Thursday, September 20, 2018

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup


In spite of the risk of repeating myself for the umpteenth time, I have to say (again) I can hardly wait for the arrival of my favorite season. In just a couple of days the seasons will change and finally after what seemed like the most humid, hottest summer on record, autumn makes its' annual return appearance. From the changes in the landscape, to the shift in temperatures, to the seasonal fruits and vegetables, to my favorite holidays, I love everything about the fall season. 

Last week while I was on the east coast, I stayed in a cottage owned by one of my dear friends. She never fails to make me feel so welcomed. More importantly, I am spoiled by her thoughtfulness and kindness. Although my stay was a short three days, she filled the cottage with a bouquet of fresh flowers as well as some of my favorite foods. Farm fresh eggs, Portuguese rolls, and the sweetest cherry tomatoes freshly picked from her garden were waiting for me. In addition to putting a pre-birthday piece of Red Velvet cake (another favorite) in the refrigerator, she also brought over a bowl of silky smooth homemade Butternut Squash and Pear Soup. One spoonful of the soup and I never wanted to leave. I dreamt about the soup for days before sending her a text asking if she would share the recipe. In less than an hour I had the recipe in hand and I couldn't get to the grocery store quick enough to get the ingredients. Then life got in the way preventing me from the experiencing instant gratification. 


In the time between getting the ingredients and making this soup, I debated as to whether or not I should tinker with the recipe. I knew what the soup tasted like prepared in accordance with the recipe (unless Sheila was holding out on me), but I didn't know what it would taste like make with roasted butternut versus non-roasted butternut squash. Could deeply browned, slightly caramelized butternut squash turn an already incredibly delicious soup into one with deeper, more intense flavor? I really needed to know. And because fruits and vegetables don't come with small, medium or large sized labels on them, I listed all the recommended weight measurement ranges for them in the recipe below.


There are at least two methods of roasting squash. Roasting is a method designed specifically to bring out the best possible flavor. One is cutting the squash in half, drizzling with olive oil, lightly seasoning and roasting at a high temperature anywhere from 40-60 minutes. The other is cutting the peeled, seeded squash into one inch chunks, tossing in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, lightly seasoning and roasting at a high temperature for 40-45 minutes. I decided to go with the roasting squash chunks as I felt it had the better chance of ramping up the squash's flavor.


The butternut squash roasts for 40-45 minutes on a large baking sheet in a pre-heated 425 degree (F) oven. Tossed in olive oil and seasoned with kosher salt, the squash is turned over at least twice during the baking process to ensure the chunks are browned on several sides. 


The most difficult part of the roasting process is restraining yourself from eating the butternut squash when it comes out of the oven. 


The soups deep flavor not only comes from the roasted butternut squash but the onions sautéed in butter until lightly golden and slightly translucent. Sautéing the onions brings out a kind of nuttiness as well as enhances their sweetness.

After the chunks of roasted squash and chunks of the pears are added to the sautéed onions, four and half cups of low-sodium chicken broth and a teaspoon of kosher salt are added to the pan. Bring the mixture to a quick boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer. Continue to cook until the pears are knife tender (approximately 10-15 minutes).


I used a large food processor rather than an immersion blender to puree the soup mixture. Why? Because I don't have an immersion blender. After processing the soup mixture in batches, the pureed soup was returned to the pan. You want to process the soup to the creamiest texture possible. To slightly thin out the thick, rich soup, I added the grated nutmeg, black pepper, and another 3/4 cup of the low-sodium chicken broth and reheated the soup to serving temperature. Depending on how thick or thin you like your soup, you might add less or slightly more broth. Note: Add more kosher salt to taste.


The drizzle of heavy cream on top of the soup is the only dairy in this Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup. Sage leaves cooked briefly in butter until lightly crisp were this soup's optional finishing touch. 


So was this Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup better than first bowl of (non-roasted) Butternut Squash and Pear Soup? It is almost impossible to compare the first bowl of made with love soup with my slightly changed version. 


