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Fig, Lemon, and Thyme Jam

I was standing in the late evening sun baking at a swim meet when I got Pam's text: "we have too many figs..." I offered to help her with that terrible problem and by the time I had gotten home there was a basket of figs waiting for me in front of the door. Woohoo!

I thought I'd make jam or a compote, but instead I put the basket into the refrigerator and just drew from the box whenever I needed a snack. Next thing I knew, there were only 2 left, not enough to make anything.

So when the phone rang and Lily offered me more figs, it only took me a second to process: I'm making raspberry jam now. I'm leaving town in three days. I have no time before I go to take on an additional project.

"Yes! I'd love some!"

Because I did want them.



I put the box immediately into the fridge and began eating them, but this time in my pre-vacation jam making frenzy I also made fig jam.

I had thought of adding lemon, but when I talked to Lily, she mentioned making jam with lemon and candied ginger. Yum!

Once I started cooking and added the lemon, though, I tasted the mixture and switched gears. I wanted something grassy or herby to counteract the sweet-tart of the fig and lemon combination. I had just enough thyme in the yard to make it work. The thyme is barely discernible, but it just grounds the flavors.

And I still have the lemon-ginger combination to look forward to next time.

Just before we left, I had a few not-yet-on-vacation folks over for a clean out the refrigerator dinner. We sampled my freshly made jams spooned over vanilla ice cream and, as good as the blueberry and raspberry jam were, this was the real star of the party.

Fig, Lemon, and Thyme Jam

The figs are thick enough that no pectin is needed to thicken the jam. I only added enough thyme to balance out the sweet-tart flavor of the lemon and figs; if you want more thyme flavor, double the amount. Putting Food by is my primary resource for canning but the Department of Agriculture's guidelines for canning are extremely thorough and will give you all you need to know to can safely.

Makes 5-6 12-ounce jars of jam
Approximately 1 hour preparation and cooking time

About 20 figs
4 cups granulated sugar
3 teaspoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

 

Put a couple of small plates in the refrigerator to chill.

Wash the figs and trim off their stems. Cut them into quarters. Put the figs into a stockpot and stir in the sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Mash the figs with a potato masher or, if you want to take a shortcut, use an immersion blender. Pulse the blender just a few times so that some of the fruit still remains chunky. Bring mixture to a simmer and let it cook for a 15 or so minutes to thicken.

The figs are not very watery so they should thicken up nicely. If you want to test the jam to be sure that it is thick enough, put a teaspoon of jam on one of the chilled plates. Return it to the refrigerator for one minute.  After a minute, remove it and tilt the plate.  Most of the preserves should remain in the center of the plate, while some of it -- especially the more liquid portion -- will slowly spread out towards the edge of the plate. 

Turn off the heat and add the lemon zest, juice, and thyme. Transfer to sterilized jars and preserve as desired.

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Rhubarb-Grapefruit Jam

Ricky and Lucy. Gracie and George. Tom and Jerry. Felix and Oscar. Sonny and Cher. Donny and Marie.

Unlikely pairs that make magic together. (Ok, maybe they weren't all magic, but they were all entertaining).

Rhubarb and grapefruit may seem like an odd couple, too, but they are delicious together. The rhubarb is tart right off the bat, hitting immediately with an intense burst of flavor. The grapefruit hangs back and as soon as the rhubarb begins to retreat, it comes on with its bitter flavor. Of course it is all mellowed by the sugar in the jam, but the combination is excellent.

I like it spread on toast or swirled into yogurt. The rhubarb flavor isn't super assertive so it didn't stand up to the peanut butter in a sandwich.

Now Gabe is feeding me more names. Abbott and Costello. Mary Matlin and James Carville. Padma Lakshmi and Salman Rushdie. . .

2009: Rhubarb-Thyme Compote
2010: Rhubarb-Mint Popsicles
2011: Rhurbarb-Apple Turnovers

Rhubarb-Grapefruit Jam

Makes about 4 cups of jam
10 minutes preparation time
about 30 minutes cookig time

I use about 4 tablespoons of grapefruit juice for each cup of finished jam. It may seem like a lot, but the grapefruit flavor mellows over time.

