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By Florence Fabricant
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October 12, 1983
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Section C, Page
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IT'S impossible to say ''stewed prunes'' with a smile on your face. There you have the problem. Prunes, lacking the cachet of the kiwi or the glow of the peach, suffer from a poor public image in this country, dating at least from the 1940's when the cartoon detective Dick Tracy faced a mean and severely wrinkled adversary named Pruneface.
Elsewhere in the world the prune is appreciated for its intense, winy sweetness and is a basic ingredient for an international roster of classic dishes: the Belgian rabbit in prune sauce, the Scandinavian loin of pork stuffed with prunes, prune-filled pastries of Austria and Hungary, Middle Eastern pilaf studded with prunes and chicken tabak with prune sauce from the Caucasus, among others.
In the United States, stewed prunes are relegated to the breakfast menu and consumed mostly for therapeutic reasons, but if you travel to Tuscany, a bowl of prunes in Chianti may be displayed prominently on the dessert card and ordered for the sheer flavor. In France at Les Maritonnes, a country restaurant near Lyons, plump prunes are soaked in Beaujolais, the local wine, then adorned with a cloud of whipped cream for a similarly appealing dessert.
The French appreciation for prunes is at its highest in the southwestern part of the country, the Armagnac region. The best prunes come from around the town of Agen and are called ''pruneaux d'agen.'' (In French, the word ''prune'' means plum and the dried plum or prune is called a ''pruneau.'')
It is this same variety, the Agen plum, that was planted in California in 1856 by Louis Pellier, a Frenchman who had initially come to make his fortune in gold. The American prune industry, like the French, depends on the Agen plum and today, about one- third of the American prune production is exported. Fifty percent of the prunes produced in the United States are used for juice.
Italian prunes, the small, dark blue oval freestone plums that are in season in September and October, are a related species. How the name evolved is a mystery since these are neither Italian nor used in the production of prunes. The rich amber flesh, often tinged with purple, has a flavor that suggests dried prunes but less intensely. In some recipes fresh Italian prunes can be used instead of dried prunes and vice versa.
Italian prunes can also be pitted and halved or quartered and frozen for later use. Despite their name, they do not seem to be burdened by the same negative image as the dark, glossy dried fruit called prunes. Perhaps it's because they don't have wrinkles.
Lately, prune producers in California have taken to softening and plumping packaged prunes, especially the pitted ones sold in vacuum tins, so they seem to have fewer wrinkles. But this tenderizing process, accomplished by restoring moisture to the fruit by passing them through a water bath, makes them unpleasantly mushy and tends to fade their flavor. Plain or pitted prunes sold in boxes with a cellophane liner to prevent drying taste better. Better still are the jumbo California prunes sold in bulk at places like Zabar's, Russ & Daughters on Houston Street and Dean & DeLuca. These are the best California prunes and retail for $2.98 to $4.98 a pound.
A few shops also sell imported Agen prunes, which are at least as sweet and rich, although not as large as the best of California. Dean & DeLuca stocks a 17 1/2-ounce package with the Paul Corcellet label for $2.95 and also has half-pound boxes of Agen prunes stuffed with prune mousse for $6.50. Henry Kaplan of DeChoix Specialty Foods, an importer whose Agen prunes stuffed with prune mousse and Cognac are sometimes available at E.A.T., 867 Madison Avenue, at 72d Street, and Lorenzo & Maria at 1418 Third Avenue, near 80th Street, said the French prunes are picked only when perfectly ripe, a practice he says is followed less scrupulously in California.
Here are some recipes for Italian prunes, while they last, and for dried prunes, which are said to have a shelf life of as long as two years when kept airtight. Prunes that have dried out can be restored by soaking overnight. Water can be used, but prunes are particularly delicious after having been marinated in tea, red wine, fortified wines such as Sherry, Marsala and Port or spirits such as eaux de vie or brandies, especially Armagnac. Clafoutis With Plums 1 1/2 cups quartered, pitted ripe Italian prune plums (about 10 plums) (see note) 1 to 3 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon rum 3 eggs 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 1/3 cup flour 2 tablespoons finely ground almonds 2/3 cup milk 1/3 cup heavy cream.
1. Butter an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking dish. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix plums with honey and rum, using more or less honey depending on the sweetness of the plums. Set aside in a bowl with at least 4 cups capacity.
3. Combine eggs with 1/2 cup sugar in a blender or food processor. Process until frothy. Add flour, almonds, milk and cream and process until blended.
4. Pour batter over plums and mix. Pour mixture into prepared pan, making sure the plum pieces are evenly distributed.
5. Bake in the middle of the oven until puffed and browned, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar, return to oven for a minute or two, then remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly, about 20 minutes, before serving. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
NOTE: For the fresh plums you may substitute 1 cup pitted dried prunes that have been soaked in water, then drained and quartered. Omit the honey and mix prunes just with the rum. Chicken With Prunes 1 cup prunes 1 cup strong tea 2 tablespoons butter A 3 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces 3 tablespoons minced shallots 3 tablespoons minced carrot 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Coarsely ground black pepper Salt 1 tablespoon brandy 1/2 cup heavy cream.
1. Cover prunes with tea and allow to soak at least three hours or overnight. Remove pits from prunes. (Pitted prunes may be used instead.)
2. Heat butter in a large skillet. Dry chicken pieces and brown on all sides in butter over high heat, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.
3. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan, add the shallots and carrot and saute over low heat until tender. Add vinegar and cook for a minute or two. Drain prunes, strain and add the soaking liquid to the pan. Return chicken to pan, baste with sauce, cover and cook over low heat until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes.
4. Remove chicken from pan. Add prunes, a generous seasoning of the pepper, a little salt and the brandy to the pan. Cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes. Add cream, bring to a simmer and recheck seasonings. Return chicken to pan, baste with sauce and reheat briefly, then serve.
Yield: 3 to 4 servings. Prune Loaf Cake 1 cup pitted prunes 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole-wheat flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon mace 1/4 teaspoon cardamom 1/2 cup soft butter 1 1/3 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 tablespoons Armagnac or brandy.
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a loaf pan 9 by 5 by 3 inches.
2. Quarter the prunes and mix with 1 tablespoon of the all-purpose flour. Set aside.
3. Sift together remaining all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, mace and cardamom.
4.*Cream butter and beat in 1 cup of the sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Stir in vanilla and lightly fold in prunes.
5. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake about 1 hour, until browned and a cake tester comes out clean.
6. Dissolve remaining Y cup sugar in the Armagnac. Bring to a simmer in a small saucepan and simmer for a minute or two. Pour glaze over the warm cake as soon as the cake is removed from the oven. Allow cake to cool in the pan. Yield: 1 loaf. Andre Daguin's Armagnac Prune Ice Cream 1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes 1/4 cup Armagnac 5 egg yolks 7 tablespoons sugar 1 cup milk, scalded 1 cup heavy cream.
1. Place prunes in a small bowl and cover with Armagnac. Soak at least 48 hours.
2. In the top of a double boiler beat egg yolks with sugar until light yellow and creamy. Place over simmering water and heat, stirring constantly.
3. Gradually add heated milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Heat gently, stirring often, until mixture thickens to a light custard and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then refrigerate for a couple of hours.
4. Add heavy cream and chopped soaked prunes to the milk mixture. Blend well.
5. Place in a 2-quart ice-cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions until very thick. Transfer to freezer container and freeze for several hours before using. Temper by placing in refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving. Serve slightly soft. Yield: 1 1/2 pints.
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