This is the one of the creamiest, most velvety, deeply flavored Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soups you will ever have. It's the most decadent of comfort foods without being made with heavy cream (the drizzle on top doesn't count!). If it was possible to fall madly in love with a soup, this would be the one.

As hard as it may be to believe but the flavor of this soup was even better the second day! (Maybe that explains why Sheila's bowl of soup made me swoon!). With the weather turning colder soon (fingers-crossed), soup season arrives too! But I wouldn't wait until the temperatures drop to make this Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup. If I were you, I would get to the store as soon as possible. 

Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup (slight adaptation to a recipe Sheila Brady shared with me)
Serves 6-8 as a main course, serves 8 as a first course
Updated January 2022

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small or 1 medium-large yellow onion (approximately 3/4 to 1 pound), diced
2 medium-sized or 1 large butternut squash (approximately 2 3/4 to 3 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1" chunks (weigh after cutting into cubes)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Bosc pears (approximately 1 3/4 to 2 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1" chunks
4 1/2 cups plus up to 2+ additional cups low-sodium chicken broth
Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (or nutmeg spice)
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning to taste
3/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cup whipping cream
Optional: Sautéed fresh sage leaves

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). 
2. Place the cut butternut squash on a large baking sheet. Drizzle and toss with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Lightly season with kosher salt.
3. Roast butternut squash for 40-45 minutes, turning at least twice during the baking process.
4. In a large dutch oven or deep saucepan, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter. Add in diced onions. Sauté until softened, lightly golden, and semi-translucent. 
5. Add roasted butternut squash and cubed pears into the pan. Pour in 4 1/2 cups of the chicken broth. Bring to a quick boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pears are knife tender.
6. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, and generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. Stir until blended.
7. Working in batches, process the soup mixture in a large food processor until smooth. Return pureed mixture back it the pan. Add in the whipping cream and add up to 2+ cups of additional chicken broth. Add the broth in half cup increments until the soup reaches your desired consistency. Note: The soup will thicken as it cools or if it's refrigerated. To get back to your preferred consistency, add more chicken broth.
8. Reheat soup over low heat. Season to taste, if more is necessary.
9. Ladle soup into soup bowls. Drizzle with heavy cream and/or garnish with sautéed fresh sage leaves.
10. Store any leftover soup in the refrigerator. Will keep for up to 3-4 days. It's even better the second day.

Notes: (1) I used Bosc pears to make this soup. (2) To sauté the sage leaves, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter until foamy. Add in sage leaves, stirring for approximately 15-20 seconds. Using a slotted spoon transfer sage leaves to a paper towel until ready to use. (3) Instead of using a food processor, could use an immersion blender. (4) The only difference between the original recipe and this version was in the roasting of the butternut squash. If you go the route of the non-roasted version, you will simmer the chunks of squash and chunks of pears with the sautéed onions and chicken broth for 15-18 minutes (or until knife tender). All other ingredients remain and assembly directions remain the same.


Pears growing in the apple orchard in Little Compton, RI (September 2018)


Thursday, September 13, 2018

Crispy Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce


Being at the ocean as well as near the mountains are equally and simultaneously the most energizing and calming places for me. They are what I affectionately call my happy places. Having recently returned home from spending time at one of my most happiest places, I am still feeling its' unexplainable effects. As one of my friends said 'why don't you move there?' Who knows, I said, maybe someday I will. After spending some time near the ocean, I now feel the mountains calling. Seems my soul is drawn to both compelling landscapes and it would be almost impossible to choose between the two.

With my camera in tow, I went back to some of my favorite familiar places as well as took drives on unfamiliar roads while on this 'happy birthday to me' trip. Although I had been wishing for perfect cloud filled, blue sky days to serve as the backdrop for my photos, the mists and gray skies proved to capture images even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. From the wine vineyard, to the apple orchard, to the farms, to the harbor, to the flowers clinging to stone walls and iron fences, to the dahlia garden of ninety something year old woman, my eyes were mesmerized by and heart was racing from being able to take in all of the extraordinary ordinary beauty before me.

