Strawberry Jam

September 30, 2014 by Susan

I am very into making jam lately. Not the jam that requires all the sterilizing and sealing. Although I would like to try that one day, that day is not today. Or anytime soon. It just seems rather daunting to me and alot of work. I am all about refrigerator jam, which basically means making a smaller batch and storing it in the refrigerator for up to a month instead of sterilizing and storing it on a shelf for longer periods of time.

This method of making jam is perfect for me. First, I don’t want or need to make 15 jars of the same jam right now. Second, making smaller batches allows me the freedom to experiment with different fruits and spices and not be so committed to having a large quantity of one flavor in my pantry.

This is a basic, delicious strawberry jam recipe I have been going back to again and again. I really love it. It tastes fresh, bright and slightly sweet. Most importantly, it truly tastes like strawberries! It is sad to say many jams and jellies don’t actually taste like the fruit they are supposedly made from, instead tasting very processed and sugary. Why is there so much sugar added? I don’t think it needs it which is why I only put 3/4 of a cup in mine. Let the fruit shine.

If you make this strawberry jam just store it in the fridge and consume it within 1 month. Give one away to a good friend or family and keep the rest for yourself. Trust me, you won’t have a problem finishing it all in time. You will want to slather this on everything!

Here’s what you will need to make about 3 small jars…

Recipe

5 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbsp lemon juice, plus a few squeezes more

*2 teaspoons

Method

In a large non-reactive bowl add the strawberries, sugar and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Mix to combine well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove plastic wrap and stir strawberry mixture. Transfer to a large non-reactive pot and place pot over a medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the sugar has melted and mixture begins to foam.

Place 2 teaspoons in the freezer.

Increase the heat to high and bring to a rolling boil, stirring almost constantly until thick and shiny, approximately 15 minutes. Once you notice the jam starting to thicken (about 10 minutes in) add a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice to the pot. Literally, only about 6-8 drops.

Place a small drop of jam on the back of one of the spoons and place the spoon back into the freezer for about 30 seconds. Remove spoon and tilt it. The jam should just barely move. If the jam slides down off the spoon easily continue cooking the jam for a few more minutes and then test again.

Allow mixture to cool slightly. With an immersion blender puree 1/2 of the mixture until smooth, leaving the remaining slightly chunky. If you want your jam completely smooth with no chunks at all, puree it all.

Allow to cool completely and fill your jars! Store in refrigerator for up to one month.

Strawberry Jam

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

5 cups strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half
¾ cup sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice, plus a few squeezes more
*2 teaspoons

Method

In a large non-reactive bowl add the strawberries, sugar and 2 Tbsp of lemon juice. Mix to combine well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove plastic wrap and stir strawberry mixture. Transfer to a large non-reactive pot and place pot over a medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the sugar has melted and mixture begins to foam.
Place 2 teaspoons in the freezer.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a rolling boil, stirring almost constantly until thick and shiny, approximately 15 minutes. Once you notice the jam starting to thicken (about 10 minutes in) add a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice to the pot. Literally, only about 6-8 drops.
Place a small drop of jam on the back of one of the spoons and place the spoon back into the freezer for about 30 seconds. Remove spoon and tilt it. The jam should just barely move. If the jam slides down off the spoon easily continue cooking the jam for a few more minutes and then test again.
Allow mixture to cool slightly. With an immersion blender puree ½ of the mixture until smooth, leaving the remaining slightly chunky. If you want your jam completely smooth with no chunks at all, puree it all.
Allow to cool completely and fill your jars! Store in refrigerator for up to one month.

Spiced Pear Jam

May 6, 2011 by Susan

Mother’s Day is this Sunday and I can’t think of a better way to sweeten your mom’s day than with this pear jam. It is slightly sweet, a little spicy and best of all – it is homemade. What mom wouldn’t love that?

Here’s what you need to make approximately three 70 ml jars…

Recipe

7 large, ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 cups sugar

10 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tbsp honey

Method

In a large glass bowl toss the pears with the sugar and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Transfer the pears and their liquid to a wide, heavy pot and bring to a boil. Put the crushed cardamom in a tea ball and add it to the pot. Cook the pears over a high heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid starts to thicken and the pears become translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

Place a metal spoon in the freezer (you will use this to test if the jam is cooked to the correct thickness).

