Sake-Sautéed Plums with Ginger and Star Anise

Recipe by: Pichet Ong | from The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Cookstr

Course: Dessert

Total Time: Half Day

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Moderate

sake-sauteacuteed-plums-with-ginger-and-star-anise

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

When plums are abundant, juicy, and ripe in the summer, this light dessert brings out the best in their tart sweetness. Easy to prepare but complex in flavor, it’s ideal after simple grilled dishes, particularly those with Asian accents. Because it is not too sweet, it can even serve as a sauce or garnish for gamy meats, like duck. For show, I flambe the plums, but that can be a risky experiment unless you’ve tried it before. It tastes just as good quickly sauteed in a pan, as in this recipe.

Yield: Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

½ pounds (680 grams) plums, preferably Black Mission, quartered and pitted
1 1/3 cups (7 ounces/200 grams) packed light brown sugar
One ½-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into ¼-inch slices
3 whole star anise
2/3 cup (5.3 ounces/150 grams) sake
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Two 4-inch-long strips lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
½ teaspoon salt
Ginger-Rum Raisin Ice Cream or ½ cup creme fraiche, optional

Directions

1. Put all of the ingredients, except for the optional ice cream, into a large mixing bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours; do not let the mixture sit overnight.

2. Set a large deep skillet over high heat and heat for 3 minutes. Add the plum mixture all at once and cook, stirring, until the alcohol burns off and the plums are just softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the ginger slices, star anise, and lemon zest. You can also reserve the star anise and lemon zest for garnish, if desired.

3. Divide the plums among serving bowls, top with the ice cream, if desired, and serve.

Editor's Note

Nutritional information does not include optional Ginger-Rum Raisin Ice Cream or ½ cup creme fraiche. For nutritional information on Ginger-Rum Raisin Ice Cream, please follow the link above.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Calories 206kcal (10%)

Calcium 37mg (4%)

Vitamin C 10mg (16%)

Vitamin A 14mcg RAE (0%)

Potassium 193mg

Magnesium 11mg

Protein 1g

Sugar 44g

Fiber 1g

Total Carbohydrate 47g