In Praise of Prunes
Photo © Rob Jones
My mum (a doctor) swore by prunes.
And she had good reason. In fact I am concerned that I don’t eat more of them.
Let’s examine the facts:
They are fat free - About 51 calories apiece.
High in fibre.
Are high in protein (1g per 30g serving - that’s three prunes.)
The sugars are released slowly so don’t cause a spike in blood sugar.
Good source of potassium which is good for the heart.
High in iron, good for the blood.
A source fo Vitamin A, good for the immune system.
A source of Vitamine K (from the German Koagulationsvitamin) which aids blood clotting.
And they keep your skin toned and eyes twinkly.
Things you never knew you never wanted to know:
Prunes are related to roses.
Shakespeare mentions Prunes 8 times in his plays.
There are over 1000 different types of Prune.
The California Prune Board rebranded to become the California Dried Plum Board because a poll of consumers showed 90% said they’d enjoy the fruit more if its names was changed, possibly because of its laxative reputation.
The number of stones you get in your dish predicts what you will become in later life - Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief.
Photo © Rob Jones
Stewed Beef and Prunes
On this occasion, cold and wintry Sunday afternoon in early March - they were paired with stewing beef and other sundry things to add a dish to my Welsh Tapas selection.
Mix up some Sechuan Pepper, Juniper and Chilli flakes. Rub them into the steak chunks and brown off in a pan.
Fry some chopped Onion, Spring Onion, half a Red Pepper, chopped Celery, Garlic and Ginger to taste.
Pop steak and everything else into a slow cooker with a cup of Red Wine, a tin of Tomatoes and a pint of Beef Stock and leave the cooker to do its magic.
Serve when the beef is soft with crusty bread and butter.
RJ
