Cooking Classes

12.8.10

Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Preserve

And if you can say that in one mouthful, you deserve a jar!  Black pepper and strawberries go together like hand and glove.  And ditto with balsamic vinegar.  So why not just go for the gusto and use them together with the strawberries.

I like to pick smallish strawberries to use in this recipe.  They do shrink as well.  When you let the strawberries rest with the sugar and balsamic, water is removed from the berries by osmosis.  This leaves them firm so they will not disintegrate in the processing.

I like to serve this with cheeses or pates.  But it is equally good with plain yogurt or on toast.

Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Preserves

5 cups whole strawberries
5 cups sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 pouch Certo liquid fruit pectin
1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper

Measure whole, hulled berries into saucepan.  Add vinegar.  Add sugar.  Mix well and let stand up to 4 hours.  The longer it stands, the firmer the fruit.

Place on high heat and bring to a full rolling boil.  Boil hard for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in liquid pectin.

Process with the water bath method.

9 comments:

  1. This sounds like a "why didn't I think of that" kind of recipe.

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  2. This sounds wonderful to me. Perfect, actually. Thank you!

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  3. Sounds very interesting, but strawberries never last long enough in my house to try anything with them!

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  4. ça a l'air délicieux la photo est magnifique
    bonne soirée

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  5. Love the addition of the pepper and the balsamic vinegar.

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  6. I bet that is a great combination...it sounds delicious and very unique too.

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  7. Great combination, I can't wait to try it because I love strawberries and pepper and balsamic??? wow!!!

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  8. I have heard of balsamic with strawberries but never pepper and I must say: I am very interested! This is just what I want to taste, unfortunately, no strawberries right now in my neck of the woods: will keep in mind for next year or when I get a hold of frozen ones!

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  9. I've dressed strawberries with balsamic vinegar and cracked pepper, but never took it that step further into jam making--but now I will! Thanks.

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