8 cups diced rhubarb (about a pound and a half)
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice (from about 1 grapefruit)

Mix the rhubarb and sugar in a medium-sized sauce pan. Cover the pot and cook over medium-low heat until the rhubarb begins to release its juices, about five minutes. Remove the lid and cook the jam until the rhubarb is meltingly soft and has thickened, about 25 minutes. Stir in the grapefruit juice.

Pour the jam into airtight jars for short-term storage or can them if you want to keep them longer. (For some links about canning see this post).

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Creamy Hummus Salad Dressing

My favorite lunch these days is a bed of lettuce topped with whatever veggies we have in the refrigerator. Lately this has included cucumbers, peppers, green beans, and of course those excellent tomatoes. I often throw on a few crumbles of feta, some olives, and some toasted nuts and I have myself a delicious little (or not so little) lunch.

The only dilemma has been the salad dressing. I wanted something light and fresh that wouldn't overwhelm all of those great seasonal vegetables but I still wanted something tasty. And preferably creamy. Usually creamy dressings are so heavy, though, and with out new fall routine, we have been trying to eat healthier with more emphasis on fruits and vegetables.

Hummus already has a smooth and creamy texture, and thinned with a oil, vinegar and lemon juice and just a splash of water it made a salad dressing that fit the bill. The first time I made it, I added too much water to thin it, so I cut that back a bit and added more olive oil instead. I tossed in a handful of fresh herbs for some added flavor.

Think of the dressing as a base for whatever other flavors you'd like to add. Minced garlic or shallot, a pinch of hot pepper flakes, a dash of Sriracha sauce, a splash of soy sauce... the possibilities are endless. If only this produce season were too.

Second helping: Pea Shoot, Feta, and Olive Sandwich
Thirds: Classic Basil Pesto (much on my mind because I need to make a few batches to freeze.)

Creamy Hummus Salad Dressing

Makes approximately 1 cup
15 minutes preparation time

1/2 cup hummus
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, basil, thyme, or oregano
any other seasonings you'd like to add, such as minced garlic or shallot, a pinch of hot pepper
    flakes, a dash of Sriracha sauce, a splash of soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all the ingredients together in a measuring cup or small bowl. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss. The amount of dressing that you need will depend on the size of your salad. I like to make sure that each lettuce leaf is coated.

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

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Blackberry-Ginger Jam and a Respite

Along with that flat of raspberries, we picked a second flat and a couple of smaller flats of blackberries. We went on one of those hundred-plus degree days that we have had so many of in Washington this summer. With work and camp schedules, we didn't have much of a choice of days, but we went out early to avoid the worst of it. After about 10 minutes, Gabe looked at me and I could tell that he was ready to cash it in. Honestly, I was too, and I usually have the strongest incentive to keep at it because I have a head full of ideas of things to make with our haul.  But the children were so bouyed with excitement while they were picking that it lifted us, too. They seem to have much more enthusiasm for picking at Larriland than they do at our own farm garden. I'm not sure why that is, but it was just what Gabe and I needed on that morning. 

By now I have turned almost all of the berries into jam; those that are left we are eating on cereal or with granola and yogurt. Such an excellent summer treat.

I stayed fairly traditional with my preserving because this was my first year making raspberry and blackberry jam. But I did make a couple of batches of blackberry ginger jam and I love the way it turned out. The jam has the winey sweetness of the blackberries along with the slight heat and perkiness of the ginger. 

We made several jars of strawberry jam at the beginning of the summer, but we have eating through them voraciously. Now we have many more jars (I think the kids counted 19 of varying sizes) to add the larder. I'm hoping they last us at least a few months. I'm such a fan of having a taste of summer in the middle of a cold, cold, day.

And now that the jars are put up, I'm feeling a need for a bit of putting up myself. I'll be taking a break from the blog for at least a couple of weeks to enjoy some time with my family and to relax and recharge. I hope to spend a lot of time in the lake, and a bit of time running around it. But mostly I want to spend time staring at it, letting it work its magic on me. After a few days, I know that the relaxation will seep into my bones, and I hope that I can take it with me into the busy autumn months to come. 

