I’ve been posting about being a “Canbassador” for the Washington State Fruit Commission quite a bit this summer. First it was cherries, I recovered a gigantic box of gorgeous straight from the orchard Rainier Fruit Co. cherries and I made some awesome recipes with them- I even managed to bake up some delicious mini-pies and make a sauce with them! Then, I got a second huge shipment of a mix of yellow peaches and gorgeous yellow nectarines. They were so beautiful sitting in bowls around my kitchen/dining room.
I made some peach preserves with hot peppers from our garden (you’ll see that recipe soon), peach salsa and peach peel butter with vanilla bean and apple brandy. But the nectarines. I was stumped.
Then I bought some blackberries on sale because they were beautiful and perfect and cheap. I do that sometimes. I have no idea what I’m going to do with them, but I buy them.
Then I realized the color of blackberries kind of matches my “Purple Ruffles” basil beautifully, and I thought this combined with nectarines would be an amazing jam/preserve combination. This particular basil has a bit of an anise-licorice-cinnamon flavor in addition to an amazing color. I have enough of it to spare in my garden, so I ripped off some leaves to tear up and add to the preserves.
Nectarine skins have a naturally occurring amount of pectin that makes them perfect for jamming with the skins on. I don’t know why more people don’t know that, or at least talk about it. When I was a newbie “canner” I would’ve liked that info. Instead of hearing “treat them just like peaches” which to me means “skin them.” Doh.
You may be asking: what exactly makes these preserves and not a jam? To which I say, the fact that the fruit is chunkier. That’s the easy answer. With jam, the chunks are smaller, so they’re usually incorporated more and blended down further, creating a more spreadable consistency; whereas preserves have larger chunks of fruit. However if you prefer the former, just cut your nectarine pieces smaller! For a more in-depth answer about all of this, check out this article on SeriousEats.
Or skip all that mumbo jumbo and make some preserves. Or jam.
NECTARINE BLACKBERRY PRESERVES WITH PURPLE RUFFLES BASIL
Makes roughly 4-5 half-pints (8-oz)
Ingredients:
- 6 cups roughly chopped nectarines- not too small, leave ’em on the larger side
- 6 ounces fresh blackberries
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 4 – 5 leaves purple basil, washed and dried
Directions:
- Sterilize your jars and get them ready to be filled on a clean, dry tea towel.
- Add all ingredients but basil & blackberries to a large, wide saucepan. In a separate large bowl, using a potato masher, mash the blackberries gently to crush them slightly. You just want them a bit deconstructed, don’t go too crazy trying to mash them all into tiny bits. Then add them to the saucepan with the rest of the fruit.
- Cook at a low, steady boil for 30 minutes. Add torn or chopped basil leaves, cook for another 5 minutes.
- Ladle into clean sterilized jars to within 1/4″ headspace. Wipe rims, add lids and bands to fingertip tight.
- Process in a water bath for 10 minutes. Check seals after 12 hours; any jars that wiggle or click when pressed aren’t sealed and must be put in the refrigerator and eaten immediately.
These preserves are perfection. You get these little surprise bits of basil here & there, and the flavor of it is so incredibly subtle throughout that you wouldn’t even know it was there- until you get a piece of it. And before anyone asks: you can definitely substitute peaches, but you’ll need to peel them and also add commercial pectin.
I also used my snazzy new jar labels from Ikea! They’re so cute, and they let you circle the date, plus there’s room for writing on there what’s in it. I also got some other labels from there that you’ll probably see on the blog at one point or another. Go Ikea! I’m already planning another trip over there to pick up some more.
If you, too, have been canning up a storm so far this summer, or you plan to be, add the Sweet Preservation “Of Course I Canned!” badge to your blog. Click here to view & save the file, then add it. Also be sure to visit SweetPreservation.com for MORE recipes & FAQ’s.
Suggestions for use: Spoon it over pound cakes or angel food cakes, use as a cake or cupcake filling, use as a glaze for roast chicken, eat with yogurt for breakfast, eat with ice cream for dessert, use it on toast or English muffins, substitute regular basil- just a little less- if desired, whisk into a vinaigrette for salad dressing.
