Fig Jam

Fig Jam
Adapted from Put "Em Up

This sexy concoction is sticky, sweet and tangy--and definitely not child's play. Sure your kids can eat it if they want, but I'm willing to bet you won't want to share it! Spread it on a sandwich with smoked turkey and goat cheese, or spoon it over a hunk of aged farmhouse cheddar. Make extra to give as a gift....

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: Just over an hour
Yield: about 4 cups

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh figs
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

1. Sterilize 4 half pint jars in a pot of boiling water (or in a 200 degree oven) for 10 minutes, turn the heat to low and add the lids (it should no longer be boiling). Keep warm while you prepare the jam. Just before filling with jam, remove jars from the water and invert on a clean dishcloth to drain. Fill your canner (or pasta pot with insert) with water and bring to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, stem and quarter figs and place in a medium non-reactive stockpot with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes to soften fruit.

3. Mash the figs using a potato masher, then add the sugar, lemon juice and vinegar. Return to boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes, or until thick and glossy. If you want to test to make sure it has gelled, place a plate in the freezer for 10 minutes and then drizzle some of the jam across it. It should set quickly.

4. When jam is ready, carefully ladle it into the hot sterilized jars using a canning funnel leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe rims clean, top with lids and loosely tighten bands.

5. Process in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let jars rest in the hot water for 5 minutes more. Remove from pot, using jar tongs and let sit on the counter for 24 hours. You will probably hear the "ping" from the lids much before this. Jars that are sealed properly (the lids will fit tightly and you won't be able to indent the top) can be stored in a cool pantry for a year or so. Any that did not seal, must be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks.

6. If you do not wish to process the jam, cool to room temperature and freeze or refrigerate and use within 3 weeks.

At Market...Apricots

Apricot Jam

I always use my pasta cooker with strainer insert to water bathe smaller batches of jam because my large pot heats up my kitchen so much and takes forever to boil. I can fit about 6 jars at a time in my pasta cooker, so I need to boil the jars in two batches. Alternatively, you can simply invert the newly filled jars on your counter for about ten minutes to seal them. I have never tried this, but Chez Madelaine who wrote Gourmet Preserves recommends this easy method. Good canning tools to have on hand include jar tongs and a funnel which are usually available at your local hardware store.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: about 1 hour and 45 minutes
Yield: 8 half pint jars

Ingredients:

4 pounds of apricots, pitted and quartered
7 cups of sugar
3 "bitter almonds" or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Juice from 1 lemon
vodka

Preparation:

1.Wash jam jars with hot, soapy water, dry carefully with a clean dishcloth, then place on a baking tray in a 180 degree oven to sterilize. Wash rings and jar tops and set aside.

2. Toss apricots with sugar in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add lemon juice and bitter almonds or extract, and toss well to combine. To remove the bitter almonds from the pits of the apricots, simply crack the pits with a hammer (gently) and remove.

3. Turn stove to high and bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about one hour, or until jam sets when drizzled over a frozen plate. Make sure to skim the foam that rises to the top...save it to drizzle over ice cream. When the jam is done, it will have reduced by about half in the pot, and be sputtering. You may even be able to see the bottom of the pot when you stir. You need to stir frequently during this hour to ensure that the bottom does not scorch.

4. While jam is simmering, fill your pasta pot or hot water canner with water and bring to a boil.

5. When jam is set, remove jars from the oven and wipe rims and lids with vodka. Remove the bitter almonds from the jam. Using the funnel, carefully fill jars with jam, leaving about 1/2 inch head space in each jar. Wipe rims with vodka again to clean off any drips and top with the lids.

6. Screw on the bands loosely and using the tongs, carefully place them in the insert of you pasta pot or water canner. The water in the pot should cover the lids by about 1 inch. Vigorously boil the jars for 12 minutes, remove from water using the tongs and set on a clean dishcloth to cool. Each lid should "ping" and have a tight seal. If a jar doesn't seal, refrigerate after it is cool and eat within 2 weeks. All the sealed jars will last at least a year in your pantry.