In addition to the time spent wandering around taking photos, I was able to spend some quality time with some of the people I love in the place that I love. One of the best, unexpected surprises of this trip was having a glass of wine with fellow 'food photographer and recipe sharer' in a charming unbeknownst to me local tavern. Prior to my trip out east I reached out to her on Instagram and asked if she would like to meet to talk about food and photography (I have been awestruck by her posted photos). Not only did she introduce me to one of the local establishments, she unselfishly shared some of her photography techniques and tools. If only I had a cellar where diffuse light came in through the window! While our life paths were completely different, we had many similar interests. Which ended up making it feel as if I had met an 'old' new friend. If I hadn't already had dinner plans with another friend, I think we could have talked for hours more. Have you ever experienced an immediate connection with someone you meet for the first time?


Speaking of first times, I can't believe it has taken me this long to make these Crispy Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce. As someone who has eaten more than their fair share of chicken fingers (albeit the fast food version), I should have started making them years ago. Maybe it was because I was under the (wrong) impression that the best chicken tenders were deep fried. But like most deep fried foods, there can be an equally, maybe even better, baked version. And these chicken tenders go into the better version category. With the weather starting to turn cooler and the fall entertaining season beginning, there couldn't be a better time of the year to begin making them. Trust me, you will still want to turn on the oven when the warmer temperatures return.

Who knew making Crispy Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce could be so easy? Apparently many people as there are a significant number of baked chicken tender recipes out there. Some use panko crumbs and some use crushed corn flakes. I went with corn flake route. Most of the recipes begin with marinating skinless strips of chicken breasts in a buttermilk mixture for varying lengths of time. Smoked paprika and hot sauce are blended in with the buttermilk and marinating time ranges from four (4) hours to overnight (longer is sometimes better). 


The first time I made them I placed the cornflake coated chicken tenders directly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. The second time, I put them on top of a wire rack sitting in a baking sheet. They were crispier the second time around as the air in the oven circulated around the 'elevated' chicken tenders. In spite of turning the placed directly on the parchment paper lined baking sheet chicken tenders after 12-14 minutes of baking, they didn't crisp up as much due to being affected by steam.


When I served these sinfully delicious Crispy Chicken Tenders I served them with a honey mustard sauce and a BBQ sauce. The three ingredient honey mustard sauce disappeared. 


Whether served as a hearty appetizer or main course, these Crispy Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce are certain to be a huge hit with both kids and adults! After you taste these, I am willing to bet you won't ever make those 'store-bought, frozen' chicken tenders again. 


These flavorful moist on the inside, crispy on the outside chicken tenders should make an appearance on everyone's table at least once in the weeks ahead. But who knows, they might begin making regular appearances on weekly game days or weeknight dinners!

Recipe
Crispy Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce (inspired by multiple sources)

Ingredients
Chicken Tenders
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts (approximately 2 pounds), cut into strips 1 inch strips about 1/2 inch thick
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
4 cups (4 1/2 ounces) corn flakes, crushed 
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: Freshly chopped parsley and Flaky Sea Salt

Honey Mustard Sauce
3 tablespoons dijon mustard (recommend Maille)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions
Chicken Tenders
1. In small bowl, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of the smoked paprika. Set aside.
2. Place chicken strips in a large ziplock bag. Pour in the buttermilk mixture. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
3. Crush the corn flakes into panko-like sized crumbs using either a food processor or putting in a ziplock bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Pour into a medium sized bowl.
4. Mix in the remaining 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the crushed cornflakes.
5. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a cooling rack on top. Set aside. 
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).
7. Remove chicken strips one at a time and press into the cornflake mixture until well coated. Place each chicken strip on top of the cooling rack.
8. Bake chicken strips for 12-14 minutes. Then flip over each chicken strip and continue baking for another 12-14 minutes. Allow to rest several minutes.
9. Transfer to a large platter. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and sea salt. Serve with the honey mustard sauce.

