Recipe: Prunes in Armagnac

Total time: 30 minutes, plus 2 weeks soaking time

Servings: 8 cups soaked prunes

Note: Adapted from “The Cooking of Southwest France� by Paula Wolfert. You will need a sterilized 1 1/2 -quart, wide-mouth glass canning jar. Superfine sugar can be found in the baking section of many grocery stores; alternatively, place granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor and blend until very fine. Armagnac, a type of French brandy, can be found in many liquor and grocery stores, including Trader Joe’s.

3 1/2 cups water, divided

6 tea bags (camomile, linden or orange pekoe)

2 pounds extra-large prunes (dried plums), about 6 cups

1 cup superfine sugar

About 3 cups Armagnac

1. In a small saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add the tea bags and remove from the heat. Steep 5 minutes. Place the prunes in a medium heat-proof bowl and cover with the tea. Soak overnight at room temperature.

2. The next day, drain the prunes, discarding the tea. Roll the prunes in paper towels to dry well and place them in a sterilized 1 1/2 -quart, wide-mouth glass canning jar.

3. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar with one-half cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

4. Pour the cooled syrup over the prunes. Completely cover the prunes with the Armagnac, then stir the mixture. If the prunes rise above the line of the liquid, add more Armagnac.

5. Let the prunes in Armagnac soak a minimum of 2 weeks in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. The soaked prunes will keep for up to one year.

Each one-eighth cup: 66 calories; 0 protein; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 0 fat; 0 cholesterol; 0 sodium.