Week 29--Plums

Plums are in full season!  I have neighbors and friends who are looking to get rid of theirs because they have just too many.  We have enjoyed several rounds of donated plums but we just can't eat them fast enough (nor do we want to!), so this week I was inspired to create a recipe that uses plums and it's perfect for Summer.  But first, let's learn a few facts about plums.

I grew up eating tons of plums, mostly in their dried form, with salt and chili.  In Mexico we call them "saladitos."  In some parts of Asia plums are pickled or fermented. Plum juice can be fermented into plum wine; when distilled, this produces a brandy known in Eastern Europe as Slivovitz.  In central England, a cider-like alcoholic beverage known as plum jerkum is made from plums. Dried plums (or prunes) are also sweet and juicy and contain several antioxidants.  Plums and prunes are known for their laxative effect.  This effect has been attributed to various compounds present in the fruits, such as dietary fiber, sorbitol, and isatin.  Prunes and prune juice are often used to help regulate the functioning of the digestive system (Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plum)

This week I created a Plum Chipotle Salsa that I used as a relish for grilled salmon.   Here is what you will need:

Ingredients

4 cups of plums, chopped and pits removed

1/2 red onion finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

4 to 6 chipotle chiles chopped

2TB Balsamic vinegar

3 cloves of garlic minced

Juice of one lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients in a container and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

2. Serve with grilled chicken or salmon.  

3. Enjoy!