Best Soused Prunes Recipes

PRUNES POACHED IN RED WINE

Steps:

• Place prunes in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 5 minutes, then drain.
• Meanwhile, combine wine and honey in a medium saucepan. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from the vanilla bean halves into wine and add pods. Add cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes.
• Add prunes to wine and bring back to a simmer. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add zest. Remove cinnamon stick.
• Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours before serving. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled. Prunes will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

SAUTéED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, pour the wine over the prunes and let soak for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Trim the silver skin off the tenderloins. Cut the tenderloins into rounds about 3/4 inch thick. Season the rounds on both sides with salt and pepper.
• In a sauté pan just large enough to hold the rounds, heat the olive oil over high heat. When it smokes, add the pork rounds and brown, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side, or until they feel firm to the touch. If they start to get too brown, turn down the heat. Transfer the pork rounds to a warmed platter and set aside in a warm spot. Pour the fat out of the pan.
• Drain the prunes, reserving the wine and prunes separately. Measure out 1/2 cup of the wine. Return the pan to high heat and add the 1/2 cup wine and the prunes. Deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, then stir in the meat glaze, if using. Boil until the wine is reduced by about half; if you have added the glaze, the sauce will develop a lightly syrupy consistency. Add the cream and boil until reduced to a light sauce consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Arrange the pork rounds on warmed plates and spoon the sauce and prunes over the top.

ROSEMARY-GARLIC PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SWEET-AND-SOUR PRUNES

Steps:

• Bring pitted prunes, 1 1/3 cups water, Sherry wine vinegar and sugar to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and cook until liquid is syrupy, about 20 minutes. Set prunes aside.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Blend 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic cloves, chopped fresh rosemary and cracked black pepper in food processor to form paste. Place pork tenderloins in roasting pan; rub with 3 1/2 tablespoons garlic paste. Set remaining garlic paste aside. Roast pork tenderloins until thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 150°F, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining garlic paste and dried crushed red pepper in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 12 cups sliced escarole; cover and cook until wilted, about 6 minutes. Mix in chicken stock.
• Transfer pork to work surface and slice. Mix any pan juices from pork into prunes and bring to simmer. Divide escarole among 6 plates. Top with pork slices, then prunes. Serve immediately.

PRUNES IN WINE AND ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• In a stainless-steel saucepan combine the wine and the sugar, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and boil it for 1 minute. Add the prunes and the Armagnac and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool, covered, for 15 minutes and spoon it into a 1 1/2-quart ceramic or glass container. Let the mixture cool completely, covered. The prunes keep, covered and chilled, for 3 months.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SHALLOTS AND PRUNES

Steps:

• To brine the pork: Dissolve the salt and brown sugar in 2 cups cold water in a glass or stainless steel bowl large enough to hold the tenderloin. Add the allspice, peppercorns, bay leaves and thyme. Submerge the meat, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours (overnight is better). Before cooking, remove the tenderloin, pat dry and bring to room temperature. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• To make the sauce and roast: Simmer the prunes in the red wine until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the ginger and orange zest, and steep for 10 minutes
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brown the tenderloin, about 3 minutes per side. (Turn off heat and use the same pan to make the sauce.) Transfer the tenderloin to a small roasting pan. Roast uncovered for about 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. (Residual heat will cause the meat to continue to cook a bit while resting.)
• To finish the sauce, melt the butter in the reserved skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened, stirring with a wooden spoon. Scrape up any browned bits to enrich the sauce. Add chicken broth, turn up the heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in the prunes and wine, and simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the Madeira if using. Taste and correct the seasoning, then add the potato starch mixture and cook for another minute to thicken. Spoon sauce and prunes over the sliced tenderloin.