Redcurrant, Strawberrry & Black Pepper Jam by Gloria Nicol

Preserving expert Gloria Nicol, author of 100 Jams, Jellies, Preserves and Pickles for some tips on jam making & her favourite jam recipe - Redcurrant, Strawberrry & Black Pepper Jam.
I’ve never made jam before.
Where do I start?
Take inspiration from a fresh seasonal ingredient, like succulent local strawberries, pink-stemmed rhubarb, or blackberries picked from the hedgerows for free.
Once you get into preserving, fruits in season begin to represent that time, like a ceremony to mark a particular time of year.

What makes a good jam?
The best jam captures the essence and character of the ingredients and shouldn’t be overpoweringly sweet.
Though cooked, it shouldn’t taste ‘stewed’ and should still possess a fresh flavour.

Why does jam have so much sugar in it?
Sugar is a preservative and jam needs to contain a certain percentage of sugar to fruit for it to keep.
Trading standards states the definition of jam as having 60% sugar content or over and most jam for sale is in the region of 65%.
The sweetness should slightly exaggerate and intensify the fruit flavour without overtaking it.

Can I use less sugar when making jam?
The great thing about making your own jam is that you can use less sugar to suit your own tastes.
If you do cut back on sugar you need to be aware that your jam may not keep as long and as sugar also plays a part in how the jam sets (along with the pectin content of the fruit), you may also have to settle for a softer set jam if you use less sugar.
Jam isn’t really a food generally eaten on its own!
It is the added extra; spread on a slice of toast with butter, or with cream on a scone.
So for the small amount consumed it doesn’t have to be a big deal how much sugar it contains, better to make it the best quality and most flavourful it can be and consume in moderation.

I don’t have any fancy canning equipment - can I still make jam?
For jam making you require a few basic pieces of equipment that you may already have in the kitchen; a large pan, a wooden spoon and some recycled glass jam jars are the basics.
There is an advantage to using the right kind of pan though, as a large shallow shape will help encourage fast evaporation when bringing your jam to setting point.
As this part of jam making seems to be what most people find tricky to begin with, it is worth buying or borrowing a proper jam pan, if you don’t already have something handy that will do the job.
I prefer to seal my jars with metal lids, but old fashioned traditional cellophane circles with elastic bands are still available and cheap to buy from hardware stores for sealing your jam and they work just fine.

Any other advice for people new to making jam?
When boiling your jam to reach setting point, never fill the pan over half full.
A rapid boil will make the syrupy mixture rise up and bubble in the pan and if the pan is too full you will be constantly having to turn the heat down to stop the jam from boiling over.
To reach a fast set you need a steely nerve and a full-on constant heat to maintain a rolling boil.
Sometimes people say to me that they had to boil their jam for hours!
That means there was something wrong.
I can usually bring jam to setting point in 5 – 20 minutes depending on the type of fruit.

What’s you favourite jam and how do you like to enjoy it?
My favourite jam is usually the one I’ve made most recently, like the rhubarb, lemon and English lavender jam, currently my jam of choice for topping a scone with a dollop of clotted cream.
Damsons are my favourite single fruit flavour, so I always look forward to making a batch of damson jam each year and the Seville marmalade season, in January, is something I look forward to as well as this marks the start of the preserving year.
If you are using local seasonal produce there may be only a few weeks availability to focus on an ingredient before moving onto the next.

People are often obsessed by how long preserves will keep for.
If you have a jam that you can proudly say has kept in the larder for a year or two, that says it wasn’t actually amazing enough to be eaten! I would rather run out of my favourite preserves and be looking forward to making more next year, than have a shelf full sitting there, that isn’t quite special enough to be eaten up with relish.

Perfect combinations are part of a preserver’s quest.
Combinations can marry flavours in a satisfying way but also mixing low and high pectin fruits is good too.
Pectin content is what helps jam to set and some fruits such as strawberries, rhubarb and cherries are relatively low in pectin.
If you combine them with a fruit with high pectin, such as sour apples or red and white currants, as well as building flavours you also help to make a jam with good consistency.
The following recipe mixes redcurrants and strawberries, so as well as an advantageous pectin boost it is a wonderful vibrant colour.

