Author Notes
The DC Food52'ers hive mind concocted this preserves. After making a preserves, a pickle, and a chutney, we decided to wing it and make one last preserve. Credit where credit is due - the recipe was prompted by Bonnie Benwick's sorrel blackberry syrup. From there SallyCan thought to add some zest. Linda harvested some lemon verbena from the garden. And a preserves was born. Thanks, A&M for the get together prompt. Photo by Julia Rochelle. —MrsWheelbarrow
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Ingredients
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2 cups
water
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2 cups
sugar
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3 cups
blackberries
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12
large sorrel leaves, red leaved was used, but green would work.
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10 cups
diced rhubarb
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5 cups
strawberries, hulled and left whole if small, otherwise quartered
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Juice of three lemons
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Zest of one lemon
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Large sprig of lemon verbena (about 12 leaves and some flowers)
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6 teaspoons
Calcium water (included w/Pomono pectin)
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3 cups
sugar
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6 teaspoons
Pomona Pectin
Directions
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Make a simple syrup by bringing the water and 2 cups of sugar to a boil. Add the blackberries and sorrel leaves and crush well. Allow the mixture to steep for 30 minutes, then strain. You should have about 24 oz. of syrup.
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In a large preserving pan, mix together the rhubarb, berries, lemon juice and zest, lemon verbena.
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Stir in the syrup. Stir in the calcium water.
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Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring all the while.
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Whisk together the Pomona pectin and the sugar.
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When the preserves are at a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, add the sugar and pectin all at once.
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Stir well and continually for five minutes, bringing the mixture back to a full rolling boil.
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Most of the foam will have subsided when the jam is ready. It will look clear and shiny, and will form wrinkles on the surface after cooling for a minute or two. Use the frozen plate trick to check the set.
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To banish every speck of foam, add small pinches of butter. We added about 1 teaspoon spread out over three additions.
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Ladle into 1/2 pint jars. Wipe the rims and place sterilized lids and rings.
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Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
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