I found some nectarines at my favourite store a while back and they were an incredibly good price, under a buck a pound, so as you may have guessed, I bought a few bags of them and started wondering what kind of jam or preserve to make. I’m not a fan of the traditional jams that are made with pectin, especially if they are strained into a jelly. Instead I love chunks of fruit and prefer to enjoy it as more of a ‘butter’ than a jam.
Fill a pot with 15 – 18 diced nectarines and cook them until they become soft, add 2-3 diced jalapenos (I scrapped the seeds out but you can leave them in if you want some heat) and add about ½ – 1 cup of diced candied ginger. Mix in ½ cup sugar (I add the sugar at the end mainly because it burns easily so cooking the fruit beforehand without it is easier) more or less to taste and cook until sugar is dissolved. Fill your sterilized jars with the preserve and seal.
I am NOT a canning expert, so I’m not the best to provide advice here on the Health Canada Food Safety Tips for Home Canning website, often I just will put the jars in a hot bath for 10—15 minutes and then they are fine. For more specific information go directly to their site.