I froze several containers of damsons from the Piopio Community Fruit & Veg Stand this past summer so that I could play around them a bit further when time permitted. And damp, chilly winter days are usually a good time for playing around in the kitchen here at Struan Farm.
On my recent trip to the US I went to a store in Charlottesville, Virginia called The Spice Diva, where I purchased a container of the shop's custom blended "Syrian Seven Spice Mix." I've since discovered that this is one of those things that is different in every home, with every cook, and also in different Arabic countries. The Spice Diva's mix has allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, nutmeg and green cardamom, although I'm not sure of the relative proportions of each spice/herb. It's fragrantly aromatic, heady even, and smells like it would be great in both savoury and sweet dishes. It's also something I've been wanting to play around with.
Today I decided it was time to play with both, making "Syrian Seven Spice Damson Jam." And boy am I glad I did this.
First the fruit is covered with water in a pot and cooked gently until soft, skins breaking.
The cooked fruit is then drained, and either sieved or put through a food mill ("mouli") to remove the stones and make a puree. I've bought a new mill that has interchangeable plates with different sized holes, and this has made a big difference working with damsons. Much easier!
Weigh the puree before putting it back into the jam pan, where it is warmed gently. Then add an equivalent amount of sugar and any spices. I added one tablespoon of the Syrian Seven Spice mix for 1.4kg of puree, but I've also used a combination of ginger, cloves and cinnamon that works well too. Boil the jam vigorously until set. (Trust you know about putting a plate in the freezer and then drizzling hot jam on the cold plate and running your finger through it. If it stays separated and doesn't run you're good to move on.) This doesn't take very long at all, the fruit must have heaps of pectin. Pour into prepared sterilised warm jars and seal.
This jam is a beautiful ruby colour, and tastes delicious. It's not terribly sweet, with savoury elements thanks to the Syrian Seven Spices. I am just loving it.
I'd intended to contribute the jam to the Piopio Community Fruit & Veg Stand, but am thinking I may need to hold back a jar or two for our use. Fortunately the fruit yielded seven good sized jars, so think I can keep a jar or two without feeling too guilty...
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