I thought that since I already had a post about jam I'd share 2 of the other recipes I made with you.
Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Jam
Ingredients:
7 3/4 cups of crushed strawberries, hulled
1 pkg light fruit pectin or certo crystals
4 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper (don't be afraid to add a bit more if you want a little more peppery)
1 pkg light fruit pectin or certo crystals
4 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper (don't be afraid to add a bit more if you want a little more peppery)
Cooking instructions are pretty much the same as the raspberry jam, just add the vinegar and pepper once you've removed the berries from the heat and skimmed.
Like I said, this is great with goat cheese and crackers and can be used as a marinade for meat as well.
Raspberry Mango Jam
Ingredients:
3 cups finely chopped pitted peeled mangoes (about 5 to 6 mangos)
2 1/4 cups crushed red raspberries
2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
1 pkg of light certo
2 3/4 cups granulated sugar
I cut up the mango and put it in a blender then add the crushed berries. Once again, just follow the instructions for the raspberry jam from there.
I actually took this recipe from a website and it actually called for regular pectin or certo. I made a few adjustments to it so I could use the light certo. My first batch didn't turn out the best, it was a bit too firm, but was still very spreadable and tasted good. My second time I added a little more fruit and a little less sugar and it has turned out better. I haven't actually opened a jar yet to see how it set, but I can tell just by looking it set better.
TIP: For those of you who may not know, here's a simple way to cut a mango:
Mangos tend to have an oval shape, so cut about half an inch from the center length wise on both sides. You should be left with 2 halves and one flat pit. With the halves, just score a check pattern into the mango (just be careful not to cut through the sink) and turn the skin inside out. It's a pretty easy way to get the good stuff out! With the pit I usually sink it then cut what I can from the pit, or just eat around it.
