I've made cakes that rely on dates for sugar and/or flavour before, but this is the first time I've used prunes for that purpose. It works really well though! Especially with all the spices.

My mom shared this recipe with me. And we both agreed that it didn't need anywhere near the full amount of sugar or oil called for. She also omitted the glaze. It seemed unnecessary given how sweet and rich the cake already was.

The original recipe called for 1 1/2 c. of sugar and 1 c. of oil. My mom cut the sugar back to 1 1/4 c. the first time she made it. And cut the oil all the way back to 1/4 c. (adding 1 c. of applesauce to make up for the missing oil).

I scaled back the sugar even further, to 1 c. I still found the cake plenty sweet enough. You could probably knock the sugar back even further if you were so inclined. And I would be tempted to swap out some or all of the granulated sugar with brown sugar next time. I think that the slight molasses flavour of the brown sugar would go really well with the fruit and spices.

Prune Cake

Slightly adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients

• 1 c. pitted prunes, chopped
• 1/2 c. water
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. allspice berries, ground
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 c. oil
• 3/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 c. buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 c. pecans, chopped

Directions

1. Bring the prunes and water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Combine the flour, sugar, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Sift in the baking soda and stir to combine.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and flour a Bundt pan.
6. Combine the oil, applesauce, buttermilk, and eggs and mix well.
7. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.
8. Mix in the prunes along with any residual liquid.
9. Stir in the pecans.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
11. Bake at 180°C (350°F) until done (~45 minutes).
12. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack to finish cooling.

I finally got (most) of the dried fruit needed to make this salad. I say "most" because it calls for dried pears which I've never even seen before! I figured I'd just sub some dried apples, but they're apparently on the "do not order" list at the local Bulk Barn right now, so that was a bust. In the end, I ended up lightly oven-drying an apple and an Anjou pear and using those in my salad and I think that worked quited well!

Winter Cabbage and Dried Fruit Salad

Slightly adapted from Vegetable of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 500g (~1/2 a head) red cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 5-6 Tbsp. red wine or apple cider vinegar
• 5 dried apricots, chopped
• 5 dried figs, chopped
• 5 dried prunes, chopped
• 1-2 dried pears¹, chopped
• 1 dried apple, chopped (optional)
• 1 tart apple, julienned
• 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/8 tsp. cumin seeds, ground
• 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2-1 tsp. sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp. walnuts², chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Toss the cabbage with the salt, pepper, and vinegar, cover, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours (or overnight in the fridge).
2. Add the apricots, figs, prunes, dried pear(s), and dried apple (if using).
3. Add the fresh apple, olive oil, cumin, cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. of sugar, and the walnuts (if using).
4. Taste and adjust sugar, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil as desired.

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¹ The original recipe calls for 5 dried pears! That seems like an insane amount to me. Maybe they meant 5 slices of dried pear. I ended up putting in 1 pear and 1 apple (plus the fresh apple) and that seemed about right to me. So, I think 2 dried apples/pears total is probably about right. ^Back
2 Normally when ingredients are listed as "optional", I always add it. But in this case I actually thought it would be nice with just the cabbage and fruit without the nuts. ^Back

Bigos is a famous and much-beloved Polish dish. It is a traditional hunter's stew and there are a dizzying variety of recipes out there for it. The foundation is always cabbage and pork, but approaches diverge from there.

It usually involves a mix of sauerkraut and fresh cabbage, although some recipes may use only sauerkraut and you can also find instructions for making it with only fresh cabbage. As far as I've seen, it always involves some sort of bacon or salt pork and some may also add fresh pork and/or ham. Most recipes call for kielbasa and/or dried Polish sausage as well. Venison is a very popular inclusion, although some recipes call for beef and/or veal either instead of or as well as the venison. A few recipes suggest incorporating chicken and/or duck, while others say that bigos must never contain poultry. And, as a hunter's stew, mushrooms are also a popular ingredient, either fresh or dried.

Onion, garlic, bay leaves, allspice, salt, and pepper seem to be the popular choice for seasonings. Although some recipes rely on Maggi sauce for whatever flavour is needed above and beyond that coming from the cabbage and meat. Most -- but not all -- of the recipes I looked at included a sweet element. For many, that simply meant adding a bit of sugar, but one actually suggested chopped pitted prunes to add a bit of sweetness. (A suggestion that I chose to follow in my rendition of this delicious stew!)

So, as you can see, there's quite a bit of variety in how this one-pot meal can be put together. The recipe that follows is based on combining elements of several different recipes, both from published cookbooks and personal family recipes that were sent to me by a friend. The resulting stew was fantastic! (Although I do think it probably would have been even better with some venison added to the pot, but I didn't have any venison and I did have a lot of beef, so that's what I used.)

