Kristen's Recipes

2 lb. Bartlett Pears (5-6)
1/3 C. Honey
1 tsp. Cinnamon
Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon

Prepare a boiling water bath and 2 half-pint/250 ml jars. Place 2 lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Wash, core, and quarter the pears. Place the pears in a medium saucepan with 2 T. of water. Set the pan over medium-low heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pears are quite smooth. Scrape the softened pears into the carafe of a blender and puree until the skins disappear and the flesh is quite tender. Return the puree to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring regularly, for 45 to 55 minutes, until the pear puree has thickened a great deal and sits up tall in the bowl of a spoon. If it’s not done, it will run to the edges of the spoon and will be no higher than the rim. Add the honey, lemon juice and zest, and cinnamon. Taste and adjust the sweet and tart levels. Remove the butter from the heat and funnel into the prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes 8 1/4 pint jars

9 C. clean strawberries diced (3 pounds)
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 tsp. fresh + strained or bottled lemon juice
2 tsp. cilantro
1.5 tsp. thai basil
1 tsp. mint (I used chocolate mint; use whatever you have)
1 tsp. lemon zest

Follow a proper recipe for water bath canning unless you know what you’re doing (e.g. sterilizing jars and lids and all that jazz.) There are tons online or you can get a book.

2. Put the strawberries and sugar into a large, ideally wide pot to aid in evaporating all that water. Bring to simmer and stir stir stir. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then pour the mixture into a colander with a bowl underneath it to catch the liquid and separate it from the fruit. Return the liquid to the pot and cook down boiling over high heat for 20 minutes until it reduces to around 1 + 1/2 C.. Something like it cuts in half. Or, if you’re like me, and fear the high heat boil, put it over medium heat and fret and worry that you might be smelling burning, letting a solid hour pass until it seems thickened enough. Put the fruit you set aside back into the pot with your thickened syrup. Add the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer. Stir frequently for about 25 minutes. If you’re lucky, and bold enough with the heat, it will somehow only take 15. You know it’s ready when a chilled plate from the freezer with a dab of jam, after being returned to the freezer for a minute, seems thickened and jam-like. If it’s sliding around post 1-minute freezer, it needs more time. In the meantime, get the boiling water ready for canning. Turn off the heat, add the herbs and lemon zest and stir it all in. Process the jam in the boiling water for 5 minutes, leaving the requisite 1/4 inch space at the top of each jar. Let rest for 12 hours. Make sure they sealed by trying to push down on each lid. But really, get some solid advice on canning if you haven’t done it before — this book is a great place to start. Canning is fun, and worth trying, and infinitely less dangerous than you might assume. Eat the jam, wondering if a single jar will make it to autumn.

Peach, Lemon Thyme and Almond Jam Perfect served with cheese plate, or a dollop of Creme fraiche and short bread cookies

½ C. slivered almonds
12 oz. (2 large) Granny Smith apples
4 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
1 ½ C. sugar
3T.lemon juice
2 tsp. fresh lemon thyme leaves

In a small skillet over medium-high heat, toast the almonds, stirring constantly until golden brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside. Cut the apples into quarters and core them. Tie the cores and seeds in a cheesecloth bag and set aside. Put the peaches and sugar in a wide, 6-8 quart preserving pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, and cook until the juices just cover the peaches. Pour into a colander set over a large bowl and stir the peaches gently to drain off the juice. Return the juice to the pan, along with the apples and cheesecloth bag, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the syrup is thick and reduced, about 15 minutes. Return the peaches and any accumulated juice to the pan, along with the lemon juice, almonds and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the peaches are very tender and a small dab of the jam spooned onto the chilled plate and returned to the freezer for a minute becomes somewhat firm (it will not gel), about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir gently for a few seconds to distribute the fruit in the liquid. Remove the bag and the apples. Can using the water-bath method.

