Lessons learned
by CSWSmovie
- Yellow split peas are a grouchy bunch. Don’t be fooled by their innocuous name and sunny color, especially when you’re trying to make soup out of them and it’s a Sunday night and they’ve been cooking for more than two hours and the peas are still not yet softened. The soup was eventually saved but not without a few expletives thrown in there, which will happen when it’s 11:30 pm and you’re dealing with your immersion blender. Note to self: always soak your legumes. You can’t trick them into cooking faster.
- Liberte six-grain yogurt is so good it makes me unable to eat any other kind of yogurt.
- Prunes are highly underrated, criminally so in my opinion. If you’re one of those people who associate it only with geriatrics, try the recipe below – I think you’ll change your mind.
Hope you’re having a swell week.
Chilled Prunes in Beaujolais
Adapted from A Platter of Figs, by David Tanis
The recipe calls for Beaujolais, that wine that comes out just around the holiday season, but as David Tanis points out, any light-bodied red would do. And because they’re chilled, I personally think this is a great warm weather dessert.
1 1/2 pounds pitted prunes
2 1/2 cups Beaujolais Nouveau or other light-bodied wine
1/2 cup sugar
Cinnamon stick
A slice or two of orange
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Chill before serving (overnight or up to several days).
Discard the oranges. Serve each diner a small bowl with a few prunes floating in the winey sauce. This could be great with some thick yogurt or ice cream or even some oatmeal if you have a lazy morning ahead of you, but David recommends serving them “quite cold, chased with the red wine juice.”
long time reader, first time commenter… i’ve heard a pressure cooker is good if you cook with dried beans or lentils and don’t want them to cook for hours. i HATE when meals take twice as long as i expect.
also, i love prunes (or dried plums as they are now marketed). this dessert sounds like something out of the age of innocence! just don’t eat too many prunes, you might get a really bad case of drunk
Truth about the pressure cooker. My mom has been telling me to get one for a while, but I keep resisting because of limited counter space…I should really just take the plunge. Also, you know why I love this “dried plum” recipe, based on ingredient list…
Sugar, wine and prunes, LOL! Youth, middle age, and old age, this recipe works for everyone.
Haha, I never thought of it that way.
haejoon’s comment made me giggle. i love prunes. totally delish and totally not geriatric. if only i cooked, i would totes try that recipe. perhaps this summer when i have grand plans on turning all martha stewart on you all.