Two tasty plum dishes your family will love

Two delectable plum recipes using this season's sweet summer plums, with food director at The Australian Women's Weekly, Fran Abdallaoui.

YOGHURT CHICKEN WITH PLUM & CHICKPEA SALAD

SERVES 6

PREP COOK TIME 40 MINUTES (+MARINATING TIME)

1 tablespoon finely chopped preserved lemon

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 cup (200g) Greek-style yoghurt

6 chicken thigh fillets

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling

2 Lebanese bread rounds

400g chickpeas, rinsed and drained

4 radish, sliced thinly

200g cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Lebanese cucumber, sliced

4 small firm plums, sliced thinly

1/2 cup small mint leaves

1/2 cup parsley leaves

PLUM DRESSING

2 small plums, seeded, chopped

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

pinch of sugar, to taste

1. Combine the preserved lemon, garlic, paprika and yoghurt in a shallow bowl.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add chicken and toss to coat.

Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight to marinate.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick frying pan over high heat.

Working inbatches, add one Lebanese bread round and cook for 1 minute each side or untilgolden and crisp.

Set aside to cool on a rack then break bread into shards.

3 Preheat the same frying pan or a barbecue plate over high heat.

Drizzle the chicken pieces with oil.

Cook for 4-6 minutes each side, or until charred and cooked through.

4. In a small blender, combine the plums, pomegranate molasses,vinegar and mustard.

Blend until smooth.

Add oil and the sugar, pulse to combine.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

5 To assemble, arrange chickpeas, radish, tomato, cucumber, plums and herbs on alarge serving platter.

Add half the plum dressing, season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Nestle in half the crispy bread.

6 Top with chicken, serve with remaining crispy bread and plum dressing.

PLUM & COCONUT CRUMBLE SLICE

SERVES 10-12

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES

3 cups (450g) plain flour

1 cup (80g) desiccated coconut

1/4 cup (55g) firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar

250g unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup (30g) flaked coconutIcing sugar, to dust

PLUM FILLING

40g unsalted butter, chopped

850g firm plums, stoned and chopped

1/4 cup (90g) honey

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

2 tablespoon lemon juice1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

1. Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced).

Lightly grease and line a 20cm x 30cm slice pan lined with baking paper, leaving 2cm overhang on the long side.

2. Combine the flour, desiccated coconut and sugars in a large bowl.

Stir in the butter and mix until just combined.

Press two thirds of the mixture into the base of the prepared pan.

Freeze for 10 minutes or until firm, reserving remaining mixture.

3. Cook the base on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Set aside.

4. (Plum Filling) Meanwhile, combine the butter, plums, honey, lemon rind, juice and arrowroot in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook, stirring, until plums have broken down and mixture is thick and sticky.

Spoon plum mixture over the base.

5. Meanwhile, using fingertips, mix vanilla through the reserved crumble mixture.

Add the flaked coconut and mix to combine.

Sprinkle over the plum filling.

Return the slice to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until crumble is golden brown.

6. Set aside to cool completely in the pan and refrigerate until cold.

Cut into slices and serve.

From the test kitchen

Cornflour can be used in place of arrowroot to thicken the plum filling if you like.

The plum filling can be made a day ahead.

Store the slice in an airtight container in the refrigerator during hot weather for up to 4 days.

The slice also freezes well. For best eating, refresh the slice in a 160C fan forced oven for 15 minutes or until hot and fragrant, avoiding any excess browning.

Cool and cut as directed in the recipe.