Christmas is coming - bah humbug etc

So it may still be November, but in my family we have to make our Christmas presents, which means I am forced to think about it slightly earlier than I would otherwise like to.  So before 24th December.

Now let's get something straight, I actually quite like Christmas.  I just don't think it should start until maybe 20th December.  And of course the shops have been full of red glittery, jumbo chocolate boxes since at least late August.  By the time it actually gets here I have mild Christmas fatigue.  Which makes it look like I don't like Christmas, which by that stage I don't. 

Anyway - I'm starting my first Christmas present project.  I am going to make chili jam as part of the family's Christmas packs.  This isn't a particularly original idea, my lovely friend Charlie made this last year.  But it was delicious and (she claims) idiot proof, so I'm giving it a whirl.

I'm using Nigella's recipe, it looks fairly straightforward - what can possibly go wrong?

• 150g long fresh red chillies.
• 150g red peppers, cored
• 1kg jam sugar
• 600ml cider vinegar
• 6 x 250ml sealable jars, with vinegar-proof lid, such as Kilner jar or re-usable pickle jar  WTF???  Seriously I just noticed this!  What is a vinegar proof jar? I suspect it is not the honey jars that I bought.  Am I going to poison my entire family by not using kilner jars?

Serves: Makes approx. 1.5. Litres

1. Sterilize your jars and leave to cool.
2. Put the cut-up chillies into a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add the chunks of red pepper and pulse again until you have a vibrantly red-flecked processor bowl. I rammed them both in at the same time.  What could possibly go wrong with this?
3. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar in a wide, medium-sized pan over a low heat without stirring. Hold on - without stirring?  That doesn't sound right, what if it burns at the bottom and wrecks my pan?  It doesn't look right either....

 

4. Scrape the chili-pepper mixture out of the bowl and add to the pan. Bring the pan to the boil, then leave it at a rollicking boil for 10 minutes.

 

5. Take the pan off the heat and allow it cool. The liquid will become more syrupy, then from syrup to viscous and from viscous to jelly-like as it cools. I notice that nothing is mentioned about the bright red scum that's currently floating on the top of my chili jam.  I wonder if I should skim it off as it seems to contain all the chili seeds that my slapdash prep has missed.  

I think it will probably go away on it's own if I ignore it for long enough.  Yes, that seems like a sensible option.  I am going to go and have a coffee while this cools down.

6. After about 40 minutes, or once the red flecks are more or less evenly dispersed in the jelly (as the liquid firms up, the hints of chili and pepper start being suspended in it rather than floating on it), ladle into your jars. For the love of god DO NOT DO THIS.  Decant the jam into a measuring jug and use this to pour into the jars.  There was extensive spillage before I decided on this course of action.

7. If you want to stir gently at this stage, it will do no harm. Then seal tightly. Stir now?  I stirred it when I took it off the heat!  When I was debating what to do about the red, seed containing scum.  Is my premature stirring going to break the chili jam?


Well it kind of turned out as a success.  It looks ok, the bit I tasted, tasted ok.  I'll see whether or not anyone dies over Christmas after yet again, failing to properly read the recipe before starting a project.  I'm just waiting for the jam to cool so I can see if it sets properly, while I start on the next part of the Christmas project.

Also, if you're going to try this, wear gloves when prepping the chilies.  Or at the very least wash your hands afterwards.  I didn't, as usual, and rubbed my nose. Which now hurts.  Lots.