STRAWBERRY, RASPBERRY AND BALSAMIC JAM

Strawberry with Raspberry Juice and Balsamic Vinegar

(Source: Mes Confitures: The Jams and Jellies of Christine Ferber)

1 3/4 pounds strawberries (1 1/2 pounds net)

4 1/4 cups granulated sugar

juice of 1 small lemon

1 1/4 pound raspberries (preferably fresh but thawed frozen will do nicely)

1 2/3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (the best you can afford, preferably the aged, thick stuff, as the flavor is so concentrated and even more so in jam)

5 peppercorns, freshly ground (or 10!)

Select small strawberries. Rinse them in cold water, dry them in a towel, stem them, and halve them (or quarter if larger). In a bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cover with a sheet of parchment paper, and let them macerate, refrigerated, overnight (or use a plastic bowl with a lid).

Next day, place the raspberries into a saucepan with 3 1/2 ounces water, bring to a boil, and boil for a few minutes until the berries break down. Strain this mixture through a chinoise or sieve, pressing the fruit lightly with the back of a skimmer. Add the collected raspberry juice to a preserving pan. Pour the macerated strawberries into the sieve. Bring the strawberry syrup to a boil in the preserving pan with the raspberry juice. Skim and continue cooking over high heat. The syrup will be sufficiently concentrated at 221°F on a candy thermometer.

Add the macerated strawberries, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar, and bring to a boil once more. Skim, return to a boil, cooking for about five minutes while stirring gently. Check the set. The strawberries should be translucent. (Mine didn't reach the set point until about 10 or 12 minutes.)

Put the jam into clean, warm jars immediately, wipe down the rims, add lids and rings and seal. Process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes. Yield: 5 half-pint jars