Certain ingredients are a hard sell for American diners. Small oily fishes. Organ meats. Sweet fruit soups. And prunes.
It’s not that Americans don’t eat prunes, it’s just that — how shall I put this? — prunes are associated almost exclusively in the American mind with a certain utilitarian function. That’s a shame. In Europe and South America, there are countless elegant dishes made with prunes, like the French rabbit with prunes, the chausson aux pruneaux (a flaky turnover filled with a prune compote), ice cream with Armagnac-poached prunes, and Italian prune cake. My wife tells me that in her native Venezuela, prune is the most popular flavor of yogurt.
I’ve adapted the following recipe from “The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion and Cooking Manual.” Frankies Spuntino is a trio of neighborhood restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn owned by two guys named Frankie. The food is simple, fresh and well-executed. One of the desserts on the menu that we order every time we visit the Brooklyn Frankies is a dish of red wine-poached prunes served with a big dollop of soft, room-temperature mascarpone. The dish is a triumph of the four- or five-ingredient approach that makes the food there so satisfying.
With the help of my wife, I’ve changed the dish a little so it can be served for breakfast or dessert. I’ve substituted lighter Greek-style yogurt for the mascarpone and added a touch of black pepper and a drizzle of honey.
Red Wine Poached Prunes with Greek Yogurt and Panettone Crumbs
Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 cup red wine
½ cup granulated sugar
½ stick cinnamon
4 black peppercorns, crushed
1 cup pitted prunes
1 slice Panettone bread
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
Directions
To poach the prunes: Place the red wine, sugar, cinnamon and peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium heat, and whisk the mixture together until the sugar dissolves. Place the prunes in the saucepan and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, until the prunes are very tender and the cooking liquid is thickened.
Transfer the prunes and their liquid into a plastic container, cool, cover and refrigerate.
To make the Panettone breadcrumbs: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Crumble the Panettone into ¼ inch pieces. Bake 1 hour until dry and slightly golden. Cool and cover until ready to use.
To serve: Let the prunes come to room temperature or serve slightly warm. Divide the prunes along with their liquid among 4 bowls. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a sprinkle of the Panettone breadcrumbs and drizzle the dessert with honey. Serve immediately.
