Sweet-and-sour duck sauce

1 Batch

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
3poundsFirm, ripe red plums* pitted, in 1/2\" chunks
½teaspoonPeeled, crushed garlic
½poundsOnions; peeled finely chopped**
1cupRice wine or cider vinegar
½teaspoonDried crushed red pepper
1teaspoonGround coriander
½teaspoonGround allspice
cupSugar

Directions

*Should yield about 2 quarts. **Should yield about 1 cup.

Place all ingredients except the sugar in a wide 4-quart saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Boil steadily for about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, put through food mill, and return pureed fruit to pan. Add sugar, place over medium heat, and stir constantly until mixture again boils. Boil steadily about 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking; continue boiling about 15 minutes more, stirring constantly. Sauce is done when about ½ tsp. of it holds its shape on a chilled saucer. Spoon at once into hot, sterilized half-pint jars and seal. Store at least a week to mellow.

Yield: About 5½ cups.

Lesem writes that her version is "...a fine dipping sauce not just for roast duck, but also barbecued spareribs. I also like to mix it with oil and vinegar to glaze spareribs or duckling during the last 20 to 30 minutes of roasting or grilling." From _The Pleasures of Preserving and Pickling_ by Jeanne Lesem. New York: Vintage Books, 1982. Pg. 168. ISBN 0-394-75311-4.