Cook this: Natural Strawberry Blueberry Jam
In this week’s edition of Cook This, chef Shereen Pavlides cooks up preserves that are great for summer breakfasts.
To watch Chef Pavlides make this dish, visit www.heraldstandard.com and click on the Food & Dining tab.
Strawberry blueberry jam
Yield: 3 half-pint jars Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 28 minutes.
2 pounds fresh strawberries – washed, hulled
1 pint fresh blueberries (2 cups) – washed, picked over, removing stems
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest of 1/2 a lemon (1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup cold water
Cut large strawberries into quarters and smaller ones in half.
Add strawberries, blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and water into a heavy 12-inch frying pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Using a pastry cutter, potato masher or the back of a fork, break up the berries while stirring. Cook until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir periodically while scraping the perimeter of the pan. (Be careful mixture doesn’t boil over).
Reduce the heat to medium – low, continue to cook until most of the water evaporates and the mixture thickens, about 8 minutes. Continue stirring periodically while scraping the perimeter of the pan, using a rubber spatula.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest. Let set 5 minutes. Ladle hot jam into 3 half-pint sized canning jars, leaving a little room at the top. Wipe rims clean, secure lids closed. Cool at room temperature. Refrigerate. Good up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
To be shelf stable: ladle hot jam into 3 hot sterilized, half-pink sized canning jars. Wipe rims clean, secure lids closed. Place filled jars into a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars from the canner; cool on wire racks. Refrigerate after opening.