Stewed Lemon Prunes
You know you’re getting older when: you have a Prune Jar in the fridge.
Molly talked me into it. The power of suggestion is strong with me late at night, when I read books in bed with a flashlight tucked under my chin (like a 12 year old boy looking at National Geographic – I really need to go to IKEA and get me a bedside lamp). The funny part is, I read her ode to stewed prunes (in A Homemade Life) well over a year ago, and every time I see a prune (or – pardon me marketing people – dried plum) I picture her father shuffling into the kitchen in his robe to put on a pot of prunes to sit overnight and transform into something far more juicy and sophisticated by breakfast. Now she’s what you might call a great food writer.
I decided to do it Berg’s way (that’s her dad) – food safety police be damned – and just cover a half a small pot of prunes with water, add a few slices of lemon (Molly adds orange too, but I didn’t have any – and I think she tosses in a cinnamon stick) bring it to a boil, snap the lid on, take it off the heat and leave it for morning. Don’t forget to turn the stove off, please.
And she’s right. They don’t turn watery, or sad, or stewed in the way that a tinned tomato tends to be – it’s like they’re relieved to finally regain some of their moisture, now that they’ve gone and puckered and condensed, and not only do they suck it up, but release some of their sugars back, creating this wonderful syrup that the lemon has given a complex tang. If you store them with the lemon slices in the fridge, their lemoniness will become more lively over a few days or a week. When you eat a bowl of them with homemade yogurt and granola, you’ll feel right grown up. Circa 1967.
January 30 2011 12:51 am | breakfast
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the other Al on 30 Jan 2011 at 9:59 am #
prunes eh, not very sexy but your right they do taste good. I’ve only ever bought them when, ahem, in need. Do like the taste though, but wouldn’t you have the scoots ALL the time?
stacey snacks on 30 Jan 2011 at 11:08 am #
Prunes are so misunderstood. Just think big raisin!
I made a turkey stuffed w/ prunes and sage this week as well as an old fashioned prune cake! Yum!
Roslyne on 30 Jan 2011 at 11:19 am #
You made me smile and think of my Mom. She passed away a few years ago and I bet if I cook these up tonight, it’ll seem like she’s with me for breakfast tomorrow!
Sandy on 30 Jan 2011 at 12:47 pm #
Yum – have a dish of stewed prunes almost every day (obviously getting older), but now will try them with the slices of lemon and/or orange…sounds great.
sharon on 30 Jan 2011 at 5:44 pm #
Heh. Dried plums.
I poach prunes with an Earl Grey tea bag, or leftover tea.
Kira on 30 Jan 2011 at 9:48 pm #
I’ll have to try it (my son’s name is Berg – made me smile as I can’t imagine him ever boiling prunes).
Sarah in Calgary on 31 Jan 2011 at 8:28 am #
Julie – hysterical. This is so 1967. My Nana used to make stewed pruned (alternating oranges and lemons depending on what she had left over in the fridge, never cinnamon). In her home, you had the option of having them ‘with or without’, with juice or without (I had them with as that was the best part). Thanks for the trip down memory lane
bellini on 31 Jan 2011 at 8:32 am #
Congratulations on your win as best family Blog on the Best Canadian Blog Awards Julie!
Kris on 31 Jan 2011 at 8:33 am #
My mom used to make this all the time when I was a kid; very yummy.
And to answer Al’s question…no more than eating a bran muffin everyday. It’s just fibre; not a laxative!
The new “marketting” of dried plums cracks me up.
Katharine on 31 Jan 2011 at 9:05 am #
Nostalgia. Julie. My mom and great grandma always had a prune jar with lemon slices and a cinnamon stick. Thanks for stirring the memories and tastebuds.
Jen on 31 Jan 2011 at 10:33 am #
My mom used to can prune plums. She would always buy the plums by the case in the Okanogan…so we had many jars of canned prune plums lining our cold room shelves. We’d eat them warm over ice cream all winter – yum! I love prunes…so this is right up my alley.
molly on 31 Jan 2011 at 11:42 pm #
I’ve been meaning to try Molly’s prunes forever. Thx for the reminder.
We finally (finally) did go to IKEA and buy bedside lamps. I still use my flash light. Old habits, I guess.
EU Says Prunes Won’t Help You Poo. Sir Graham Watson Says ‘Try Eating A Few.’ on 14 Dec 2011 at 4:25 pm #
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