Makes 3 Pint Jars or 6 Half-Pint Jars or 12 – 4 oz. Jars

5 pounds tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1 C. sugar** (see note below)
½ C. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes** (see note below)

Prepare water bath and jars. After water reaches boiling point, keep on low heat until needed. Place lids in a small saucepan, cover with water and place on very low heat. Tomatoes 032Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low. Simmer the jam, stirring regularly, until it reduces to a consistency similar to jam. If you wish to test it, drop a tsp. onto a saucer. When cooled, the jam should stay in a mound. If it runs down the saucer when titled, it needs more cooking. This will take between 1 1/2 to 2 hours. When jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove pot from the heat and ladle jam into the prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a water bath for 20 minutes.

I used organic raw sugar in this recipe. I use less sugar than Marisa does in her recipe since I like to more tangy. It is shelf stable, however, because of the added acid. Marisa suggests 3 ½ C. but I find 1 C. gives it just the savory-ness I like.
I used ½ tsp. red pepper flakes which gives it a bit of heat but not over the top. Adjust to your taste preferences, as is true for all spices.

No Pectin Blueberry Maple Jam

 

All of that is a very long way to say that this jam can be runny. It’s relatively low sugar, doesn’t have added pectin and adds maple syrup. All of that generally leads to a very, very loose set – but something that really tastes of its ingredients, of the area and isn’t overtly sweet. This tastes like its core ingredients – wild blueberries and maple syrup.

 

This is a great ingredient for baking, pancakes, ice cream, smoothies or, my favorite use, as a cheese topping for goat cheese (chevre). It’s mad-good with cheese.

 

Ingredients

6 C. Blueberries

3 C. Brown Sugar

1 C. Maple Syrup

1/3 C. Bottled Lemon Juice (use the bottled stuff to be sure of the acidity).

 

Place berries in a wide pan. Crush berries with a potato masher. Add lemon, sugar and syrup, stir well. Let rest for an hour. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir frequently until jam is set – about 20 minutes after it starts boiling. Skim foam, pour into sterilized 1-C. (half-pint or 250 ml) jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes. This is a magical taste of late summer and something I just simply adore.

Blueberry Maple Jam with Lemon

 

6 C. blueberries

3 C. brown sugar, lightly packed

Peels and cores (seeds included) of 3 apples

1 cinnamon stick

1 C. maple syrup

â…“ C. bottled lemon juice

1T.lemon zest, finely grated

 

Place the berries in a large pot, crush them lightly, and add the sugar. Stir to mix, cover, and rest for 1– 4 hours on the counter. Place the apple peels and cores and the cinnamon stick inside the cheesecloth to make a teabag. Place the teabag in a large pot with the blueberries, maple syrup, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Prepare your canning pot and rack, and sterilize your jars and lids Bring the fruit to a simmer over medium heat, skimming off any foam that appears. Cook until set, at least 20 minutes. Remove the teabag from the jam. Remove the jars from the canner and turn the heat to high. Using a funnel, pour the jam into the jars. Wipe the rims of the jars, apply the lids, and process for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and allow them to cool.

Spiced Rhubarb Chutney

 

This russet-red chutney is sweet, tart, spicy, and addictively delicious. I especially love it with Seeded Bread Crisps topped with a creamy brie or fresh chevre, or as an accompaniment to a savory cheesecake.

 

1 C. white balsamic vinegar

1 C. sugar

2 cinnamon sticks, broken with a mallet

2 tsp. cardamom pods, broken with a mallet

2 tsp. coarsely crushed black peppercorns

2 tsp. whole cloves

1 tsp. anise seeds

zest of 1 large orange

 

3 C. (14 oz.), trimmed, sliced rhubarb

½ C. plump raisins

 

½ tsp. vanilla

 

In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar and sugar, and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to dissolve the sugar. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, anise seeds, and orange zest. Cover the pan tightly and macerate for at least 1 hour. Strain the liquid through a triple-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan. Discard the spent spices. Reheat the liquid and add the rhubarb and raisins. Bring to a slow simmer. Simmer slowly, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and the liquid reduces by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla. Let cool, put into a storage container, cover, and refrigerate until cold.

