Plum paste (for souring)

Name: Plum paste (for souring) - Marta J.
Ingredients: 5 kg raw cornelian cherries coarse salt acetylsalicylic acid powder

Conserve - Plum paste (for souring) by Marta J. - Recipia

When we have different opinions on how to sour the soup, the plum paste is the easiest option we use. It has a slightly sour taste and can be added gradually, directly into the pot, until the soup reaches the desired flavor. It is prepared from green plums, without sugar, and after boiling and straining, it remains a fine paste suitable for the pantry. Quick Info Total time: not specified exactly; includes about 1 hour of boiling the paste, plus the time for initial boiling, straining, and cooling. Preparation time: not specified in the original recipe. Cooking time: approximately 1 hour for the strained paste, plus the blanching of the plums. Servings: not specified; the amount obtained depends on how much water is used and how much pulp remains after straining. Difficulty: easy to medium. Recipe type: preserve for souring soups. Ingredients 5 kg raw, green plums 4 tablespoons coarse salt A pinch of powdered acetylsalicylic acid Water, enough to cover the plums during the first boiling. Salt is added to the paste obtained after straining. Acetylsalicylic acid is added at the end of boiling, before filling the jars. Preparation method 1. Prepare the plums Choose raw, green plums and remove any that are not good. Clean and wash them well. 2. Boil them Place the plums in a large pot or divide them into several smaller pots. It is important that the pot is filled only halfway so that the fruits have room to mix if necessary. Pour in enough water to cover the plums. Put the pot on the heat and watch for the moment when the water starts to boil. 3. Turn off the heat immediately after they detach from the pits As soon as the water boils, the plums begin to detach from the pits. At this moment, turn off the heat. There is no need to boil them longer at this stage. 4. Strain the fruits Pass the blanched plums through a sieve to separate the pulp from the skins and pits. Work while the fruits are still soft, as the pulp detaches more easily then. Keep the obtained paste and remove the skins and pits. The final quantity is not fixed, as it varies depending on the variety of plums and how much pulp they have. 5. Boil the paste Place the strained paste in a pot and add the 4 tablespoons of coarse salt. Boil the mixture for about 1 hour. The paste should boil gently, and during boiling, it is good to pay attention to the consistency. The recipe does not specify an additional amount of water at this stage, so the paste obtained after straining is used. 6. Add the acetylsalicylic acid A little before you turn off the heat, sprinkle a pinch of powdered acetylsalicylic acid and mix. Acetylsalicylic acid appears in the traditional recipe as a preservative aid. It is not a standard food preservative in all current recommendations, so it is important to check if the method is suitable for how you intend to store the paste and to use only an appropriate product, according to available guidelines. 7. Fill the jars Put the paste into clean, blanched, and disinfected jars while it is still hot. Fill them carefully and seal them. 8. Let the jars cool slowly Cover the jars with thick blankets and leave them like this for a few days until they cool completely. This is the cooling method mentioned in the original recipe. Why I make the recipe often Plum paste is useful when not everyone prefers the same ingredient for souring the soup. It can be used in small amounts and added gradually without completely changing the flavor of the dish. Additionally, green plums are only available for a short period. Preparing them as a paste allows their use even later when they are no longer fresh. Tips and variations Tips The pot should not be filled to the top during the first boiling. The recipe recommends filling it only halfway, with water covering the fruits. Do not let the plums boil longer than necessary after the water boils. The purpose of this stage is to soften them and detach them from the pits, not to cook them for a long time. Straining is the part that requires the most patience. The paste must be separated from the skins and pits before being boiled with salt. The jars must be blanched and disinfected before filling. The paste is put into them while hot, not after it has cooled. The amount of paste obtained cannot be determined solely from the 5 kg of plums, as it depends on the fruits and the losses from straining. Substitutions The recipe is based on green plums, and substituting them with another fruit would change the taste and consistency. Therefore, a substitution is not recommended if the same paste for souring the soup is desired. Coarse salt is the ingredient used in the basic recipe. No alternative is specified, and it is not recommended to modify the quantity without considering how you want to preserve the paste. Variations No variations are provided in the original recipe. The paste can be used plain, without additional spices or ingredients. Serving ideas Add the plum paste directly to the soup in small amounts after tasting the broth. Stir and check the taste again before adding more. It can be used in soups instead of cabbage juice, borscht, or lemon juice. Since the paste is salty, keep this in mind when adjusting the salt in the soup. Frequently asked questions 1. How much water do I put to boil the plums? Water should be added to cover the plums. An exact amount is not indicated, as it depends on the size of the pot and the volume of the fruits. 2. When should I turn off the heat during the first boiling? The heat is turned off as soon as the water boils and the plums begin to detach from the pits. A longer boiling is not necessary at this stage. 3. Why are the plums passed through a sieve? To remove the skins and pits and to obtain a fine paste that can be easily added to the soup. 4. Can I put the paste in jars after it has cooled? The recipe indicates filling the jars while the paste is hot. This is the step that must be followed for this preparation method. 5. How long does the paste last? The recipe does not specify an exact shelf life. The jars are left covered with thick blankets for a few days until cooled, but for the later period, it is important to respect safe storage conditions and to check the condition of the jars before use. Nutritional values The values are estimated and refer to the plum paste, without a standard portion established and without being able to accurately calculate the amount of salt distributed in each jar. For 100 g of paste, the following can be estimated: Calories: 35–50 kcal Protein: approximately 1 g Fat: under 1 g Carbohydrates: approximately 8–12 g Fiber: approximately 1–2 g The greatest variation comes from the variety of plums and the amount of pulp remaining after straining. The sodium content may be high due to the 4 tablespoons of coarse salt, but it cannot be accurately calculated without knowing the final weight of the paste and how many jars result. Storage and reheating After filling, the jars are covered with thick blankets and left for a few days until cooled. The recipe does not specify an exact shelf life after cooling or additional storage conditions. The paste is not reheated like a regular dish. It is taken directly from the jar and added to the soup, preferably gradually. After opening a jar, check the appearance and smell of the paste before use.

Plum paste (for souring)

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