Prunes in Armagnac

Prunes have gotten a bum rap which is silly because they are simply dried plums. Therefore it stands to reason that if you like raisins, dried cherries, or other dried fruits found in your basic trail mix there is really no reason to poo-poo a prune. And, if your prune is soaked in Armagnac then not liking them is just crazy-talk.

We put up as many batches of prunes in Armagnac as we can each year and fold them into ice cream, use them to stuff crêpes, combine them with other dried fruits like apricots, figs, cherries, etc. to make fillings for tarts or simple fruit compotes. We also use them with duck, pork, or other savory delights. Eating them as they are is just fine too.

This recipe makes about 2-3 quarts of prunes in Armagnac.

INGREDIENTS:

10 cups Prunes (with or without pits)

1 ½ cups Sugar

4 cups White wine

4 cups Armagnac (not too pricey, but not too cheap either)

METHOD:

Combine white wine, sugar and warm to dissolve the sugar.

Add prunes to the warm wine/sugar mixture and cover letting the prunes soften up while the liquid cools.

Once cooled, add the Armagnac and stir everything together.

Put into jars with well-fitting lids.

Place in a cool, dry and dark place and give the jars a little shake each day for a couple of weeks.

They are ready to use after two weeks and only improve with age provided they are kept cool, dry and dark.