Courtesy Jordan Champagne, Happy Girl Kitchen Co.
Makes 14 1⁄2 pint jars
It can be fun to combine fruits of the same season. I developed this recipe one day when I wanted to make raspberry jam, but I did not have enough to really warrant the project. So I added strawberries to my recipe and thought it tasted delicious. The fresh lemon juice really accents the tartness of the raspberries, and it is all balanced nicely with the strawberries, which offer a smooth texture. It is fun to experiment but can be tricky at the same time. Fruits really vary in their pectin and water con- tent, both of which can make or break a good jam set. I want to give you a recipe for jam that does not use pectin. In this recipe, I let the ingredients macerate, or sit with the sugar overnight. This pulls the juices and the sugars from the fruits and allows them to meld and gel better. I have skipped this step, though, and still had wonderful results.
9 cups strawberries
9 cups raspberries
3⁄4 cup lemon juice
4 cups sugar
1⁄2 bunch fresh thyme
Wash and de-stem the strawberries and let them drain very well. Wash and drain the raspberries. Combine with sugar, cover and let sit in a dark, cool place overnight.
Mash the mixture by hand. If you blend it in a food processor, do not over-process or too much air will get incorporated into the mix.
Add contents to a nonreactive pot and bring to a simmer. Add the fresh thyme when you begin cooking down the jam. Simmer it on high heat, stirring constantly, until the gelling point is reached, anywhere from 20–40 minutes.
Place jam in clean, half-pint jars. Process in a hot water bath canner at 210° F for 5 minutes.
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
