Authors: Marisa McClellan
Food in Jars (5 page)
Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see
page 11
).
Note:
I love the taste of sour cherries, so I don't add a drop of extra flavor to this jam. However, you might like to spice things up with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla, or orange zest or juice (or anything else).
I
SPENT THE FIRST NINE YEARS OF MY LIFE LIVING IN
Southern California. I took backyard citrus and homegrown guava for granted. I also never truly valued the many plums that grew like magic in our yard each spring. They had deeply tart skins and juicy purple insides and made the best jam. Now that I live in a very urban neighborhood of Philadelphia, the fact that we once had access to such easy bounty seems like a miracle. I make at least one batch of this spiced plum jam each year, to help me remember those days.
8 cups pitted and finely chopped plums (about 4 pounds/1.8 kg whole plums)
3½ cups/700 g granulated sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 (3-ounce/85 ml) packets liquid pectin
Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Combine the plums and sugar in a large pot. Stir so that the plums begin to release their juice and mingle with the sugar. Bring to a boil and add the lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Let the jam continue to cook over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until it looks molten and really syrupy.
Add the pectin and bring to a rolling boil for a full 5 minutes. When it is done, it will look thick and shiny.
Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see
page 11
).
Note:
I call for chopped plums in this recipe. However, if your plums are too ripe for regular chopping, just give them a big squeeze with your hands, pull the skin apart a little, and pluck out the pits.
E
VERY SUMMER, I BUY MY WEIGHT IN PEACHES.
Peaches have become one of those fruits that are nearly always available, but they are only transcendent during the months of July and August. Those mealy, impenetrable fruits that you pay a small fortune for during the winter can't possibly compare. Make this jam during the season and forget those out-of-season abominations.
5 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches (about 3 pounds/1.4 kg whole peaches)
3 cups/600 g granulated sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 (3-ounce/85 ml) packet liquid pectin
Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Combine the peaches and sugar in a large, nonreactive pot. Stir so that the peaches begin to release their juice and mingle with the sugar. Bring to a boil and add the lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Let the jam continue to cook over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes.
If you like a smoother jam, use an immersion blender (taking care not to burn yourself with hot jam) to break down some of the chunks. Add the pectin and bring to a rolling boil for a full 5 minutes. It should look thick and spreadable.
Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see
page 11
).
Note:
When it comes to peeling peaches, most instructions will tell you to blanch and peel them whole. I've found that it's easier and less damaging to the fruit if you slice them in half and remove the pits prior to their hot-water dip. After 60 seconds in a pot of boiling water, the skin should easily pull away from the peach halves.
T
HIS PARTICULAR RECIPE WAS BORN BECAUSE I
had a couple of pounds of peaches and plums that were ripening faster than I could eat them. A generous hunk of ginger was hanging out in the fruit bowl. The result is sweet and spicy and certainly not for the ginger-shy. It's a delight on toast, but even more miraculous baked on chicken or stirred together with some toasted sesame oil for a quick stir-fry sauce. Because this recipe doesn't use additional pectin, you can adapt it to the amount of fruit you have that needs to be used. However, when you don't use pectin, it's important to gauge the doneness of your jam using a candy thermometer or the saucer test (described on page 77).
4 cups peeled, pitted, and mashed peaches (about 2 pounds/910 g whole peaches)
2 cups pitted and mashed plums (about 1 pound/455 g whole plums)
3 cups/600 g granulated sugar
½ cup/120 ml ginger juice (see
note
)
Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a simmer. Insert a candy thermometer into the jam and attach it to the side of the pot. Increase the heat and let the jam boil vigorously until it reaches 220°F/105°C.
When the jam has reached 220°F/105°C and the temperature has remained steady for 2 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars.
Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see
page 11
).
Note:
To make ginger juice, shred a 4-ounce/115 g hunk of peeled fresh ginger in a blender or food processor with ¼ cup/60 ml of water. Pour the ginger pulp into a cheesecloth-lined sieve and squeeze out the liquid. Discard the remaining ginger pulp.
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T
HOUGH I LOVE EATING SWEET CHERRIES WHEN
they're ripe and in season, I've found that they don't make the best jam on their own. With their assertive sweetness, they run the risk of becoming akin to cough syrup in a preserve. But on a whim last summer, I tried cutting them with some tart plums and immediately knew I'd hit pay dirt. The plums give just the right amount of tart balance to the cherries and transform them into a true treat.
3 cups pitted and chopped plums (about 1½ pounds/680 g whole plums)
4 cups pitted and chopped sweet cherries (about 2 pounds/910 g whole cherries)
3½ cups/700 g granulated sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 (3-ounce/85 ml) packets liquid pectin
Prepare a boiling water bath and 4 regular-mouth 1-pint/500 ml jars according to the process on page 10. Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
Combine the plums, cherries, and sugar in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, until the jam looks molten and syrupy.
Add the lemon zest and juice and the pectin. Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes (see
page 11
).
W
HEN IT COMES TO SUMMERTIME PRESERVING,
most people choose peaches over nectarines. However, I find that nectarines make amazing jams and have a distinct advantage over peaches: no need to peel! In this preserve, I've paired smooth nectarines with a whole heck of a lot of lime juice and zest, for a really tasty sweet and puckery spread. Stir a few spoonfuls into some oil and vinegar to make a light vinaigrette.
5 cups pitted and chopped nectarines (about 3 pounds/1.4 kg whole nectarines)