This makes for a wonderful, satisfying dinner. Especially with a slice or two of fresh, home-made bread! And I'm looking forward to enjoying some of the leftovers with perogies tonight as well.

Bigos

Adapted from Applebaum, two different Polish Cookery recipes, and two family recipes

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. bacon grease (or lard), divided
• 400g back bacon, diced
• 450g stewing beef
• 300g kielbasa, diced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 6-7 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1/2 c. white wine
• 1 1/2 c. water (or as needed), divided
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 allspice berries
• 1 cinnamon stick¹ (optional)
• 2 carrots, julienned or minced
• 20g dried procini mushrooms
• 1 cabbage, thinly sliced and chopped
• 900g sauerkraut, drained
• 1 c. pitted prunes, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground, divided

Directions

1. Melt 1 Tbsp. of the bacon grease over medium-high heat.
2. Add the bacon, beef, and keilbasa and cook, stirring as needed, to sear the outside.
3. Once the meat has some colour on all (or at least most) sides, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining bacon grease.
5. Add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, stirring frequently (~10 minutes).
6. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, until flour is no longer raw (~3 minutes).
7. Stir in wine, mix well, then add 1/2 c. of the water and stir to combine.
8. Add the bay leaves, allspice, and cinnamon (if using).
9. Add the carrots, mushrooms, another 1/2 c. of water, and as much of the cabbage as you can fit² and still have room for the meat.
10. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
11. Add the sauerkraut and prunes and return the meat to the pot.
12. Season with ~1/2 the pepper and (carefully) stir to combine. Add another 1/2 c. of water if it seems to need it, but be aware that the meat and cabbage will release some liquid as they cook.
13. Cover and simmer for ~1 hour, stirring occasionally.
14. If you couldn't fit all of the cabbage into the pot before, add the rest now if there's room.
15. Add more liquid if necessary (depending on whether you like a thick or brothy stew).
16. Cover and simmer for another hour (or longer if you have time), stirring occasionally and adding more water as necessary.
17. Add the remaining 1/4 tsp. of pepper and stir to combine. You may want to taste the broth at this point. Adjust the seasonings as necessary.
18. Serve with buttered bread.

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¹ None of the recipes called for any cinnamon and I didn't use any when I made my bigos. But after tasting it, I do think that a hint of cinnamon would go nicely with the other flavours, so I might try it out next time. ^Back
2 I could only fit ~1/2 the cabbage into the pot at this point, but I was able to add the rest later one the stew had cooked down a bit. Just be patient and let it simmer. ^Back

This was a fun recipe to do. I'd never poached pears before. They were still a little firm at the end of the poaching time. I think I probably should've cooked them for a bit longer. But they were still very tasty. And the syrup that went with them was amazing!

Poached Pears with Prunes

Slightly adapted from The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert

Ingredients

• 2L water
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 navel orange¹, sliced 5-6mm thick
• 1 (7-8cm) cinnamon stick
• 1 clove
• 1 bay leaf²
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 4-6 Bartlett or Bosc pears³
• 12 pitted prunes
• semolina almond cookies, to serve

Directions

1. Combine the water, sugar, orange slices, cinnamon stick, clove, bay leaf, and lemon juice and bring to a boil.
2. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Remove the core from the bottom end of one of the pears.⁴
4. Peel the pear, but leave the stem on.
5. Add the pear to the pot with the sugar-water/syrup and repeat the process with the remaining pears.
6. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
7. Add the prunes and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
9. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears, prunes, and orange slices to a bowl.
10. Boil the poaching liquid over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes.
11. Pour the syrup over the pears.
12. Pears may be covered and refrigerated for up to four days.
13. When ready to eat, return to room temperature and serve with semolina almond cookies on the side.

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¹ The original recipe calls for only 1/2 an orange, but I really liked the orange in it, so I've upped it to a whole orange. I ended up using a blood orange rather than a navel orange for mine, but it doesn't seem to have suffered any from the swap. ^Back
2 I opted to swap in an "Indian bay leaf" here. I believe they are actually cassia leaves, so they are a bit like a cross between bay laurel and cinnamon. I figured that, given there was already cinnamon in the recipe, the cinnamon notes of the Indian bay leaf would go nicely. I think either one works fine, so just use whichever you have/prefer. ^Back
3 I used four large Bartlett pears for my rendition of this dish. Given that they were quite large, I think I probably should've added 5 or 10 minutes to the poaching time. They were still pretty firm and a bit tricky to eat. ^Back
4 Wolfert says to do this with an apple corer or a long knife. I tried it with a knife and didn't have much luck. TF looked up instructions online and found a lot of advice saying to use a melon baller or a spoon. I had much better luck once I switched to a spoon. (I think I melon baller would've been even better, but I don't have one of those.) ^Back