I will buzz into New York to attend the BlogHer conference this coming weekend. Now that I've been blogging for just over a year, I feel the need for a bit of thinking about what I want to get out of this blogging experience. I have loved it, but it does take a lot of time and energy, and I think a bit of contemplation about what I want to accomplish in the long run will be a good thing for me. I'm hoping that talking to lots of other bloggers at BlogHer will help me focus my thoughts.

I hope that you all have a very happy and peaceful August, and I look forward to reconnecting soon.

Blackberry-Ginger Jam

If you are canning the jams for storage, please see this earlier post for some helpful references. I have also found Putting Food By to be an extremely valuable practical resource.

Makes about 6 cups
10 minutes preparation time
about 20 minutes cooking time

8 cups blackberries
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Put a plate in the refrigerator to chill.

Mash all the ingredients together in a large stockpot. Bring it to a boil and boil until it thickens, about 20 minutes.

To test to see if the jam will set, put a teaspoon of jam on one of the chilled plates and return it to the refrigerator for one minute.  After a minute, remove it and tilt the plate.  Most of the preserves should remain in the center of the plate, while some of it -- especially the more liquid portion -- will slowly spread out towards the edge of the plate.  When the preserves have firmed up to this extent, skim off a bit of the foam if there is any, stir in the rest, and transfer the jam into storage jars.

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Sri-ra-cha Cha

 
I tend to go through phases where I eat the same thing over and over again.  Granola and yogurt with fresh berries is one of my standby lunches.  And when I worked near the Bread Line, I ate lentil and feta salad for lunch more days that I should admit.

My latest obsession is Sriracha Sauce.  If you haven't tried it, it's a spicy pepper sauce that has a full, roasted pepper flavor.  It may also have crack cocaine in it because it is highly addictive.  I think about it when I'm nowhere near the refrigerator, and just writing this post and looking at the pictures is making my mouth water. 

I've been reading up on this sauce a bit and I have learned a few things. 

1. Although its name comes from a Thai hot sauce named after the city of Si Racha in Thailand, it is actually made in California.

2.  The founder is Vietnamese and set out to make a pan-Asian sauce, but the bottle claims that it is good with everything from pizza to soup, and I believe it. 

3.  Its nicknames include Rooster Sauce or Cock Sauce.  No comment.

4.  It has its own facebook fan page.

5.  The only ingredients listed on the bottle are chili, sugar, salt, garlic, vinegar, and a couple of preservatives so I believe that it is actually free of crack.

I eat it in some form or another almost every day that I eat lunch at home, piling whatever leftovers I have in the refrigerator on a tortilla and squirting a bit of Sriracha over the top. 

What's your latest food obsession?

Artichokes with Quick Hollandaise Sauce

I have written this before, but I have a theory that children are more willing to try something new if it involves eating with your hands.  My kids love edamame, carrot sticks (much more than carrots cut up in a salad), and dumplings.  Dips, too, seem to have an allure for kids that extends beyond ketchup and ranch dressing.  With their leaves that peel off, artichokes are the ultimate dipping food.  And the pointed tips on the leaves make them look like the claw feet of some medieval creature.  Good stuff.

 
I have to admit that I was skeptical when a friend asked if our children liked artichokes.  But after they had helped prepare them and saw how they were served, they were hooked.  Now that spring is here and they are plentiful, I am hoping that they make a regular appearance on the dinner table.  Or maybe even in the lunch box.  I wonder how that would go over in the cafeteria?

  
As for the dipping, the simplest way to serve them is with melted butter, and, at least around here, everything is better with butter.  A little lemon juice or minced tarragon added to the butter is also delicious.  But my favorite accompaniment is a hollandaise sauce.  This version is adapted from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and is very quick because it is made in a blender. 

Happy dipping!

