Best Plum Gin Recipes

PAN-FRIED VENISON WITH SLOE GIN & PLUM SAUCE

Steps:

• Press the juniper and lots of black pepper onto the steaks. Heat the butter in a frying pan until foaming, add the plum quarters and the steaks. Cook to your liking, turning halfway through. Remove and keep warm.
• Tip the chopped plum and garlic into the pan juices and cook, stirring, until softened. Pour in the sloe gin, allow to sizzle, then add the hot stock. When the plums are really soft, press the mixture through a sieve to remove the skins. Try to get as much pulp through as you can, as this will add flavour and body to the sauce. If it's too thick, add a dash of boiling water.
• Put the steaks on warmed plates, top with the plum quarters and spoon round some sauce. Scatter over the thyme and a little black pepper. Serve with Fennel Dauphinoise (see 'Goes well with', right) and wilted spinach.

ST-GERMAIN, GIN, AND PLUM COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add St-Germain and gin and shake vigorously. Strain into a glass, add plum slices, and serve.

PLUM SORBET WITH SLOE GIN.

Steps:

• In a blender combine all ingredients and blend until uniform. There will be flecks of peel.
• Pour this into a cake layer pan.
• Freeze for about one hour, and then mix with a fork.
• Every half hour, keep mixing with a fork to break up the ice crystals.
• This takes about 3 hours to freeze.
• Serve.

PLUM GIN

Steps:

• Wash the plums and remove any leaves and stalks. Pierce the plums all over with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife, then halve (leave the stones in). Tip into a large, sterilised, sealable jar (about 2 litres) with a wide neck - the plums should easily fit inside. Alternatively, divide between two smaller jars.
• Sprinkle over 150g sugar and add the gin (reserve the gin bottle if you're planning to decant the plum gin back into it later). Seal the lid and give the jar a good shake. Store in a cool, dark place for at least a month, giving it a shake every few days for the first week or so to mix everything together and dissolve the sugar.
• Check the flavour after a month and continue to infuse if you prefer a stronger flavour - it can be left for up to three months. Or, add another 50g sugar and leave for two or three weeks if you prefer it sweeter. When you're happy with the flavour, strain the gin through a fine mesh cloth or muslin into a clean bottle and discard the fruit (you can also eat the boozy plums alongside sponge cakes or ice cream). Store in a cool, dark place. Drink on its own, in a G&T or mix with lemon juice and sugar syrup for a plum gin sour.

PLUM GIN COCKTAILS

Steps:

• Cook sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Stir in plums; remove from heat. Refrigerate syrup until cold.
• Fill 10 tall glasses with ice. Squeeze 1 lime wedge into each glass; add wedge to glass. Stir 1/4 cup of the plum syrup and 1 ounce gin into each glass. Add sparkling water to fill; stir. Garnish with plums. Serve.

PLUM-BASIL GIN FIZZES

Steps:

• Make the basil syrup: Bring the sugar and 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the basil, then remove from the heat and let cool completely, about 1 hour, then strain.
• Muddle 3 plums in a large liquid measuring cup with a wooden spoon. Stir in the basil syrup and gin. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour into ice-filled glasses and top with the seltzer. Garnish with basil and the remaining sliced plum.