Honey Mustard Sauce
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk together and well blended. Serve.

Notes: (1) In addition or in lieu of serving with the Honey Mustard Sauce, could also serve with Ranch Dressing or BBQ sauce. (2) Recommend doubling the Honey Mustard Sauce recipe! (3) I marinated the chicken tenders overnight, but let them marinated for at least 4 hours before baking them.


Along a country road in Westport, Massachusetts (September 2018)




Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Scotcheroos 2.0


Last weekend I made pizza on the grill for the first time this summer. I know, that's crazy, right? Hours before I shared what the plan for dinner would be did I learn my pizza stone had somehow managed to get broken. Apparently it broke all on it's own. Now that's even crazier, right? In a rare 'just go buy a new one' comment from the person who shall remain nameless, I didn't waste the opportunity. It just so happened we were near Williams-Sonoma at the time (there is one less than 4 miles from my house). Rather than get the same 'magically breaks on its' own' one I had before, I decided to go big this time and get an Emile Henry pizza stone. Ever since I first saw one, I had wanted it but couldn't bring myself to indulging myself into buying something really nice versus need to have. So having now made a somewhat sizable investment (relatively speaking) investment in a great new pizza stone, I feel like homemade pizza on the grill (or in the oven) should start becoming a regular thing around here. This would be my irrational way of justifying the cost way of thinking. With tomatoes still in season, the simple fresh tomato, mozzarella, fresh herb, garlic, pesto, drizzled with olive oil pizza made on new pizza stone on the grill turned out to be amazing! And hunger had absolutely nothing to do with the collective opinion on the taste or texture of the pizza. It really was crazy good. So this week I am having some of my friends and am, guess what? I am making pizza on the grill! Fingers crossed the second pizza is as good as or better than the first one! Because I always like to have something sweet or a dessert to serve when I have people over, I decided I would make the Scotcheroos 2.0 too. Considering one of my friends is from the land of hot dish and Scotcheroos (aka Minnesota) the timing for making them was perfect. Being able to have someone re-connect with a childhood memory gives me a certain kind of thrill.


Scotcheroos have been described as a Rice Krispie Bar on steroids. Bordering closer to a candy bar than a dessert bar, a recipe for Scotcheroos was originally printed on a box of Rice Krispies cereal back in the 1960s. Today, they evoke a kind of nostalgic experience for those us growing up with them. Peanut butter, butterscotch, and chocolate combined with Rice Krispies (or other crisped rice cereal) create a melt-in-your-mouth kind of lusciousness not found in any other 'cereal' bar confection. Midwesterners may have a special affinity for Scotcheroos, however, they have found their way into kitchens across the country for past fifty plus years. If for some reason, Scotcheroos never made it to your neck of the woods, you have been missing out. No-bake Scotcheroos generally start making their appearance at pot-lucks, family gatherings, and afternoon snack trays in the fall, when the weather begins to cool. 

The original recipe for Scotcheroos were made with just six ingredients: granulated sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, Rice Krispies cereal, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips. Over the past fifty years, multiple variations of this beloved bar have emerged. The most common one replaces semi-sweet chocolate chips with milk chocolate chips. However, it wasn't until I stumbled across Sarah Kieffer's Scotcheroos recipe did I learn light brown sugar is a great replacement for granulated sugar; vanilla and salt are great flavor boosters; and, butterscotch chips should be melted into the peanut butter rather than in the semi-sweet chocolate for a more epic Scotcheroo! The ingredient alterations in this Scotcheroos recipe, which I am affectionately calling Scotcheroos 2.0, are not only genius, they take this classic bar to a whole new level of addictive oh-em-gee deliciousness. 


Measuring out all of the ingredients before you begin making the Scotcheroos makes the process go smoothly and easily. And using a large, heavy bottomed pan makes this one-pot wonder a breeze to assemble. 


