With Christmas Day fast approaching, the hype about present shopping begins to turn into thoughts of dinner menus, peeling potatoes and preparing sprouts. Christmas dinner is arguably the most important meal a home cook will make all year and so the pressure is on!
But what of Christmas Day breakfast? Granted, it’s likely to take a back seat to the turkey and stuffing, just as it often falls victim to the morning rush of a school or work day. Nevertheless, everyone knows the old adage: ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. Indeed, breakfast is the meal with which we set our intention for the day, at least as far as food is concerned. It is only right, then, that a Christmas Day breakfast should be suitably festive whilst also being nourishing and easy to prepare.
The plum compote recipe below draws all of these elements together. When served as a topping for a creamy bowl of porridge, it is my idea of a perfect start to Christmas Day. I like to make the compote in advance, ready to dollop on my porridge on a morning along with a sprinkling of nuts or seeds. It should keep in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days or can be frozen in portions to be pulled out of the freezer the night before.
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
600g plums
3tsp cinnamon
2tsp vanilla extract
2tbsp honey (plus extra, if desired)
Method
- Wash and destone the plums.
- Cut each plum into quarters then cut each quarter into three or four.
- Put the chopped plums into a saucepan with the other ingredients and mix together.
- Cook over a low to medium heat, stirring frequently, for around one hour until the plums have broken down completely. If you prefer your compote to be chunky, cook for a slightly shorter time until they have reached the desired consistency.
- Allow the compote to cool, taste and add extra honey, if desired.
Notes:
Plums can turn sour as they cook so add extra honey at the end of the cooking time if you feel it is needed.
Ԍreat article.