Stewed Plums With Cinnamon

Every year, a bounty of plums arrives in the United States' supermarkets in late May. Sweet, with the perfect tang, plums are simply delicious eaten raw. But when stewed, their firm texture and flavor make them the perfect fruity side, great on dishes from all meals, from breakfast dishes to game meats and desserts.

What Are Plums?

If you happen to have many plums and not enough time to eat them before they ripen too much, this easy recipe brings out the best of these fruits, giving you a versatile preparation to enjoy. A cinnamon stick and some fresh lemon juice are all you need to flavor them.

The Perfect Plum: Just Ripe Enough

Unlike in pies, crumbles, and cakes—which call for the ripest fruit possible—you need to select ones that are just ripe enough. but not too soft, as the cooking will break down their texture and could make them mushy, taking away the beauty of biting into a sweet and firm slice of stewed plum.

There are several kinds of plums, and they all will do for this recipe, as long as the flesh is firm. Black, red, or yellow are all great, but the resulting flavor can vary as they have different levels of tartness, as well as different textures. Pluots, apriums, apriplums, or plumcots—hybrids of plums and apricots—are also good choices for this delicious stew.

If you can, choose organic fruit, as you'll be eating the skin of the plum and organic product guarantees you're not eating dangerous pesticides, too.

How to Use Stewed Plums

A perfect and simple dessert, stewed plums can be a versatile ingredient in many meals:

• Breakfast: Serve the plums on top of granola, waffles, pancakes, or a yogurt parfait.
• Dinner: Use the warm plums as a sweet side to veal, venison, turkey, game poultry, or pork dishes.
• Dessert: Top ice cream, custard, pound cake, or fruit cake with the plum. Alternatively, serve the plums with a heaping tablespoon of whipped cream, mascarpone, or ricotta.