Not only does brown sugar bring a deeper flavor to these Scotcheroos, melting the butterscotch chips in with the peanut butter surprisingly brings some balance to all of the sweetness in the bars bottom layer. After bringing the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt to a boil, the pan is removed from the heat. Working quickly the peanut butter and butterscotch chips are stirred into the hot mixture until everything has melted. After a quick stir in of the vanilla, the already measured out Rice Krispies are added in. As with making Rice Krispie treats, you will get a bit of an upper arm workout getting everything evenly mixed together before transferring to your prepared pan.


For the record, I am HUGE fan of lining all of my baking pans with parchment paper. More often than not I am dismissive of most recipes calling for lightly buttering a pan, choosing instead to use the 'makes removal from the pan a cinch' parchment paper. Being able to lift a pan of brownies or Scotcheroos out of the pan without incident is one of those little things in life making me happy.


Melted semi-sweet chocolate topped this pan of Scotcheroos although I gave some thought to topping it with a combination of melted milk and semi-sweet chocolate. While I am still tinkering with the idea of combining those two chocolates, I would definitely recommend lightly sprinkling the semi-sweet chocolate layer with flaky sea salt. To prevent the sea salt from melting into the warm/hot chocolate, wait at least 7-9 minutes to sprinkle it on (the chocolate will not have set up by then but will have started to cool down). 


To keep as much as the chocolate's shine as possible, I did not put the pan of Scotcheroos in the refrigerator to speed up the setting up process. 

Decadent and rich are two words one might also use when describing Scotheroos. So when you cut them into bars or squares, think smaller rather rather than larger. It was only after I cut the pan into two inch squares that I had 'ah-ha' moment. 


I made several changes to Sarah's recipe. I used 6 1/2 cups of Rice Krispies cereal instead of 6 cups because the mixture seemed to call for it; used slightly more than a pound of semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of 6 ounces because I wanted a thick layer of chocolate on top; used an 8" x 12" pan instead of 9" x 9" pan because I wanted the bars to be less chunky; and, finished the Scotcheroos off with a light sprinkling of sea salt, well because, sea salt and chocolate are a combination almost impossible to resist. Feel to make either this slightly altered adaptation of Sarah's version, but make one of them. I would be willing to bet you will fall deeply, madly in love with either one or both. If, by some chance you have lived managed to live a Scotcheroo-free life or it has been years since you have had one, now is the time to change that. And whether it will be your first time or not, these are what Scotcheroos were always meant to be.
Recipe
Scotcheroos 2.0 (a slight variation to Sarah Kieffer's (Handmade Charlotte) Scotcheroos recipe)

Ingredients
1 cup corn syrup
1 cup (225 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
Pinch of sea salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 ounces (172g) butterscotch chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 to 6 1/2 cups (150-163g) Rice Krispies cereal
2 1/2 cups (485g) semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate, or a combination of semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips or good quality melting chocolate (See notes below)
Flaky sea salt for finishing (optional, but a perfect finishing touch to compliment the semi-sweet chocolate layer)

Directions
1. Line an 8"x 13" or 9"x 12" or 9"x 9" metal pan with parchment paper. Set aside. (See notes below)
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, add corn syrup, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Remove pan from heat and immediately add in the butterscotch chips and peanut butter. Stir until everything has completely melted. Note: It's okay if there are a few tiny bits of butterscotch chips.
4. Stir in vanilla.
5. Add in Rice Krispies, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon until everything is well blended.
6. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Press in firmly.
7. Melt the chocolate using either the microwave or double-boiler method.
8. Pour the melted chocolate over the Rice Krispies mixture. Smooth with an offset spatula.
9. Let chocolate set for 7-9 minutes before lightly sprinkling the pan with flaky sea salt.
10. Allow the chocolate to completely set before cutting into bars or squares
11. Well wrapped the Scotcheroos will last for up to a week.

