My husband has a weird game that he plays where he looks at a person and names what they often eat. "He eats a lot of burgers." "She eats a lot of granola." It's kind of fun, and I have even found myself unconsciously deciding what other people eat when I'm out and about.
One day I asked him what I looked like I eat, and without hesitation he said "strawberries". Now I'm very picky about my berries, and because of that I probably don't eat that many. But I will say a big, ripe, red strawberry is one of earth's most succulent foods, and at the top of my list of favorites. So when he asked me to make a "real jam", (and it was on sale at the market) it was no question that I would make a batch of strawberry jam.
Mais je suis une cheffe! I couldn't make just plain ol' strawberry jam! I had to make it really special, so I consulted my foodie bible, the one I keep on my nightstand, as of late- Culinary Artistry. I spend hours engrossed in the extensive lists of ingredients, pairings, seasonality, menus and ideas in this incredible book.
Under strawberries two things caught my eye- balsamic vinegar and Beaujolais wine. Both captured my interest, but what I had in my kitchen was the balsamic. Also, I have a hard time imagining buying a nice bottle of Beaujolais, then dumping a good portion of it in jam, instead of drinking it.
Thus, Strawberry Balsamic it is:
6 1/2 pint jars
3 lbs. strawberries
1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 box pectin
Sterilize jars, lids and rings. Get your canner ready and stove top set with everything you will need. Rinse strawberries in cold water, dry, cut off stems and cut in half. Add to a pot with water, sugar, salt and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally (but not disturbing the foam that is forming on top) until strawberries are broken down and consistency is syrupy. Ladle off the foam. Add pectin and bring to a full boil for one minute. Let rest for five minutes then pack and sterilize jars.
The result is a sweet, tangy and totally addictive jam! The color, as you can see, is deepened by the balsamic to a seductive crimson. I think it could go either way with desserts or some bread and creamy cheese; however, I've only had it so far by the spoonful (and half the jar is gone..).
Mmmm - one of my favorite things to do is go to the strawberry patch, pick a ton of fresh berries, and come home and make jam. I'll have to add this to the jam list for this year!
ReplyDeletei really want to do that, but i just couldn't wait!
ReplyDeleteDo you have a patch nearby? If not, you guys should come out and we could all go together!
ReplyDeleteI know--I've been sooo tempted by all the strawberry sales!
As I recently made a mental note of the things left in my freezer and pantry, I started thinking, "I shouldn't be eating the peach jam, I should be eating the strawberry jam." Cuz, you know strawberries will be back way ahead of peaches. I have some strawberries in the freezer from last summer; I may have to try this. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis jam looks great!
ReplyDeleteIn Berkeley, I used to get the best ice cream from Three Twins at the Farmers' Markets. They had a flavor called "Strawberry Je Ne Sais Quoi" which was strawberry with balsalamic vinegar. It really is a great combination!
If you are able to find organic lavender flowers, they make a great addition to strawberry jam, as well, as does rose water (although some rose water is very strong, so be careful not to add too much!). I'm looking forward to strawberry season around here!