Sous Vide - Damson Shiraz Shrub - alcohol free
Recipe, Food, Styling & Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald
Non-alcoholic red wine in the mix part 2.
If you still have some non-alcoholic red wine left over from the last pairing, now is a great opportunity to use it in a shrub. For those who have to go back for more, I recommend the Shiraz from Carl Jung. With significantly more tannins, it is more tart and brings more complexity to this shrub.
Oh yes, on the way you might as well pack the 500 g of damson plums you need.
The native damson is a subspecies of the plum, and is only in season for a short time. It is usually more aromatic and has a stronger flavour than the plums that are usually offered throughout the year. Again, if the damosn plums are a little overripe, unsightly, and no longer fit for pie or fruit bowl, perfect, toss them in the bag.
This shrub is simple and delicious. The only advantage is a sous vide cooker. The fruit only has to be cooked with the wine and other ingredients for 90 minutes at 80° Celsius in a water bath. Tonic on top, done! With a dash of non-alcoholic wine, the acidity can be toned down a bit, shrub acidity is a very individual thing, I find. If you like, you can sprinkle a little sugar on the plums and flame them, similar to a crème brulee, and serve them with a strip of bacon. It gets really cool if you smoke the glass with a sprig of thyme beforehand. You should try it yourself. Cheers!
Sous Vide ready
Shrub:
500 g damson plums washed, halved and pitted
250 g fine sugar
250 ml non-alcoholic red wine, if possible Shiraz (Carl Jung)
250 ml red wine vinegar
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 vanilla pod cut in half lengthwise
Prepare a large pot with water. Heat the sous-vide cooker and preheat the water to 80° Celsius. Place the plums, wine, sugar and spices in a plastic bag and seal tightly. If possible, use a vacuum sealer.
Leave to infuse for 90 minutes in a bain-marie.
Cool, then pour through a sieve. Keep a couple of the halved plums. Now put the liquid into an acid-resistant and sterile container and store it in the refrigerator.
Garnish:
Bacon (1 slice p.person)
Plums from the shrub
A little sugar
Some fresh thyme
Preheat the oven to 200°C convection and line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the bacon on top. Place in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. Roast until crispy. Then remove from the oven and let the excess fat drip off on kitchen paper.
Meanwhile, sprinkle the plums with sugar and flame them with a burner (creme brulee).
SMOKE IT
The drink:
Place a sprig of thyme on a fireproof surface and light it with a burner. As soon as it smokes, put the glass over it. Repeat this process for each glass.
Then turn the glasses upside down, fill with ice cubes, pour in the shrub and top up with tonic (Edelflower) in a 50:50 ratio. Add a little non-alcoholic red wine depending on your taste. Serve with bacon and plum.
Recipe, Food, Styling & Photo: Oliver Schwarzwald