the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
-William Carlos Williams, 1934
Thoughts:
Ohmygoodness, but this is GOOD. Like, crazy delicious. This is an instant favorite, and will probably be made several times during every holiday season for the rest of our lives. The recipe is simple, the texture is smooth, and the flavor can’t be beat. The strong spice mixture leaves just a slight tingle on the lips. And with the onset of summer, and with it fresh fruits, this dish is a must!
Why it should be in the Next Book:
Didn’t you read that? Or look at the photo? This is a phenomenally good dish, one that is authentically medieval, yet interesting and exotic enough that any character in Westeros would be delighted to partake. We imagine it in Highgarden, down on The Arbor, or over in Pentos.
Spiced Plum Mousse with Honey- Recipe
Take bolas and scald hem with wyne, and drawe hem thorow a straynour; do hem in a pot. Clarify hony, and therto with powdour fort and flour of rys. Salt it & florissh it with whyte aneys, & serve it forth. -Forme of Cury, 1390
Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes
Makes around 4 servings
Cook’s Notes: Yellow plums and white wine yield a golden-colored mousse, while purple plums and a red form a quite different but equally delicious mousse. We opted to leave the anise out of our mousse, but have included it in the ingredients to keep consistent with the original recipe. We also think that some candied orange peel garnish would be a fantastic addition to this dish.
Ingredients:
- ~1 pound of plums, purple or yellow
- 1 1/3 cups wine, red for purple plums, white for yellow plums (we used a syrah)
- 4 Tbs. honey
- 1 Tbs. rice flour
- pinch of salt
- pinch of Powder Forte (see below)
- 1 Tbs. candied anise seeds (optional)
Candied anise seeds can be purchased inexpensively in Indian groceries or, at great cost, in fancy French groceries as anis de Flavigny.
Wash and pit the plums, cutting them in half, or pieces. Meanwhile, bring the wine to the boil in a stainless steel or other nonreactive pan. Add the plums and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the plums are very soft. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the wine.
Press the plums through a sieve into a heavy saucepan. Place this saucepan over low heat and stir in the honey. Stir the rice flour into the 1/4 cup of the reserved wine, then stir this mixture into the plum puree and add the salt and spices. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, until thickened. Pour into a serving bowl and cool slightly before serving. If you like, decorate with the candied anise seeds just before serving.
Powder Forte:
Mix equal parts black pepper, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. You may also include long pepper, but it is very hard to come by. The most determined of cooks may find it in Indian markets.