Plum Ring Mould

A jellied salad makes everything look like 1970.

I had preserved fruit purees from last summer, but you can make it fresh as well. You'll need to cut up fruit, place it in a large pot with a bit of water just to keep it from sticking, and then simmer covered until the fruit is soft. At that point you run it through a food mill (not a food processor) and then proceed with the recipe. Any left over puree will freeze well.

You Will Need:

2 tablespoons unflavoured gelatin
3/4 cup grapefruit juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups prune plum puree (or cherry if you prefer)
1 cup water
2 whole cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
1 cup finely chopped apple
2 cups blueberries (I had frozen from last summer)

Sprinkle the gelatin over the grapefruit juice and let soften. In a large pot, heat the sugar, salt, puree, water, and spices taking care not to let it boil. Let simmer very gently for 10 minutes. Remove spices. Stir in the gelatin and bring just to a boil, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Mix in fruit, and pour into a rinsed ring mould. Chill several hours before unmoulding.

For real-super-classy 60's look, unmould on a bed of lettuce (iceberg of course, that's all anyone had back then-before the boycott anyway, then we didn't see lettuce for years) and garnish with tinned peach halves and maraschino cherries. Yes, you must use tinned peaches. I served mine with blueberry yoghurt and a French dressing, but strangely I think Roquefort could work. Probably not Green Goddess.

You know, I was just thinking some beaded curtains would be lovely in the dining room.