Strawberry Mint Pepper Jam

Source: adapted from recipe in Mes Confitures by Christine Ferber

Ingredients
1,000g local strawberries, picked in June, washed, hulled and frozen
800g sugar
juice of one lemon
10 mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps
Day 1: Thaw strawberries (~12 hours). Add sugar and lemon juice to berries and gently toss in a glass bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Day 2: Pour macerated fruit mixture into a large pot and boil gently for 10 minutes. Return to bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Day 3: Strain berry juice from berry solids. On medium heat in a wide flat pot, bring berry liquid to a slow gentle boil until mixture reach 221 degrees. Skim foam. Add berry solids and boil gently for another 5 minutes. Continue to skim foam.
Fill sanitized jars with jam using funnel. Cover with clean new lids heated in very hot water and screw on rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Test lid for seal.

Strawberry Jam

This jam recipe is adapted from Perfect Preserves by Nora Carey. I like the intensity of the strawberry flavor that this recipe produces, as well as the way it sets up – whole berries in a soft jam.

Ingredients
5 pounds strawberries, hulled
5 cups sugar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice

Steps

1. In a large shallow bowl, sprinkle half the strawberries with 1 cup of the sugar. Add the remaining strawberries & sprinkle with another cup of sugar. Cover and let the berries stand at room temperature overnight.
2. The next day, transfer the berries to a colander set over a preserving pan and let the juices drain into the pan. Stir the remaining 3 cups sugar into the pan & cook the juice mixture over low heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Bring the syrup to a boil & add the reserved strawberries & lemon juice. Boil the mixture 5 minutes. Remove the strawberries with a slotted spoon back to the colander set over a bowl.
4. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes, or until reduced slightly. Add any strawberry juices that have accumulated in the bowl & continue boiling to reduce the mixture by the amount added.
5. Add the berries to the syrup once again & boil for about 5 minutes, or until the jellying point is reached (220 ̊ F). Remove the pan from the heat and allow the jam to stand for 10 minutes.
6. Spoon the jam into hot, sterilized jars, seal, & process. Makes 1 ½ quarts

From the recipe collection of Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast http://thefarmersfeast.me/

Strawberry Hazelnut Salad

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 Tbsp. olive oil
~ salt
~ pepper
6 to 8 cups salad greens
¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
12 strawberries

Steps

1. Whisk together the vinegar and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
2. Place greens in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss. Add strawberries and toss again. Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top of salad.

Sweet Sabayon with Fresh Strawberries

from Chef Kathryn LaSusa Yeomans

serves 2-4

Simple & seasonal, this elegant dessert makes excellent use of ripe strawberries and abundant market eggs.

Ingredients
yolks of 3 very fresh farm eggs
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. Madeira
1 Tbsp. Cognac
fresh strawberries

Steps
Put all of the ingredients in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Serve hot over strawberries, or try it over other fresh seasonal fruit, such as peaches, raspberries, or poached pears.