Day 3/7 – Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Still feeling under the weather, dear reader. So, with that in mind, I whipped up a really quick and easy snack. All you need are three ingredients for this one.
Take 6 California Prunes (pitted) and put them in a small bowl. Pour red wine over the prunes, just until covered. I used Martin’s Pickup Shriaz, because it’s what I had on hand. Any red wine will do. Cover the bowl with food grade wrap to keep the air from drying the prunes out. Soak for at least 12 hours. I started the soaking process before I went to bed. My prunes had been soaking for around 16 hours.
When you get hungry and want a treat, drain the remaining wine off your prunes. Place a scoop of your favorite ice cream in a dish and add the prunes on top. I used Tillamook’s Waffle Cone Swirl Ice Cream, as, again, it’s what I had in the freezer. (Disclaimer – I don’t actually eat ice cream much at all. Maybe twice a year. It was another house inhabitant’s ice cream.)
I had hoped originally to recreate Franks’ Amazing Prunes and Mascarpone Dessert, the recipe for which you can find at Something New For Dinner’s website. I believe very much in using what you have. We did not have mascarpone cheese, nor did we have mint. Thus was born, the concoction above.
For not being an ice cream aficionado, I enjoyed this very much.
As for the star of the show, the drunken prunes, they were insanely moist, plump and delectable. Even with this terrible cold, I enjoyed them tremendously. The tide of my impression of prunes is turning toward a favorable one.
For those of you who choose to not indulge in sprits, you can try soaking these in nonalcoholic wine, or plain old grape juice overnight. I am guessing they will plump up just as nicely.
One change I would make is, if I could have chosen a different ice cream it would have been the good old fashioned New York Vanilla. Tillamook is great, but Kemps New York Vanilla would do for me. Why New York vanilla you ask? I like eggs. They add body. Other vanillas often don’t have egg in their finished product.1
As for myself, I am crossing my fingers, the little bit of alcohol might help me get rid of this bug sooner, as I would love to make a few more involved dishes with prunes to display.
Tidbits and Timemachines 