Second Helping:  Homemade Ketchup

 
Artichokes with Quick Hollandaise Sauce
Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

Serves 6
15 minutes preparation time
25 to 40 minutes cooking time

6 whole fresh artichokes
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
salt and pepper

Fill a very large pot with enough water to submerge all of the artichokes.  Bring it to a boil.

To prepare the artichokes, rinse them while they are still whole.  With a large serrated knife, cut the top inch off of the artichoke, cutting through all layers of the top leaves.  Use scissors to trim the remaining prickly tops off of the lower leaves.  When the water has begun to boil, add the artichokes.  Boil them until the bottom of the artichoke can be pierced easily with a knife.  Depending on the size of the artichokes this could take anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes. 

While the artichokes are cooking, melt the butter in the microwave or in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Put the egg yolks, lemon juice, a few sprinkles of salt and a couple of twists of pepper into a blender.  Cover the blender and blend the egg yolk mixture for a couple of seconds just until combined.  Uncover the blender and drizzle the butter in veeeerrrrrrryyyyy sssslllloooowwwwwlllllyyyyyy.  You can drape a towel around the top of the blender to keep it from splattering.  Keep drizzling until the mixture is the consistency of heavy cream.  Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if you like.  Transfer the hollandaise to a small bowl and keep it slightly warm by placing it inside a larger bowl that holds just a bit of warm water.

When they are tender, drain the artichokes upside down in a colander.  When they are cool enough to touch, remove the choke, which is that fuzzy bit in the in center of the leaves.  Pull by the top of the fuzz and it should detach easily.  If not, scrape out any remaining fuzz with a spoon.

To eat the artichoke, pull off a leaf, dip the bottom end in the sauce, and scrape the lower part of the leaf between your teeth to remove the flesh.  After you have eaten all of the leaves, the heart, which is pure goodness, will remain.  You can, of course, cut this up with a knife and fork, but dipping and eating with your hands is still acceptable.  Miss Manners might not agree, but sometimes we have to relax those etiquette rules in favor of fun. 

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Homemade Butter

If you have not made homemade butter before, it's a treat.  Our children enjoy the shaking but even more they enjoy watching the transformation from liquid to solid.  While we shake we chant this song that we learned at Acorn Hill, inserting the name of the next person that will receive the jar:

Come, butter, come
Come, butter, come
[Name] is at the garden gate
Waiting for a butter cake
Come, butter, come
Come, butter, come.

It has the perfect rhythm for the shaking process. 

 
This recipe makes a basic salted butter.  You can modify it in many ways, including adding honey, fresh herbs, or cinnamon and sugar.  When you make this, save the buttermilk.  I have a great recipe using buttermilk that I will post soon.

Second Helping: Kale Chips

Homemade Butter

Makes about 1 cup of butter and 3/4 cup buttermilk
about 15 minutes shaking time

1 pint heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 clean marbles

Put all the ingredients in a jar and shake.  Pass the jar around to anyone who is willing to help, preferably while singing or chanting the rhyme above.  If children are involved, it is likely that they will lose interest before the butter is done and you will get a bit of a workout. 

At some point the butter will become the texture of whipped cream and seem difficult to shake, but persevere.  The butter is done when it has become solid and separated completely from the buttermilk.  Pour the buttermilk into a jar and save it for future use.  Remove the marbles and scoop the butter into your vessel of choice.

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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

 
I have often seen tomatillos listed as an ingredient, but only recently tried cooking with them.  For those of you in Maryland, I first bought tomatillos at the Crossroads farmers' market, which has a decidedly Latin flair.  Crossroads is now closed for the winter, but you can find tomatillos at Latin markets or I have even seen them at Whole Foods.

 
They are interesting little critters.  They have a tangy, citrusy flavor and when broiled, they develop a delicious smokiness.  Their papery skins are easy to peel and are enchanting as they come off. 

