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Cardamom is expensive, but I seem to find recipes that use it with uncanny frequency. It's tasty stuff. If you like chai you're probably familiar with the flavor. Note: This jam is one of those "pectin-free" jobbies.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pints fresh strawberries, rinsed and drained (frozen is okay - thaw and use 3 cups worth including the juice)
- 1/2 pound rhubarb, chopped (2 cups)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
Rhubarb - The Other Celery
Sterilize and heat 3 half-pint jars, scald lids and keep warm (see canning tips if you're unsure what this means.)
Combine the fruit, sugar, and cardamom in a heavy non-reactive skillet. Use a masher to squish the fruit until it's all mushed. Let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Wander by and stir it occasionally to help dissolve the sugar.
Add the butter, and put the mixture on the stove on medium heat. Bring to a boil, and stir frequently to keep it from burning. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 30-40 minutes, until the jam thickens.
To test for jell, put a small plate in the freezer until it's cold. Pour a small amount of the boiling berry mixture onto the cold plate and put it back in the freezer for a few minutes. If the mixture thickens, it's done.
Ladle hot jam into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim and threads of jar with clean damp tea towel. Put lid on jar and screw band on finger tight. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner. Yields 3 half pints.
Notes and Hints and Stuff
- No Pectin?
This is how jams and jellies all used to be made. You can do it!
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