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Babylon Plum Jam

The spice and heat in this jam make it more at ease with meats and cheese than toast. As for the Babylon term, it’s simply in relation to the avid devotion that the world’s kitchen has for reggae music!

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 1 1/2 pints (680 ml)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) plums (about 10), pitted and chopped
2 1/4 cups (455 g) sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) distilled white vinegar
1 small fresh or dried red chile
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1/2 cup (105 g) mustard seeds

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a heavy saucepan, combine the plums, sugar, and vinegar and let stand for 1 hour.

    Step 2

    Place the pan over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour, or until the mixture thickens.

    Step 3

    Add the chile, ginger, and mustard seeds and continue to cook, stirring, for about 15 minutes, or until you have the right jammy consistency. It should be thick, not soupy. If you’re using big plums, you may have to keep it on the heat for a bit longer to cook away the extra water. Remove and discard the chile. If you don’t want chunky jam, buzz it with a hand blender.

    Step 4

    Let cool for 10 minutes before serving or jarring. The jam will keep for up to a month stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Cookbook cover of The Art of Living According to Joe Beef: A Cookbook of Sorts by Frédéric Morin, David McMillan, and Meredith Erickson.
Reprinted with permission from The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by Frédéric Morin, David McMillan & Meredith Erickson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.
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