 
Underneath the skins, the tomatillos are a bit sticky.  They need to be rinsed to remove that gumminess before they are roasted.  This salsa comes together very quickly and would make a delicious topping for tacos, quesadillas, or an omelette.  We ate ours with chips, which would be a perfect after-school or game-watching snack.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

The serrano chile made this salsa too spicy for all the children except Olivia, who has a reasonable threshold for spicy food.  If you are making this to serve children, I recommend separating the ingredients in half and and adding the chile to the adult half.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups salsa
15 minutes preparation time
7 minutes cooking time

25-30 tomatillos, papery skins removed and rinsed
1 serrano chile (optional)
1 very small garlic clove minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
2-3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Set an oven rack on the top setting, and preheat the oven to broil.  Spread the tomatillos and chile, if you are using it, on a cookie sheet and broil them, turning them once or twice, until they are soft and partially blackened, about 7 minutes.  If you are using a chile but want the salsa a bit less spicy, let it cool and remove the seeds.  Put the tomatillos and chile in a food processor or blender.  Add the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.  See, isn't that easy? 

Use as you would your favorite salsa.

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Bean Quesadillas with Avocado Salsa

Some weeks we are very organized about the children's lunches, shopping especially for them on the weekend.  And some weekends are chaotic and we don't get our planning done.  Quesadillas are one of those lunches that we usually can pull together with what we have on hand.  We almost always have a few tortillas in the refrigerator or freezer and a can of refried beans in the cupboard.  With those and a bit of child-friendly cheese such as cheddar, we can put together quesadillas for lunch in a few minutes.

Although we often send quesadillas just as they are or with a bit of prepared salsa, the other morning I had a bit of extra time and an abundance of fresh tomatoes, so I made a quick tomato and avocado salsa.  The salsa added a bit of freshness to their lunch boxes, and with a piece of fruit and a bottle of water, the lunches were on their way. 

You could also use this recipe to make a quick meal, or hold the quesadillas and double or triple the salsa recipe to serve with chips at a party.

Bean Quesadillas with Avocado Salsa

Serves 3 children
15 minutes preparation time
4-6 minutes cooking time

3 large flour tortillas
6 tablespoons shredded cheddar, or other mild cheese
1/2 can vegetarian refried pinto or black beans
1/2 avocado, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tablespoon chopped white onion
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
pinch or two of salt
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (optional)

Lay the tortillas flat and spread approximately 2 tablespoons of beans on half of each.  Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese over each half, too, and fold the tortilla in half.  Heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Cook the folded quesadillas until they are lightly browned and the cheese has melted, approximately 2 or 3 minutes on each side.  Set them aside.  When they have cooled to room temperature, cut each quesadilla into 3 or 4 wedges.

To make the salsa, toss the diced tomato, onion, and avocado in a bowl with the lime juice, salt, and cilantro, if you are using it.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, lime juice, or cilantro to suit your taste.

Assemble the quesadilla wedges and salsa in separate containers, and pop them into the lunch boxes.

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Fig and Port Jam

Fresh figs are a rare treat for me.  I love their gentle, subtle sweetness.  Biting into one is a delight, with its soft texture on the outside, and burst of tiny crunchy seeds on the inside.  I remember being with Gabe in Positano, Italy, the city where we got engaged -- Propositano, Sarah dubbed it -- and making a delicious lunch of bread, cheese, and fresh figs.  Heaven. 

That day seems so long ago in many ways.  When I look back on times like that, I often wonder, where were the children?  Of course, there just weren't any for us yet, but it's hard to remember what that feels like.  My natural instinct is to try to weave them into the memory.

Biting into a fresh fig transports me.  But a person can only eat so many fresh figs, especially when there is such a variety of fantastic fresh fruits and vegetables available this time of year.  This recipe preserves (I couldn't resist the pun!) the flavor of those fresh figs so that they can be enjoyed for weeks to come.  I added just a bit of port to bring out that rich, almost fermented taste that is part of their natural flavor.  It is perfect on toast by itself, with cream cheese or ricotta, or served on the side of a cheese plate.

Fig and Port Jam

Makes approximately 2 cups of jam
10 minutes preparation time
40 minutes cooking time, plus time for cooling

approximately 20 fresh figs
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon port wine

Wash the figs.  Cut the stem ends off the figs and quarter them.  Mix them with the sugar and 1 tablespoon of the port.  Heat the mixture in a covered pot over low heat until it releases some liquid, then bring the mixture to a simmer.  Let the mixture simmer gently until the figs are quite soft and the jam has thickened, about 40 minutes.  At one or two points during the cooking process, mash the mixture with a potato masher.  When the figs are meltingly soft, add the last teaspoon of port and stir.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the jam cool.  Transfer to a jar for storage.