Strawberry Lemon Lavender Honey Jam

 

1 lemon, zest and juice

4 C. sliced strawberries

3 T. Dutch Jell All Natural Lite pectin

12 heads of lavender, tied in a bundle.

1 1/2 C. mild honey

 

Put the lemon juice, lemon zest, berries, lavender, and pectin in a pot. (You can stir with the lavender bundle.) Bring to hard rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove the lavender bundle. Add honey. Bring to rolling boil and boil for 1 minute. Ladle into jars. BWB 10 minutes. Makes five 8-oz. jars. Notes: If you don’t want the odd lavender flower falling off into the jam, you can strip the flowers off and put them in a tea ball to steep in the jam as it cooks. I found it easier to just use the bundle to stir with as much as I could, then I switched to a spoon when I needed a stronger stirrer.

 

About the pectin: I’ve been using bulk pectin this year from my local Amish store. You can probably use 1 pkg / 3 T. Ball pectin as well or Sure-Jell. Keep in mind that strawberries often take more pectin than other fruit.

Hawaiian Jam

8 Peaches, peeled

3 lg Oranges

Pulp of 1 med. cantaloupe

1 Lemon

1 (8 1/2 oz.) can crushed Pineapple

Sugar

 

Chop all ingredients fine. Put oranges through food processor. Combine all with 3/4 C. sugar for every 1 C. of fruit. Mix well and let stand overnight. Next morning, gently cook mixture 1 hour, stirring frequently. Pour into hot jars and seal. Makes 8 pints.

Berry Christmas Jam

 

3 C. Fresh cranberries

1 md Seedless orange, peeled and quartered

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen sliced strawberries, slightly thawed

1/4 tsp. Ground cloves

1/4 tsp. Ground cinnamon

4 C. Sugar

1/2 C. Water

1 Pouch (3 oz.) liquid fruit pectin

 

In a food processor, combine the cranberries and orange quarters; process until coarsely chopped. Add strawberries, cloves and cinnamon; process until mixture is finely chopped. In a heavy large saucepan, combine fruit mixture, sugar and water until well blended. Stirring constantly over low heat, cook two minutes. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Stir in liquid pectin. Stirring constantly, bring to a rolling boil again and boil one minute. Remove from heat; skim off foam. Pour into heat resistant jars with lids. Makes about 3 pints of jam.

1 pound (454 g) Tropea or other red onions, cut into small dice
2 C. (400 g) sugar
1 C. (237 g) Sangiovese or other sturdy red wine
1/2 to 3/4 tsp. kosher or fine sea salt
10 whole peppercorns
1 whole clove
1 bay leaf
1-inch piece vanilla bean
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 T. red wine vinegar

4-inch square of cheesecloth and a length of kitchen twine
Instant-read thermometer (optional)
2 sterilized 1/2-pint jars and 1 sterilized 4-oz. jar, and their lids
Basic water-bath canning equipment

Combine the onions, sugar, wine, and salt in a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Use the cheesecloth to make a sachet for the peppercorns, clove, bay leaf, vanilla bean, and cinnamon stick and tie it up with the kitchen twine. Put the sachet in the pot with the other ingredients. Bring the onion mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cook at a simmer, stirring often, until the jam has thickened and reaches 220 to 225°F and you can drag a path along the bottom of the pot with a silicone spatula, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and remove from the heat. 3 • Ladle the jam into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth, if necessary, and screw the lids on the jars. Process in a boiling-water bath for 10 minutes. Remove the jars and set them upright on a clean kitchen towel. Let cool to room temperature before storing in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate once opened, and use within 6 months. If any jars have failed to seal properly, store them in the refrigerator and enjoy those first.