Redcurrant, Strawberry And Black Pepper Jam.
Makes approx 1.75Kg jam
750g strawberries, hulled
1.1Kg sugar
juice from 1 lemon
1Kg redcurrants, removed from stems
7 whole black peppercorns, roughly ground

- Cut large strawberries into 3 and leave small ones whole, then place the strawberries in a bowl with 600g of sugar and the juice from the lemon.
Stir to combine, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge overnight.

- Place the redcurrants in a pan with 150ml water and bring to a simmer for 5-10 minutes, by which time the currants will have popped and released their juice.
Pour the currants into a sieve and collect the juice that drains through, then with the back of a spoon, push the fruit through leaving skins and pips behind.
Scrape the redcurrant puree from the underside of the sieve and add it to the juice and discard the skins and pips.

- Pour the contents of the strawberry bowl into a pan and warm it through stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Pour through a sieve, collecting the juice and leaving the strawberries to one side.

- In a preserving pan combine the redcurrant and strawberry juice and add the remaining sugar.
Heat gently stirring until the sugar has dissolved then up the heat and bring to a rolling boil until setting point is reached (a blob of the syrup on a cold plate will quickly form a skin that wrinkles when you push your finger across it.)

- Add the strawberries and the ground black peppercorns and bring back to a boil and maintain for 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat, skim off any foam if necessary and pour into hot sterilised jars. (To do this, I place clean jars on their sides in a low oven, on a shelf lined with a tea towel, for 15 minutes)

- Place a wax paper circle on the surface of the jam and seal.
Leave till cold and label your jars.

How hot is lukewarm?

- How hot is lukewarm? - The Chef in Me:
Lukewarm is when you mix together 1 part normal, room temperature water with 2 parts boiling water or milk.
Simple!
Now that’s your lukewarm water or milk.

“Generally means between 98 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit, 36.5 to 40.5 Celsius.
When you run the water on your wrist and it feels warmer than your body temperature, but not hot, that should be just about right.
If you’ve ever tested the temperature of warm formula or milk in a baby’s bottle, that’s lukewarm.”

How to get the best results from your Pizza Stone.

- - tips - Émile Henry:
You can use our Pizza Stone to prepare and cook your homemade pizzas.
Following our advice, you will produce pizzas with a beautifully golden, deliciously crisp crust.
Preparation and cooking
For best results and for a crispy crust, pre-heat your Pizza Stone in the oven at 240°C / 475°F / Gas Mark 9 for 10 minutes.
Do not flour the Pizza Stone (as the flour might burn) and place it on the lowest shelf of the oven.

During this time, sprinkle flour or very fine couscous over your work surface.
The couscous will help you remove your pizza easily afterwards.
Roll out your dough, put the toppings on your pizza and, using a pizza peel, place it directly on your Pizza Stone in the oven.
Cook for 10-12 minutes at 240°C / 475°F / Gas Mark 9.

The thinner the dough, the higher you should set the oven temperature: up to 250°C / 480°F / Gas Mark 9 for very thin dough.

You can also use it to cook thin-crust tarts, appetizers etc.
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How To Make Cauliflower Rice.