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Strawberry Preserves, Lemon Optional

One of our favorite outings is going fruit or vegetable picking.  For those of you that are local, our favorite place is Larriland Farms, a pick-your-own farm in Woodbine, Maryland.  We went last week and loaded up with strawberries.  As we were picking, we were dreaming of all of the things we were going to make.  Strawberry shortcake topped the list, of course.  Olivia suggested strawberry sorbet, Oscar wanted a strawberry pie, and I wanted to make strawberry preserves.  I love it when the children come up with these ideas and I try to make good on them.  The more we fantasized, though, the more strawberries I realized that we would need. 

It took us a while, with breaks for lemonade and the bathroom, but we managed to take in quite a haul.  By the time we got home and refreshed with a much-needed dip in the pool, it was too late to make preserves (although I had already made a shortcake biscuit, so it was very easy to assemble a strawberry shortcake with those just-picked strawberries).

A few days later, we tackled the strawberry preserves.  The most laborious part was hulling the strawberries, but I had a couple of helpers, at least for a little while.  After that, it was just a question of cooking the strawberries until they thickened, with lots of stirring so that they didn't stick and caramelize in the pan.  I made a large batch and had three pots going.  For some reason, the amount of time it took to thicken was different for each.  In the end, it seemed to me that the pan with the widest mouth worked the best, perhaps because the larger opening allowed the water to evaporate more quickly. 

Preserves require a good bit of sugar to bring out the flavor of the strawberries, but I used much less than other recipes I have seen.  I really enjoy the berries sweet with just a hint of tartness, much as you would get from eating a fresh strawberry.  Olivia had the idea to make some of the preserves with lemon, which was an excellent variation for those who would like a tarter jam.   

I had never tried real canning before-- that is, putting jam into a jar with an appropriate seal for long-term storage -- but thought I would give it a shot for these preserves.  I was inspired by Polly Horvath's My One Hundred Adventures which had kept us all entertained on a long trip (although it touched on some themes that were more appropriate for 10-plus year olds at the end).  My favorite part was the way that Jane's mother made jam to mark the passing of the summer, first strawberry, followed by blueberry, raspberry, and finally blackberry.  What a lovely idea.  I'm not promising to keep up, but this was a nice start.  

Check this very helpful site to find a pick-your-own place near you, and for basic canning instructions.  The United States Department of Agriculture also puts out very thorough canning guidelines, if you'd like more detail.  If not done properly, botulism is a risk, although people have been canning successfully for centuries.  If I just stop posting one day, you'll know it was the preserves. 

I know that I have posted lots of strawberry recipes lately, but I just can't help myself since they are so delicious this time of year.  And this is a great recipe if you picked more strawberries than you know what to do with.  Not that I know anything about that.  I promise not to post another strawberry recipe. . .  at least not for a little while.

Strawberry Preserves

To make the strawberry-lemon preserve variation, add the zest of one lemon, an extra half cup of lemon juice, and a cup less of sugar.

Makes about 6 cups
20 minutes preparation time
approximately 30 minutes cooking time

7 pints strawberries, hulled
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

Put a couple of plates in the refrigerator to chill. 

Gently mash the strawberries in a pot with the sugar.  Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Add the lemon juice and let the preserves simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently and skimming off the foam as it forms.  Cook the strawberries until they thicken, at least 20 minutes.  To make the process go faster, you can divide the preserves into two pots.

To test for doneness, put a teaspoon of jam on one of the chilled plates and return it to the refrigerator for one minute.  After a minute, remove it and tilt the plate.  Most of the preserves should remain in the center of the plate, while some of it -- especially the more liquid portion -- will slowly spread out towards the edge of the plate.  When the preserves have firmed up to this extent, pour them into storage jars.

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