Strawberry orange balsamic jam

The strawberries are in at the farmer’s market! A couple of months ago I made a parfait consisting of layers of pastry cream and strawberries drizzled with a balsamic-orange syrup. The syrup was so good atop the strawberries, I decided that I must do a version of this in preserve form.  As I so often do, I used Pomona’s Universal Pectin to make this low-sugar, bright-flavored jam.  Don’t try substituting another pectin here, it won’t work.

4 c. crushed strawberries with juices

 1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp. grated orange zest

1/2 c. balsamic vinegar, boiled and reduced to about 1/4 c.

1/2 tsp vanilla

pinch salt (optional)

 1/2 c. sugar

2 tsp calcium water, 2 tsp Pomona pectin.

Combine the reduced vinegar, orange juice, strawberries, pinch of salt, and calcium water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and pectin powder well.  Stir into the strawberry mixture, stirring vigorously. Bring back to boil. Stir in the orange zest and vanilla.  Ladle into properly prepared jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Or refrigerate. Makes about five 1/2 pints.