Please mention The Gers Local when responding to adverts Agen Prunes: A Taste of the Sunshine of Le Sud Ouest
Autumnal Salad B with
gastronomic history since the 12th century. During that time, crusaders returned from Syria with damson plum trees which the Bendectine monks of Clairac, not far from Agen, crossed with their own, local plum variety. The result was a new kind of plum which they called the Ente plum. Since then, the plum has been used to produce the famous pruneaux d’Agen, named after the city from which the prunes were shipped all over Europe. Today, more than half of the production of the fruit is still taking place in the Lot-et-Garonne.
S
weet, glossy and bursting with flavour, Agen prunes have been part of south-western France’s
Between mid-August and mid-September, the dark purple plums are harvested. By this time, they are so ripe and sun-drenched that the trees either naturally drop their fruits or need nothing more than a gentle shake. After careful sorting, the best fruits are dried and preserved for year-round use.
Agen prunes are not only delicious, but they are also extremely healthy and versatile. Full of fibre, iron and antioxidants, they can be eaten as a nutritious snack or incorporated into a wide variety of recipes. Try them in your oatmeal or cereals, in hearty cold-weather stews and in desserts.
The following recipes are an ideal way to taste the summer sunshine well into the cooler months ahead. Serve the autumnal salad as a light lunch or adjust the quantities and offer it as a starter to a main course of duck or chicken. And when the winter really sets in, you might want to bake the delectable prune and almond cake. It makes a wonderful teatime treat but is also a great dessert to round off a holiday meal. In this case, serve it in tiny slices with a scoop of good vanilla ice cream, one or two prunes soaked in red wine and a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar.
28 For the dressing: Serves 4
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 3 ½ tbsps grapeseed oil ½ tsp grainy mustard 1 tsp honey sea salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste
For the salad:
80g whole almonds 10 slices of bacon, halved 20 Agen prunes (without pit) 12 slices of French bread 90g soft, fresh goat’s cheese, such as Chavroux 200g mixed salad leaves 12 slices of thin, dry-cured ham
Preheat the oven to 220°C and line a baking tray with baking paper. Roast the almonds in a dry frying pan, chop them up roughly and set aside. Wrap half of a slice of bacon around each prune, secure with a toothpick and place on the baking tray. Pop in the oven for 10-12 minutes, turning the prunes half way through the cooking time. Remove from the tray and spread out the oils released by the bacon over the tray. Spread the goat’s cheese over the bread and place on the tray with the bacony oils. Return to the oven for a further 8 minutes. Keep on eye on the bread and make sure it doesn’t burn.
In a large bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Add in the mixed salad leaves and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates. Top each plate with the almonds, the ham and the cheese toasts. Place the bacon-wrapped prunes around the sides of the salad and serve immediately. I like this salad accompanied with a smooth, fruity Merlot.
acon-Wrapped Agen Prunes
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44