Start off fall right with something new to add to your palate! From gourmet canning expert and author of Saving the Season, Kevin West provides you foodies out there with his recipe for SIMI Cabernet Sauvignon-infused plum butter. The “butter” refers to the consistency and its smoothable, spreadable texture; it is a dairy-free recipe that pairs well with desserts, but also goes great with grilled chicken, ham or pork.
Check out the recipe below, and get your inner chef on with this must-have preserve recipe of the fall!
Yields 2 pints
- 3 pounds Santa Rosa or other dark-skinned plums
- 1 ¼ cups SIMI Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, divided
- 2 ½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Pit and slice plums. Place in a heavy-bottomed pot with 1 cup of SIMI Cabernet Sauvignon, and boil. Cover, reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer, and stew for 20 minutes, or until the plums have collapsed. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Mash plums into a smooth puree. Alternatively, run through a food mill or briefly with a submersion blender, but be careful not to liquefy the fruit.
- Combine the puree, sugar, and lemon juice in a wide, heavy-bottom pot. Boil and reduce over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is glossy and quite thick, ~15 minutes. (Cooking times will vary with pot size.) Test the consistency by putting spoonful of hot butter on a chilled plate and placing it in the freezer for 1 minute. When ready, the butter will develop a thick skin that wrinkles when you push your finger through it.
- When the butter is thickened to your liking, add the remaining ¼ cup of wine. Stir to combine, and return to a full boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Ladle the hot butter into four half-pint jars, and store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
*For long-term shelf storage, seal the jars and process in a boiling-water bath for ten minutes. Sealed jars will last for a year; once opened, store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
-by Jackie Hart
