain syrup; discard solids. Drizzle syrup over pears. Top each with dollop of mascarpone, if desired, and serve.
• Italian cream cheese, sold at Italian markets and many supermarkets.

HONEY, BALSAMIC & ROSEMARY ROASTED FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place figs, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with balsamic vinegar, honey and vanilla; sprinkle with salt. Add rosemary sprigs to baking sheet.
• Roast in preheated oven until figs soften slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven; flip figs using tongs. Sprinkle baking sheet evenly with butter cubes.
• Return to oven, and roast at 425 degrees F until butter is melted and balsamic vinegar is thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool on baking sheet 10 minutes. Discard rosemary sprigs. Sprinkle figs with lemon zest.

MARSALA-SOUSED PEACHES

Steps:

• Pour the Marsala into a wide shallow pan (large enough to take all the peaches in a single layer) and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, add the vanilla pod and simmer gently for 15 minutes until reduced by nearly two thirds to about 200ml/7 fl oz.
• Carefully tuck in the peaches and cook gently uncovered for about 5 minutes, until starting to soften, turning frequently. Leave to cool in the pan, then tip into a big serving bowl and chill for at least an hour, turning occasionally, until you are ready to serve. (You can prepare to this stage up to 8 hours ahead.)
• To serve, spoon the peaches and juices into bowls and serve with a dollop of clotted cream and the biscuits.