Beef Tagine with Fresh Apricots

I was originally planning to make the apple and prune version of this tagine. But then I got to the grocery store and they had local nectarines on sale. And I momentarily forgot that the apricot version wanted apricots and not nectarines. So I got a bunch of nectarines and didn't get the prunes and figured I'd just make that version. Then I got home and realized my mistake. But I already had the nectarines, so I figured I'd just go for it anyway. Nectarines and apricots are basically the same fruit, right?

Beef Tagine with Fresh ApricotsNectarines

Slightly adapted from The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• scant 1/8 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
• 3/4 c. hot water¹, divided
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 shallot, grated or finely minced
• 1kg beef short ribs (braising ribs), cut into individual ribs
• 500g stewing beef, cut into 4-5cm chunks
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 3 Tbsp. honey
• 4-5 fresh nectarines², quartered and pitted
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Set your tagine on a heat diffuser and melt the butter and oil over medium-low heat. (I tried out an induction cooker for this and set it to 600W.)
2. Pour 2 Tbsp. of the hot water over the crushed saffron.
3. Add the salt, pepper, ginger, and 1/4 tsp. of the cinnamon to the saffron water. Let stand for 1-2 minutes.
4. Pour the spice water into the tagine along with the shallot and mix well.
5. Once the spices have warmed through, begin adding the beef. Try to make sure each piece gets coated in the buttery spices.
6. Add the remaining water along with the cilantro, cover, and simmer for 2.5 hours. Check on it every half hour or so to turn the meat, remove any bones that have come loose, and make sure it's neither boiling over nor boiling dry.
7. After 2.5 hours the meat should be very tender and falling off the bone. At the point, add the onion, cover, and simmer for another 30 minutes.
8. Stir in the honey and remaining 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon.
9. Cook, uncovered, for another 30 minutes.
10. If possible, transfer the meat to a serving dish leaving the sauce in the tagine. Add the apricots/nectarines to the sauce and continue simmering until just heated through. Then pour the sauce and nectarines over the beef. Otherwise, just place the nectarines on top of the beef in the tagine, cover, and simmer for another 10-20 minutes until heated through.
11. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

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Variations

Lamb Tagine with Prunes and Apples

This version can also be made with beef if desired. Or the above version can be made with lamb. Mix and match as you see fit.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• scant 1/8 tsp. saffron threads, crushed
• 2 3/4 c. hot water, divided
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
• 1 shallot, grated or finely minced
• 1.5kg bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into 4-5cm chunks
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 450g pitted prunes
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 4 Tbsp. honey, divided
• 4 tart apples (eg. Granny Smith)
• 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Start as above with 2 Tbsp. each of butter and oil in a tagine over medium-low heat.
2. Proceed through the next four steps as directed above.
3. Once the meat is in the tagine, pour 2 c. of the remaining hot water over the prunes and set them aside to soak.
4. Pour the remaining water over the meat and add the cilantro.
5. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, checking on it every 30 minutes or so to turn and remove loose bones as above.
6. After 2 hours, add the onions, then cover and simmer for another 30 minutes.
7. Drain the prunes and add them to the tagine along with 3 Tbsp. of the honey and 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon.
8. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, quarter and core the apples (leaving the skin on).
10. Melt the remaining Tbsp. of butter with the honey and a pinch of cinnamon.
11. Add the apples, cut-side-down, and sauté until soft and glazed (~3 minutes).
12. Transfer the meat to a serving dish, pour the sauce over, then decorate with apples. Or, alternatively, place the apples on top of the meat and serve directly out of the tagine.
13. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

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¹ The original recipe called for adding hot water to "almost cover the meat". For me, this was the 2 Tbsp. used in the spice water mixture + 1 c. But I found the resulting tagine very soupy. Maybe that is as it should be. But I think I would prefer a less soupy result next time so I've reduced the water quantity somewhat here. ^Back
2The original recipe called for 900g of fresh apricots, "pitted and cored". I weighed out 900g of nectarines. This worked out to be 7 nectarines for me. I managed to fit four of them into the tagine before it was in imminent danger of overflowing. So I've written up this recipe to reflec that. If you want a fruitier final product (and have a larger tagine than I do), you may decide that you want to use more nectarines/apricots than this. ^Back