Recipe : Oven Roasted Plum Rosemary Jam

It was the peak of plum season in Anderson Valley last month and I don't think I have ever seen fruit trees laden with more ripe fruit: there were two plum trees in the fruit orchard {a yellow Mirabelle and a purple Santa Rosa variety} and each tree's branches were covered in heavy clusters of sweet plums. While picking a small basket for lunchtime plum crostata, ripe plums literally started raining down from the heavy branches - so, two full baskets later we decided to make jam with the sudden harvest bounty!

This roasted plum & rosemary jam has a slightly savory note, so it pairs really well with cheese {especially goat cheese!} or served as a slightly sweet side to a savory pork roast. Instead of cooking & stirring on the stovetop, the plums are slow roasted in the oven, adding a nice caramelized flavor to the fruit juices - and an almost unbearably tempting smell to any kitchen ...

the ingredients.

2 pounds of ripe plums

½ cup brown sugar

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

freshly ground plack pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Cut the plums in halves and remove the pits along with any stems or leaves.

In a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle half the brown sugar, some salt and freshly ground black pepper and shake the sheet to mix.
Spread the plum halves on top of the seasoning, trying not to overcrowd the sheet.

Sprinkle the plum halves with the remaining sugar, salt and more ground black pepper, drizzle with some balsamic vinegar and place rosemary sprigs on top. 

Pop the baking sheet in the oven for about an hour, until the plums start breaking down {looking more like prunes}, jam juices fill the baking sheet and the sweet smell of caramelizing fruit & roasted rosemary is wafting through the kitchen.

While roasting the fruit, prepare some canning jars. Remove the rosemary sprigs and fill the sterilized glasses with the hot plum jam, while the juices are still runny.