Transfer one-third of the pears to a food processor and puree until smooth. Add the puree back to the pot. Boil over moderately high heat, stirring until the jam is very thick, about 5-10 minutes.

To test the jam, removed the chilled spoon from the freezer and drop a small amount of the pear jam on the back of the spoon and place back in the freezer for 30 seconds. Remove the spoon again and tilt the spoon. The jam should be thick and run down the spoon slowly. If it is too runny, continue cooking the jam for a few minutes more, then test again.

Remove the tea ball and stir in the honey.

Ladle the jam into your jars, allow to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 months.

Adapted from Food & Wine/Blue Chair Fruit

Spiced Pear Jam

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

7 large, ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch pieces
2 cups sugar
10 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tbsp honey

Method

In a large glass bowl toss the pears with the sugar and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Transfer the pears and their liquid to a wide, heavy pot and bring to a boil. Put the crushed cardamom in a tea ball and add it to the pot. Cook the pears over a high heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid starts to thicken and the pears become translucent, about 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
Place a metal spoon in the freezer (you will use this to test if the jam is cooked to the correct thickness).
Transfer one-third of the pears to a food processor and puree until smooth. Add the puree back to the pot. Boil over moderately high heat, stirring until the jam is very thick, about 5-10 minutes.
To test the jam, removed the chilled spoon from the freezer and drop a small amount of the pear jam on the back of the spoon and place back in the freezer for 30 seconds. Remove the spoon again and tilt the spoon. The jam should be thick and run down the spoon slowly. If it is too runny, continue cooking the jam for a few minutes more, then test again.
Remove the tea ball and stir in the honey.
Ladle the jam into your jars, allow to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 months.

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam Crostini

February 24, 2009 by Susan

I can sit down with a glass of wine and some appetizers and be the happiest woman on the planet. I view it as sort of an extended happy hour at home. If you are going to make a light meal out of it, as I love to do, you need to have a few appetizers that are on the substantial side. One of the more substantial appetizers I always make now is this sun-dried tomato jam crostini. I absolutely love it. It’s earthy, tangy and sweet all at the same time. Perfection.

I adapted this recipe from Giada, making but a few small changes. The first being I cut back on the vinegar, some people mentioned the original version was a bit too ‘vinegary’. Also, since I cut back on the vinegar, I also cut back on the sugar. The last change I made is the addition of the smear of goat cheese on the crostini, I think the extra bit of creamyness really adds to it. And I love goat cheese!

Aside from this appetizer being absolutely delicious the other aspect I really love is that it can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to one week. It’s a huge time saver if you are having a party but also it’s wonderful to keep leftovers so you can treat yourself to a snack during the week.

Here’s what you will need….

Recipe

1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped, oil reserved

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sugar

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup water

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 baguette, cut into 3/4-inch slices

5 ounces goat cheese, room temperature

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

Method

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper.

The mixture will look like this….

Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 30-40 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. (In Giada’s recipe she instructs to allow the jam to reduce for only 10-15 minutes more, which was not enough time at all. If you keep the heat the same it will take more like 30 minutes to reduce. You can turn up the heat, however, you will then need to stand around watching the mixture, stirring often.)

Amazingly enough, that liquid mixture turns into this…

And that is the exact consistency you are looking for. Jam-like.

As the jam is cooling, mix the chopped thyme into the room temperature goat cheese. Toast up some crostini and once slightly cooled spread a thin layer of goat cheese on the crostini, then top with some jam mixture. Top that with a small dollop of goat cheese. Enjoy!

Giada’s original recipe can be found here…

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/crostini-with-sun-dried-tomato-jam-recipe/index.html

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam Crostini

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped, oil reserved
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
⅛ cup red wine vinegar
1 cup water
½ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, cut into ¾-inch slices
5 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

Method

Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 30-40 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside. (In Giada's recipe she instructs to allow the jam to reduce for only 10-15 minutes more, which was not enough time at all. If you keep the heat the same it will take more like 30 minutes to reduce. You can turn up the heat, however, you will then need to stand around watching the mixture, stirring often.)
As the jam is cooling, mix the chopped thyme into the room temperature goat cheese. Toast up some crostini and once slightly cooled spread a thin layer of goat cheese on the crostini, then top with some jam mixture. Top that with a small dollop of goat cheese.