How To Make Cauliflower Rice or Couscous (with Video) | Kitchn:
Makes 6 servings (about 1 cup each)
What You Need
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, any size
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter, optional
Salt, optional

Equipment
Chef's knife
Food processor or box grater
Spatula
Skillet with lid, optional

Instructions
Cut the cauliflower into large pieces: Cut the head of cauliflower into quarters, then trim out the inner core from each quarter.
Break apart the cauliflower into large florets with your hands.
If the core is tender, you can chip it into pieces and add it with the florets.
Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor: Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor.
Don't fill the food processor more than 3/4 full; if necessary, process in two batches.
Pulse the cauliflower until completely broken down: Process the cauliflower in 1-second pulses until it has completely broken down into couscous-sized granules. (Alternatively, grate the florets on the large holes of a box grater.)
Pull out any unprocessed pieces: Some florets or large pieces of cauliflower might remain intact.
Pull these out and set them aside.
Transfer the cauliflower couscous to another container and re-process any large pieces.
Serving raw cauliflower couscous: Cauliflower couscous can be used raw, tossed like grains into a salad or in a cold side dish.
Cooking cauliflower couscous: Cooking makes the cauliflower more tender and rice-like.
Warm a tablespoon of olive oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Stir in the couscous and sprinkle with a little salt.
Cover the skillet and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the couscous is as tender as you like.
Use or serve immediately, or refrigerate the couscous for up to a week.
Recipe Notes
Freezing raw cauliflower couscous: The couscous can also be sealed in airtight containers or bags and frozen for up to three months.
Thaw on the counter for a few minutes before using or cooking.

Microwaving:
By far the easiest way to cook your cauliflower rice, and as you don’t need to add any fat, the healthiest too.
Microwave fresh cauliflower rice in a heatproof bowl, covered with cling film, for three minutes on High.
If using from the freezer, microwave for four minutes on High, mixing the ‘rice’ half way through cooking.
This method gives the rice a nice, neutral flavour, perfect for serving with a curry or tagine.
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How to cook rice.

Millions of cooks are endangering their health by cooking their rice incorrectly, scientists believe.
Putting more water in the pan or even steeping it overnight is the best way to flush out traces of the poison arsenic, they found.
The chemical contaminates rice as a result of industrial toxins and pesticides which can remain in the soil for decades.
Experts have long debated what level of arsenic is safe, with new limits set by the EU in 2016.
Chronic exposure to the toxin has been linked to a range of health problems including developmental problems, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
But experiments suggest that the way rice is cooked is key to reducing exposure to the toxic but naturally occurring chemical.
Prof Andy Meharg, from Queens University Belfast, tested three ways of cooking rice for the BBC programme Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.
In the first, he used a ratio of two parts water to one part rice, where the water is “steamed out” during cooking.
In the second, with five parts water to one part rice, with the excess water washed off, levels of arsenic were almost halved.
And in the third method, where the rice was soaked overnight, levels of the toxin were reduced by 80 per cent.

How to cook rice.
Measure the dry rice in a jug.
Soak rice overnight
Wash then rinse the rice really well, until the water is clear.
Drain really well.
Place rice in a saucepan with five parts water to one part rice (plus a little salt) and stir once.
Bring to the boil, then turn the heat all the way down and cover the pan tightly with a lid.
Cook on the lowest heat possible for 10-15 mins without uncovering the pan.
Use a fork to fluff up the cooked rice.

Basmati rice contains lower levels than other rice
Brown rice usually contains more arsenic than white rice (because of the husk)
Growing rice organically doesn’t make a difference to levels
Rice cakes and crackers can contain levels higher than in cooked rice.
The levels of arsenic found in rice milk far exceed the amounts that would be allowed in drinking water.


If you want fluffy rice that will stay separate even after cooking, go for a long grain – either white or brown.
If you need your rice to be cooked in a hurry but still retain its flavour, choose basmati.
For sweet and sticky rice, opt for a glutinous grain.
Unless you're making a risotto, take care to rinse your rice thoroughly before you cook it.
Wait until the water begins to run clear, showing it is free of starch.

Risotto is a tricky dish to get right and the secret lies not only in the method, but in the type of rice you choose.
Diana Henry recommends going for the 'carnaroli' type: "Carnaroli has a great flavour and produces a very creamy risotto.
Vialone nano has smaller, less starchy grains, so the finished risotto seems lighter.
Arborio is the most basic and widely available but overcooks easily.
I always go for carnaroli or vialone nano."