Flavourburst plum and nectarine melba

Halve the plums and place in a large, heavy-based saucepan with the sugar and cardamom pods. Cover and leave for 1 hour.
Place the saucepan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved completely. Increase the heat and boil rapidly for 15 to 20 minutes . Do not stir unless the mixture starts catching at the bottom as vigorous stirring will break up the fruit.
Add the lemon thyme and boil for 5 to 10 minutes.
Allow the compôte to cool slightly then pour into sterilised jars and store in the fridge.
Cook's note: When making preserves, you should use the cooking time as a guideline. The pectin content of the fruit, which determines how quickly a preserve will set, influences the cooking time greatly. If your fruit comes straight off a tree it will set much quicker than fruit that has been stored.