Kitchen Jam

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My mango jam recipe is very simple – mango, water, a bit of sugar, a splash of vanilla.

For this month’s secret ingredient – herbs – I changed things up a bit in my basic recipe. I’m not completely happy with the balance in my current proportions, but if mangoes stay this inexpensive (right now, they’re four mangoes for $5), I’ll be doing more experiments making this recipe again to get it right.

Dilled Mango Jam

3 mangos
3/4 c. fresh-squeezed orange juice
1/2 c. apple juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
zest of one lime
6 to 8 big sprigs of fresh dill weed
1 1/4 c. sugar

• Peel and cut mangos in chunks. Run the chunks through a food processor or use an immersion blender to get about 2 cups of coarse puree. Set aside.
• Combine all of the juices into a saucepan with half of the dill fronds. Bring the juices to a boil, remove from the heat, and allow the dill weed to steep in the juices for 20-30 minutes.
• Remove the boiled dill fronds from the juice, and return the saucepan to the heat.
• Add the mango puree and the lime zest, and bring the mixture to a hard boil that can’t be stirred down. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the jam for 10 minutes.
• Add the sugar and stir gently until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking at medium heat until the jam registers 220 degrees on candy thermometer (the jellying point) or until a drop of the jam placed on a cold spoon and set in the freezer for five minutes is jelled. Cook for a shorter time for a softer set.
• Put one frond of dill weed into each sterilized and prepped jam jar, prepared according to USDA canning instructions. Pour the hot jam over the dill weed in the jar, leaving 1/2 headspace.
• Place lids on jars and process in a boiling water bath for five minutes (or the time appropriate to your height above sea level.)

Makes 4 to 5 eight-oz. jars.