Spicy Balsamic Strawberry Preserves

I recently returned from California’s Central Coast, the land of strawberries. If you are ever in Arroyo Grande for their annual strawberry festival, you will know the bliss of eating a parfait of the world’s best berries, homemade fudge sauce, and fresh whipped cream. And every time I visit the area, I get a batch of juicy red fruit for my husband, a true strawberry aficionado (there is in fact a strawberry farm across the street from my apartment, but those from the Central Coast always seem sweeter). Usually, I buy a flat, which is roughly nine pints of berries, and they disappear quickly (friends will remember the great Berry Battle of 2008, when my best friend and my husband finished off the entire flat in just under an hour – winner still undetermined). However, on this occasion, the boy could not manage to finish them all, and I was forced to come up with an alternative plan for the many remaining berries.

Luckily, I located the following recipe. Strawberry preserves seemed too mundane for such gorgeous berries, so this spicy version was a perfect experiment. It also had the added benefit of allowing me to use up my balsamic vinegar and pepper, both of which were almost empty. Sadly, I didn’t reduce my batch enough (more like syrup than preserves, though the flavor was still excellent), so word to the wise – make sure the liquid is nearly gone! The mixture looks like a lot when you put the ingredients together initially, but the recipe doesn’t produce as much as you think it will. It is, however, the perfect amount of spread for a wine and cheese party, and a jar or two to give to friends who attend.


Spicy Balsamic Strawberry Preserves
Adapted from: Gourmet Magazine, June 1997

Ingredients:
4 cups strawberries (about 2 ½ pints), trimmed and quartered
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper (or more if you like it quite spicy)


Directions:
In a small heavy saucepan bring all ingredients to a boil, stirring occasionally, and skimming the surface (a light brown foam will appear, and will cloud the final product if you don’t skim). Be careful with the pepper – the taste will intensify as it simmers down, so start with less and add more as necessary, tasting (carefully – it burns!) along the way. Simmer mixture, stirring and skimming foam occasionally, 30-60 minutes, or until thickened and translucent. The exact time depends on the juiciness of your berries and the consistency of your vinegar. Make sure nearly all the liquid is gone, or you will get syrup instead of spread. Remove pan from heat and cool preserves completely, or process while still warm. Unprocessed preserves keep, covered and chilled, 1 month.


To can the preserves, you will essentially follow the standard canning directions. Sterilize mason jars and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water for 10 minutes and place upside down on a clean towel to drain briefly. Once excess water has run out, use a canning funnel to fill the jars, leaving a ¼ inch head room. Place the lids in the boiling water to soften for 1-2 minutes. Wipe the rims of the filled jars (use mitts – the jars are hot) using a damp paper towel. Place the hot lids on top, and secure with the sterilized rings. Gently return the full jars to the pot of boiling water with 1-2 inches of boiling water and process for 10 minutes. Remove to the towel and let cool. Jars that have been processed correctly will “pop” as they seal; the lids will seal and no longer have the ability to flex up and down.


To Serve:
Spoon on top of crostini spread with goat cheese or cream cheese – in fact, this would be good with any sort of cheese plate. It’s also delicious with scones or muffins, on buttermilk biscuits, or on vanilla ice cream for a sassy dessert.

Yield:
Makes about 3-4 cups, or 2-3 mason jars