Plum Jam

Beach plum jelly has a virtually unknown taste except maybe in the Hamptons, Cape Cod, and along the Atlantic Coast. The art of making beach plum jelly, or any jams for that matter, has been revived recently, with more people wanting to use local fruits and have a condiment that's a notch above mass-produced jelly-in-a-jar. However, beach plums are fickle; some years, they are available, and other years, like this summer, they are plentiful to pick from their secret spots along the East Hampton dunes. That's if you are still fortunate to avoid poison ivy and ticks. A safer bet for me is to make Damson Plum Jam. Or, contact my favorite monks at Trappist Preserves for a mail-order jam solution.

Yes, you could say they use a production method of a higher authority. But, what I really love about Trappist Preserves is they use only the best seasonal fruits and make only a certain allotment based on the highest quality, not filling sales quotas. When the Kadota Fig Preserves, or Red Currant Jelly is gone that’s it. And, yes they do make a Damson Plum Jam! 

A lesson learned from the late Fr Robert, “Ordinary, Obscure and Laborious” —the life of monks.

To watch one of my favorite vintage TV Segments from St Joseph’s Abbey, Spencer Ma.

Do You Know Your Jam?

- Jams are made from puréed fruit
- Jellies are made from fruit juice
- Marmalades include peel
- Conserves & preserves are made from whole fruit, and raisins and nuts may be added

Click for the complete guide to home canning

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Jam is only as good as your fruit. Taste plums and adjust tartness vs. sweetness according to the ripeness of plums. If only using all ripe plums, peel, core, and chop one green apple instead of unripe plums to add natural pectin.

Beach or Damson Plum Jam

recipe by Chef George Hirsch | Makes about 6-8 250-ml jars

2 3/4 pounds very ripe Beach or Damson plums
1 cup water
1/4 pound unripe Beach or Damson plums; contains added natural pectin
Variable: 4-6 cups pure cane granulated sugar, depending on the sweetness of the plums and personal taste (you may also use a little honey and cut down on some sugar)
juice of 1/2 lemon
6 orange peels- about 2 inches x 1/4 inch, no whites

Wash the plums, add the water, and simmer the plums until the skins are soft. Allow to cool and remove the pits.

Optional~ if you do not want plum skins, strain plums through a sieve to remove skins. I prefer the texture and do not strain.

Combine plum puree, lemon juice, orange peel, and sugar in a heavy gauged sauce pot. Bring slowly to a boil, stirring occasionally with a long handle spoon until sugar dissolves. Continue to go frequently to prevent sticking or burning. Cook until the plum puree and sugar reach the jellying point of 220 degrees F. It takes about 20-30 minutes.
Remove from heat and pour the hot jam into sterile hot canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel, making sure the tops of the jars are clean so the lids seal. Adjust two-piece sterile metal canning lids. Place jars into a large pot with a filter on the bottom so jars do not have direct contact with the base. Cover the filled and closed jars with an inch or so of hot water and boil for 10 minutes. 

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Piri-piri

George Hirsch Know Your Fire Fridays

I can’t think of anything better than this sauce for this week's Know Your Fire Friday. Yes you will still be lighting the grill - this is just a different kind of heat to top your grilled foods with.

Piri-piri is a Portuguese name of Brazilian origin for the African bird's eye chili. Piri-piri sauce is made by soaking dried or fresh chili’s in lemon and vinegar to make a condiment much like the Argentine chimichurri, but only with a really fiery kick. When using fresh and very ripened red chilies - you'll know they are ready to pick when the ends of pepper point straight up. 

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A piri-piri sauce is a robust topping when used on seafood and fried fish. But you don’t have to stop there, you can also use on beef, lamb and poultry. Also, this piri-piri sauce can be added to marinades for a little extra kick. Below is a basic version, but experiment by adding a Tablespoon of coconut, coconut milk, cream, ginger and Thai basil for a Far East style. Or, you may add ketchup, brown sugar and extra vinegar for southern flavored heat.  

Using a food processor, add about 4-5 (more or less depends on your fire wish) chilies that have been roughly chopped (suggestion: use gloves), 6 peeled garlic cloves, 1/4 cup mixed cilantro and flat leaf parsley, juice of 2 lemons, 1 Tablespoon white vinegar, 1 Tablespoon sugar, pinch of sea salt and puree 30 seconds or until smooth. Slowly add 1/2 cup olive oil until blended. Pour sauce into a glass or ceramic container. Use a drop or two at a time until you’ve mastered the fire. Sauce will keep for 2-3 weeks in fridge. 

You can add a few drops of piri-piri sauce to these recipes:

Sword Fish Skewers

Chicken Tikka

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