Kitchen Jam

Image by Ël ÇhåNgØ via Flickr

Earlier this year, I found myself with five pounds of fresh limes. I checked out (and saved) a number or recipes. I even ran a poll for suggestions about which recipe to make – and yes, I made Lime Curd. But I saved this recipe (originally posted at mixingbow.com by slfish) because its grown-up take on lime jam seemed perfect for holiday giving.

When I made it, I used unflavored vodka. The mint and fresh jalapenos turn the jam a beautiful pale green color that personifies a mohito – so I eliminated the original recipe’s optional green food coloring. Mohito Pepper Jelly isn’t a breakfast jam (unless you like to start your day with a kick…) but it does taste terrific spread over cream cheese, used as an appetizer dip, or combined with pepper jack on a cheese tray. Enjoy!

Mohito Pepper Jelly
3 c bottled limeade (use Simply Limeade(R) or Paul Newman’s Limeade)
1/2 c fresh mint leaves
6 fresh jalapeno peppers
1/4 c lime juice (two fresh limes)
1 tsp fresh lime zest
1 box powdered pectinm.
4 c sugar
1 1/4 c lime vodka (unflavored vodka will also work)

Directions:

• Remove the stems from the fresh jalapenos, finely chop them.
• Layer 1 c limeade, mint leaves and chopped jalapenos in the bowl or cup of an immersion blender and puree until smooth (can also use a regular blender or food processor.)
• In a large sauce pan combine puree, 2 more cups limeade, lime juice, lime zest and powdered pectin.
• Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• When the lime mixture reaches a continuous boil, stir in sugar until dissolved.
• Stirring constantly, bring the mixture back to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute.
• Remove from heat. When the jam pot is off the heat, stir in the vodka.
• Skim any foam from the top of the jam.
• Laddle into clean sterilized jars with two-piece caps.
• Process according to USDA hot-water-bath canning guidelines, in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars to a rack to cool. It may take up to 24 hours for the jam to gel.

Makes about 6 cups of jam (6 half-pint jars.)

Ah, Wegmans. It is THE grocery superstore chain here in Central New York, and elsewhere in the northeast. When the first superstore opened with a full casual restaurant inside serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, a cofee bar bakery and wood pizza oven, I looked in awe and thought, I’ll never need to cook again.

In these parts, Wegmans buys in-season produce from local farmers, and in most of the superstores the produce section is front and center right at the entrance. The emphasis on fresh-is-best makes it easy to treat the big super-grocery as if it was a corner market. It’s even easier to get into the habit of stopping in every other day for just enough of what’s new and fresh. Last night, when I dropped in on my way home, the scent that greeted me at the front door was a full display of ripening Persian limes — perfect green orbs. I tossed a 5lb. bag directly into my cart.

Today, I’ve spent some time finding the perfect recipe — but I’m still not sure.

What would you make? And if you have any other ideas for these beautiful citrus stars, please share!

Lime Jam With Ginger and Vanilla

(Inspired by Recipe-zaar #243473 by Thorsten; ingredients converted to items commonly found in the US )

50 min | 30 min prep: Makes approx four 8-oz (1 cup) glasses

• Press out as many limes as needed to get 1 1/2 cups lime juice and pulp. Don’t discard the pulp; it improves the consistency.
• Grate as many limes as needed to get 1.5 teaspoons of finely grated lime zest.
• Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds to the grated lime zest and set aside.
• Put juice, pulp and white wine into a non-reactive saucepan.
• Add pectin, the vanilla bean halves and freshly grated ginger to the pot.
• Stir constantly while bringing the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for another 5 minutes, stirring all the time.
• Remove from heat and remove the vanilla beans. Stir in the vanilla seeds and grated lime zest and mix thoroughly.
• Ladle the jam into hot jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Cover with bands and rings and process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes or according to the directions for water-bath canning of jams from the USDA.

———- or should I make this one? ————–

Cucumber Lime Jam

From a recipe at ‘The Old Farmer’s Almanac‘ website: www.almanac.com
Yield: Makes about 3 pints (6 cups).

2 limes, unpeeled, cut in chunks and seeded
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar2
2 1/2 to 3 cups peeled, seeded cucumber
pinch of salt
1 package powdered pectin
4 cups sugar

• Combine limes and juice with vinegar in the container of a blender. Blend until lime is cut into smaller pieces.
• Add cucumber and blend until the level in the blender measures 4 cups.
• Combine cucumber mixture in a large pot with salt and pectin.
• Bring to a boil and add the sugar all at once. Return to a boil and boil hard for 2 minutes.
• Seal in sterilized jars and process 10 minutes in boiling water.

———- or maybe this one? ———-

Honey Lime Curd

from http://www.joythebaker.com/blog (which I think I could either process or freeze, if I’m very careful.)

———- or maybe simple and 0ld-school? ———–

Lime Marmalade

from this post at http://homecooking.about.com

Help me out — what would you make with this fragrant, flavor-burst citrus?
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