Notes: (1) The amount of chocolate you will need for the Scotcheroos will be affected by the size of the pan used. I used an 8"x13" vintage pan and 2 1/2 cups of chocolate chips covered the pan, giving the Scotcheroos the prefect 'in my world' bar to chocolate ratio. If using the larger pan 9"x12" you may need to increase the amount of chocolate by 1/2 cup or to a total of 3 cups.  If using the smaller 9"x9" reduce the amount of chocolate to 1 1/4-1 1/2 cups. (2) I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, however, I will more than likely blend semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips on the next batch to decide which combination I like best. (3) I used JIF creamy peanut butter and Ghiradelli (60% cocoa) chocolate chips.

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Italian Plum Jam


I have yet to travel to Italy. It has been one of the places near the top of my bucket list for quite some time now. Hopefully I will eventually get there. In the mean time, going to one of the local Italian owned grocery stores near my home is akin to taking a virtual trip to an imagined village market in Italy. As I walk down aisles filled with an incredible selection of imported foods, wait in line for my favorite imported prosciutto, or meander through the store's extensive produce section, more often than not someone near me is speaking in Italian. If I close my eyes for just a second, I have expect all of the signage will be 'unreadable' to me when I open them. I should probably consider hanging out there to learn the language rather than spending time listening to Rosetta Stone tapes! On a recent trip there last week a (seemingly older than me) woman and her husband were taking five, maybe six filled to brim bushels of tomatoes to their car. If I had to guess, someone was going to be spending hours, maybe days, turning most, if not all, of those tomatoes into sauce. In my very active imagination, she was someone's Italian grandmother, one whose lovingly made tomato sauce, or rather gravy, made appearances at every Sunday dinner.

While I momentarily wondered if the store had been depleted of all of its' locally sourced ripe tomatoes, I was more concerned the bins labeled as containing Italian Prune Plums would be empty. Not only is the season for them is relatively short around here, so is their availability. Fortunately for me, there was an abundance of some of the most beautifully ripe Italian Prune Plums. Which meant I could spend as much time as I wanted picking out ones ready to be made into a Plum Jam without fear someone else would swoop in and gather a bushel of them. I should probably learn to say 'I am taking all of these Italian Prune Plums' in Italian, just in case.


In the spirit of full disclosure, I am not a jam expert. Everything I have learned and continue to learn about making jam comes from the head spinning experience of reading countless recipes and watching YouTube videos. Here's the Reader's Digest jam summary: making jam is relatively easy.


Because I only wanted to make Plum Jam using Italian Prune Plums, I didn't spend a heck of alot of time learning about which plums (other than Italian Prune Plums) made for the best jam. Which means I am not offering up any plum options in this recipe. Because once you try this jam, I am going to go out on a short limb and say you won't want to make or eat any other type of plum jam.


So what exactly is an Italian Prune Plum? Well they are small, egg-shaped, amethyst skinned colored fruits with a greenish-yellowish flesh that turns red when cooked. Sometimes called Empress Plums, they begin arriving in markets in mid-August. Because of their low-water content and dense texture, they keep their shape, yet turn slightly jammy during baking. More importantly, their flavor hovers very close to the fine line between sweet and sour making them perfect for jams as well as cakes. And oh by the way, Italian Prune Plums are the ones turned into prunes.


Weigh your plums before you start removing their pits. Italian Plums have freestone pits which means the pits separate very easily from the plum's flesh. To ensure the jam has texture, you need to cut them only into quarters.


Some jam recipes use a 2:1 fruit to jam ratio. This one doesn't abide by that jam 'rule'.  Here, slightly less than 11 ounces (300 g) or 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar is used with two pounds of fruit. Yes, that still may seem like a significant amount of sugar, but don't be alarmed. Sugar has a purpose. It not only helps to preserve the fruit, it plays a huge role in drawing out the fruit's flavor. If you are sugar faint of heart, jam making isn't going to be your jam.

