Strawberry Mint And Black Pepper Jam Food

STRAWBERRY, MINT AND BLACK PEPPER JAM

Steps:

• 1. Wash, hull and halve or quarter strawberries depending on size. Place strawberries in a glass bowl. Add sugar. Zest both lemons and juice them. Add zest and juice the strawberries. Gently combine ingredients, cover bowl with parchment paper and refrigerate over night or a bare minimum of 12 hours. It's best to leave them for 24 hours.
• 2. Add strawberry mixture to to a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium -high heat, frequently stirring gently, until the sugar has dissolved (approximately five minutes).
• 3. Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve, reserving fruit.
• 4. Return syrup to saucepan over high heat and bring to a hard boil. Continue to boil until temperature registers 220F on a candy thermometer.
• 5. Add reserved fruit, mint, black pepper and butter to the syrup. Continue to boil, stirring gently, for eight minutes. Remove from heat. Check for set by placing a small amount of the mixture on a saucer and placing in the freezer for a few minutes. If mixture gels, it is done. If not, return to a boil. Cook for one minute, remove from heat and check again.
• 6. Once jam has set, remove from heat and immediately fill prepared, hot jars. Run a knife or spatula around the inside of each jar to remove air bubbles. Carefully wipe the rims of each jar clean, place lids and tighten rings until "fingertip tight."
• 7. Process in water bath for 10 minutes. Remove to a clean dish towel out of direct sunlight. Allow to rest for 12 hours. Check jars for seal. Reprocess or refrigerate any jars that did not seal properly. Jam will keep in a call, dark covered for up to one year.

ROASTED STRAWBERRIES WITH BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• Rinse the strawberries in cool water, place in a colander or strainer and shake off most of the water. Slice strawberries about 1/8-inch thick, place them in a large bowl, and sprinkle them with the sugar. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss strawberries with the black pepper, add the balsamic vinegar, and put the strawberries and all of their juices into a large saute pan or a large ovenproof dish. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes, until the juices are bubbling and the strawberries are hot but not mushy. Divide among individual dishes and serve immediately, with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB JAM

Steps:

• Toss the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, lemon zest and juice and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan to combine, then mash slightly to release some of the berry juice. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the mixture to macerate and the sugar to dissolve. Meanwhile, place a small plate in the freezer to chill; this will be used to test the doneness of the jam.
• Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. (See Cook's Note for flavor additions.) Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the jam becomes thick and syrupy, about 1 1/2 hours. To test doneness, place a small amount of the jam onto the chilled plate and freeze for 2 minutes. Drag your finger or spoon through the jam. If the jam holds its shape and thickness, remove from the heat. If it's runny, continue to cook and test again in 5-minute increments. Once the jam has reached the right consistency, transfer to jars and cool completely before storing, covered tightly. Jam will keep in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

JALAPENO STRAWBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Place the crushed strawberries, minced jalapeno pepper, lemon juice, and pectin into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once simmering, stir in the sugar until dissolved, return to a boil, and cook for 1 minute.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart. Allow to cool overnight Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

RACK OF LAMB WITH STRAWBERRY MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place halved strawberries, zest from one lemon, juice from 2 lemons, water, honey, salt, and cayenne pepper in a pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. As strawberries begin to release their liquid, soften, and start to break down, reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring and cooking occasionally until fruit is very soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Pass mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a shallow baking pan with foil, bringing ends up and over sides of the pan.
• Generously season rack of lamb on both sides with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Place lamb on prepared pan. Roast rack of lamb in hot oven to sear, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine mustard and onions in a small bowl. Pour melted butter into bread crumbs in a separate bowl; stir until mixture resembles wet sand. Season with salt.
• Coat top of lamb generously with the mustard mixture. Sprinkle crumb mixture onto the mustard mixture and press down to create a crumb crust.
• Roast rack until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F (50 degrees C), about 15 minutes. Let rack rest 10 minute before slicing between ribs into four 2-rib servings or two 4-rib servings.
• Mix thinly sliced mint into strawberry sauce just before serving. Spoon a small pool of the sauce onto serving plates. Place ribs on sauce to serve.