Plums, Ginger and Cuba

Some days are wet, windy and downright miserable, and when the weather is blowy and cold outside, I need something to warm the insides and create a haven of warmth and comfort within my kitchen.

I've been listening to http://youtu.be/oNxNjd7wADo  - Cuban Allstars - Verdadero

since I've returned from Sunny Cuba - and this music helps the dancing around the kitchen and the creative juices to flow. The products of the fridge and the cupboard produced a punnet of dark plums and 2 bottles of stem ginger - and a cupboard full of various nuts, including a bucket of walnuts awaiting shelling.

 

Plum & Ginger Crumble

1 punnet of Black Amber Plums

3 balls Preserved Stem ginger, and a little of the syrup

6-8  tablespoons water

2oz soft brown sugar

Crumble

4 oz white spelt flour

Pinch of salt

2oz rolled oats

2 oz butter

1 oz toasted pecans or walnuts

2 oz demerera sugar

PRE HEAT OVEN TO 180c/Gas mark 4

METHOD

1. Wash and quarter plums and place in small saucepan with water.

2. Sliced and dice stem ginger and add to saucepan with the syrup.

3. Put pan on a medium heat and bring to a simmer and turn down.

4. When plums have cooked and softened a little, add sugar to taste.

5. Put into crumble dish(s) – I used small cups (from Grandma's cupboard) as I like quite deep crumble and fruit.

6. In a separate bowl sift in flour and add salt.

7. Cube butter and rub into the flour until it resembles crumbs.

8. Add oats, toasted nuts and sugar.

9. Put this crumble on top of the plum mixture and place in oven for 25-30 minutes until the crumble is cooked and plum juice is bubbling up the side.

You don’t need it to be perfect but rather bubbling and sticky and caramelised at the edges.

http://youtu.be/nVK5Hko0KWU - La Familia Valera Miraanda

http://youtu.be/E_zQZWZfsbI - Cuba Libra album

Serve with good homemade preserved ginger ice cream, or cream. Custard doesn’t really cut it with this dish – the contrast of cold against hot works exceptionally well.