Some jam recipes call for having the sugar and fruit sit at room temperature for a couple of hours as a way of drawing out the fruit's juices. If your fruit isn't completely ripe (meaning it's still very firm to the touch), then you will want to add this step in to the jam making process. But if you have ripe, somewhat soft to the touch fruit (as I did), you can skip this step and go straight to the cooking process.


If I told you making jam was more of an intuitive process than one having an exact science you might want to virtually reach out and slap me. So I will share several different kinds of 'jam testing' methods if making jam is relatively new to you. Option 1: If you want to pull out a thermometer, jam's set point is 220 degrees (F). However, pectin-rich fruits (like these Italian Prune Plums) have a slightly lower set point. Which means if waited for your mixture to reach 220 degrees (F) your jam might ending having a much stiffer texture. Option 2: Using the frozen plate method. Prior to starting the cooking process, put a small plate or two in the freezer. When the jam looks as if it is at the right texture, remove the pan from the heat, take a spoonful of the jam and put it on one of the 'frozen' plates. Return the plate with dollop of jam on it to the freezer for about 15 seconds. Remove from the freezer and swipe your finger down the center of the dollop. If your finger leaves a trail and doesn't immediately close the trail, your jam is ready. If the trail doesn't remain, put the pot back on heat and check it again in a couple of minutes. Once your jam reaches the set point stage, it will still look as if there is a lot of movement left in it and isn't set. Not to worry, the jam will set as it cools. Option 3: Dipping a clean spoon in the cooking jam. If the jam slides off in thick heavy drops, your jam is ready. If it falls off in quick drips, it isn't ready. Regardless of which option you use, your jam should reach the right consistency in 20-25 minutes of cooking time.

For the record, I used a combination of intuition and the easier droplet method. The texture of my Italian Plum Jam was perfect to my liking. After it cooled and chilled in the refrigerator, it was thick and spreadable without being stiff. If you have never made jam before, feel free to use the other slightly more precise setting point options rather than the thick droplet one. The more you make jam, the more instinctual the process will feel.


In addition to spreading on toast, muffins, or bagels, a spoonful or two of this Italian Plum Jam would be fabulous in a bowl of oatmeal, in plain yogurt, on pancakes/waffles, and/or over vanilla ice cream. Don't forget putting on a cheese platter. Pair it with a soft creamy cheese, like Brie. But try resisting the urge to eat it off the spoon straight from the refrigerator.


The jars of this Italian Plum Jam have a refrigerator shelf life of approximately two months. I doubt seriously this recent small batch of jam will last that long around here. Which means I am going to make another trip to the Italian grocery store soon as these Italian Prune Plums won't be around for long. And I haven't even made this incredibly delicious Italian Plum Torte yet this season. I am really slipping this year.

Recipe
Italian Plum Jam (altered version of Food and Wine's Plum Jam recipe, September 2009)
Makes 3 half-pints

Ingredients
2 pounds Italian Prune plums
1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
Juice of one lemon
Generous pinch of sea salt

Directions
1. Sterilize your jars before you start making the jam. Wash in hot, soapy water, then rinse in almost scalding water. Dry and set aside.
2. Cut prune plums in half, pit, then cut into quarters. Put into a large, heavy bottomed pan.
3. Add sugar to the plums. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. (See notes)
4. Pour in freshly squeezed lemon juice and generous pinch of sea salt
5. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until the mixture has thickened and the liquid runs off the side of a spoon in thick, heavy drops (approximately 20-25 minutes).
6. Spoon or ladle the plum jam into three 1/2 pint jars (or one pint and one 1/2 pint jar). Close the jars and let jam cool to room temperature.
7. Store jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Notes: (1) If your fruit isn't at a ripe stage, meaning it is more firm than soft to the touch, allow the cut fruit and sugar and sit at room temperature for two (2) hours before you begin making the jam. (2) I used one pint sized and one half pint sized jars instead of three half-point jars. Weck jars are one of my favorites, but use any canning jar that you love. 


Early morning, South Rim of the Grand Canyon (March 2016)