Rainy Day Greengages

Very Different Ways to Approach this Ancient Plum

I know it’s a bit ‘broken record’ but, man, it’s exciting when the next beautiful thing pops into season so I can begin another year of documenting it. The glorious greengage has actually been a bit neglected in my notes because I’m too quick to eat them and record the what and the how. Not today though. The rainiest late August Saturday that whispered in my ear ‘let us greengage until the sun returns’ and so greengage we did, and hard.

When the sun did return around 6pm, I made haste to see Jan Clover to get some of her lovely honey after my neighbour messaged to say ‘go quickly!’ and that Jan was only producing a small batch since her husband Dave passed away recently and we feared there would be no more ‘Riverside Honey’. I had a little taste and this year it’s all roses, not like 2022 when it was elderflower and lilacs. I will make a little greengage and honey cake tomorrow and take her some because I decided earlier this year that honey is love, and that we all need more of it. I will add the recipe later so you can have more love, too.

Back to the greengage party of 2024, you will find inspiration and recipes below for:

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+ Tomato, ricotta, roasted corn, basil and greengage vinegar

+ Beetroot, fennel and greengage gazpacho

+ Gésiers de canard with potatoes, greengage, and marjoram

+ Greengages poached in Giffard Madagascan vanilla liqueur, topped up with Armagnac, mascarpone and black pepper

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As always, I will continue to nourish this ever-growing love letter to the greengage and at the bottom of this article I will cite other articles of this kind, if they are the sort of thing you like. Note: I also write about past dating experiences in my series ‘Millennial Menoirs’ and dabble in poetry from time to time, as well as documenting nature - particularly the trees along the river Stour, if you’d prefer to read those.

If you enjoy reading this post, however, please consider sharing it, subscribing for more, or clicking the images to find me on instagram.

To Make Greengage Vinegar

Ingredients

• 16 greengages (about 500 grams)

• 300ml white balsamic vinegar

• 250g white sugar

Method

1. In a medium-sized pot, combine the vinegar and sugar over low heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves.

2. Add the pitted greengages to the pot, and continue to simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes.

3. Remove the pot from heat and allow the mixture to cool at room temperature for about 4 hours.

4. Once cooled, mash the greengages.

5. Strain the mashed greengages through a fine sieve to extract a thick syrup. This is your homemade vinegar, ready to use immediately.

6. Drizzle over tomato salads with fresh ricotta and extra virgin olive oil.

7. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

To Make Beetroot, Fennel, and Greengage Gazpacho

Serves three

Ingredients

• 6 beetroot washed, scrubbed and diced

• 1 potato, diced

• 1 white onion, finely sliced

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 3 greengages, sliced

• Water or broth to cover

• Or, choice of stock

• Splash of pickle juice from gherkin jar if you have some

• Seasoning

Method

1. In a heavy-based saucepan, slowly sauté the onion and fennel seeds in olive oil until soft.

2. Add the beetroot, potato and greengage and cook for a further few minutes until also softened.

3. Cover with water or broth, or water with choice of stock, and bring to the boil before lowering to a simmer and cooking for thirty minutes.

4. Allow to cool before blending to a smooth soup, as well as adding a generous splosh of pickle juice.

5. Refrigerate until really cold before topping up with a swirl of cream and a grated greengage.

To Make Gésiers de Canard with Potatoes, Greengage, and Marjoram

Serves One

Ingredients

• 2 potatoes, diced

• 5 Gésiers de Canard, or you could use fresh chicken liver instead

• 3 greengages

• A clove of smoked garlic, mashed

• Fresh marjoram

• Crusty bread to serve, like a French baguette

Method

1. Gésiers de Canard usually come in a tin, so pour some of the oil into a frying pan and set aside the amount of gésiers you want to use, storing the rest in an airtight Tupperware for another day (soon).

2. Heat the oil before adding the potatoes and letting them fry gently until brown and soft (this can take a while and I like to add little splashes of water and cover them with a saucepan lid to encourage them along or you could just use already boiled potatoes which I now realise would have been faster).

3. Add the greengages, smoked garlic and the gésiers and cook until everything is looking golden and lovely before adding chopped marjoram, salt to season, and plenty of freshly milled black pepper.

4. Serve with chunks of bread to scoop up the goods.

To Make Greengages Poached in Madagascan Vanilla Liqueur

Serves Four

Ingredients

+ 6 greengages, halved and pitted

+ 200ml Vanilla Liqueur (I used the amazing Giffard version)

+ 30ml Armagnac, if you have some

+ Mascarpone to serve

+ Cracked black pepper

Method

+ Toss the greengages in the vanilla liqueur.

+ Add to cast iron pan (I used a small gratin pan), turn the greengages face down, and place over medium-high heat.

+ Cook until slightly golden before turning over and cooking for a couple of minutes more.

+ Remove greengages from the pan for a while to let the liqueur reduce into a sticky syrup before adding them back in again, spooning the syrup over the top to keep it moving around and not burning. Splash in a bit of armagnac if you have any to top up the booze content as much of it will have evaporated.

+ Remove pan from the heat and top each greengage with a little mascarpone and cracked black pepper.

+ Share with your neighbours and other people you love. Anyone who needs a sweet treat, really.

Other love letters to seasonal produce you may enjoy: