Damsons on toast with honey, star anise, chilli, thyme and goat’s cheese

Damsons on toast with honey, star anise, chilli, thyme and goat’s cheese

Autumn

So much of the food I like to eat is improved by placing it on toast. If you’ve ever had last night’s curry on thickly buttered toast, then you’ll know exactly what I mean. Warm fish pie on toast is another case in point; lasagne, mashed potato – I could go on. These damsons on toast, sort of like jam on steroids, are amazing. I like a few spoonfuls on top of thickly sliced goat’s cheese, but they would work well with some crumbly Cheddar or a soft, blue-veined cheese, or simply on their own. If you can’t get hold of damsons, you can do the same thing with plums.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 300g (7oz) damsons or small plums
  • 1 tbsp runny honey, plus extra to taste if needed
  • 1 star anise
  • ½ red chilli (not overly spicy), deseeded and thinly sliced
  • 3 thyme sprigs
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 4 thick slices of sourdough or good country bread
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 400g (14oz) soft goat’s cheese
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Halve the damsons or plums and remove the stones. If they are stubborn, use the tip of the knife to tease them out. Place the damsons in a pan with the honey, star anise, chilli, thyme, rosemary and 2 tablespoons of water and a little salt and pepper. Set the pan over a medium heat and bring the fruit up to the simmer. Cook, stirring regularly, until the fruit is breaking down and soft. If you need to add a dash more water at any point to help the damsons or plums along, then do.

When the fruit is soft and you have a syrupy compote (about 8–10 minutes), take the pan off the heat. Have a taste and adjust the sweetness, if you like, with a trickle more honey.

Toast the bread until it’s crunchy and golden. Place the toast on plates and trickle each piece with a little of the olive oil. Slice the goat’s cheese thickly into 12, and place 3 slices on each piece of warm toast. Trickle over the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the damsons over the top of the cheese and serve at once.

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