Rhubarb Jam

I have a soft spot for foods that are pink. Gorgeous summer berries, pink frosting on cakes and cupcakes, and jam, jam, jam.

If I'm really being honest, I'd admit that my love of all things pink extends beyond the culinary realm. My sister and I once spent a very long Sunday painting my entire law school apartment a really gorgeous shade of (you guessed it) pink.

Oh, it was good to be a 22 year old girl.

I was actually a little worried that my jam wouldn't turn out as pink as I wanted it, because I bought my rhubarb from the farmer's market, and all the rhubarb there was early in the season and at least half green. But I went forward with the jam anyways, since I figured I could write a very amusing post about it if I ended up with green jelly. Fortunately, once the rhubarb boiled down, the green disappeared, leaving me with a yummy, thick, and very pink jam.

I used pectin to set the jam because, well, what else am I going to use my box of pectin for? But I think you could probably go without it -- the jam would be a little runny but still really good.

Rhubarb Jam

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound rhubarb (about 4 stalks)

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp pectin*

DIRECTIONS:

Trim the ends off the rhubarb stalks and cut the stalks into 1/2" slices.

In a medium saucepan, cook rhubarb, sugar and water on medium/high heat until rhubarb breaks down into mush, about 8-10 minutes. Add the pectin* and cook the rhubarb, while stirring, until it's thick enough that you can see the bottom of the pan when you move the jam aside. This should take about 3-5 minutes.

Remove rhubarb from heat, put the jam into a food processor and puree quickly for about 30 seconds. Place the jam into a container and refrigerate for about 3 hours, or until jam is set.

Makes about 12 ounces of jam. Use within 3 weeks refrigerated, or within one year if canned properly.

* For adding the pectin, follow the directions on the pectin box -- mine also calls for calcium water, which I keep in my fridge.