Soundtrack: Aaliyah – “If Your Girl Only Knew”
Sources & Credits: Ball® 8-ounce jars; freshpreserving.com, Federal Glass milk glass batter bowl; vintage, tea towel; Ikea, Kraft paper jar labels; Ikea.
I'm Marilla. A 30-something artist, hobby baker, home canning enthusiast, gardener, DIY-er, wife, mommy of a baby boy and dog mom (to another baby boy) from New York. 
Hello, Neаt post. There is an issue along ᴡith
youг wweb site in web еxplоrer, cоulɗ test this? IE nonetheless is tһe marketplace leader and a huge comρonent of otɦer folks will miss your fantɑstіc writing ddue to this problem.
Some really interesting info, well written and broadly user pleasant.
I was studying some of your articles on this internet site and I
conceive this internet site is real instructive!
Continue posting.
I like this weblog very much, Its a real nice situation to read and
receive information.
I wanted to put you that very little observation so as to give many thanks once again for those amazing
pointers you’ve contributed on this site. It has been certainly shockingly generous of you giving
openly exactly what most people would’ve supplied for an ebook to get some dough on their own, primarily considering the fact that you could possibly
have done it if you wanted. These thoughts also served to become a fantastic way to recognize that other
people online have a similar dream really like mine to
figure out great deal more concerning this matter.
I’m sure there are several more enjoyable times ahead for people who take a
look at your site.
Some genuinely interesting information, well written and
generally user friendly.
Ꭲhis excellent weƄsite really hhas all thеe info I needed about this
subject andd didn’t ҝnow who to ask.
It’s remarkable to pay a visit this web page and reading
the views of all friends about this post, while I am also zealous of
getting know-how.
of course like your web site however you have to test the spelling on several of your posts.
Many of them are rife with spelling issues and I in finding it very troublesome to inform the reality however I’ll surely come back again.
Gгeat post! Ϝull support ftom me.
Today, while I was at work, my sister stole my iphone and tested to see
if it can survive a twenty five foot drop, just so
she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now
broken and she has 83 views. I know this is totally off topic
but I had to share it with someone!
I have to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this site.
I am hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts by
you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own site now ;
)
Hi, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of
spam responses? If so how do you prevent it, any plugin or anything you
can advise? I get so much lately it’s driving me crazy so any help is very much appreciated.
Yⲟur style iss unique in comparison tο other folks I’ve read stuff from.
Ƭhank you for posting when you’ve got the opportunity, Guess I’ⅼⅼ just bookmark this web site.
Unquestionably believe that which you said.
Your favorite justification appeared to be on the
internet the simplest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get irked while people think about worries that they just do not
know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side
effect , people can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more.
Thanks
Thanks to my father who shared with me on the topic of this website, this webpage is in fact
remarkable.
I would like to take the opportunity of thanking you for the professional instruction I have always enjoyed browsing your site.
We are looking forward to the particular commencement of my school research
and the entire preparation would never have been complete without visiting your site.
If I can be of any assistance to others, I’d personally be glad to help by what I have discovered from
here.
Hello, i feel that i saw you visited my website so i came to return the favor?.I am trying to in finding
issues to improve my website!I assume its adequate to use some of your
ideas!!
Yoᥙ miɡht be thᥱ worst ѡriter
I absolutely love your blog.. Very nice colors & theme. Did you
make this site yourself? Please reply back as
I’m trying to create my own site and would love to learn where you got this from or
exactly what the theme is named. Appreciate it!
I’ve been browsing online more than three hours as of late,
yet I by no means found any interesting article like yours.
It’s beautiful value enough for me. In my view, if all
site owners and bloggers made excellent content material
as you probably did, the internet will probably be
a lot more useful than ever before.
I need to to thank yoս for this veгy gooԁ read!! I absolutely enjoyed еvery bit of it.
I have you booкmarked to сhecк out new tһings you post…
Hurrah! After all I got a blog from where I be able to genuinely take
helpful information concerning my study and knowledge.
I all the time emailed this website post page to all my friends, as if like to
read it then my contacts will too.
I enjoy you because of your entire labor on this blog. Gloria enjoys conducting
internet research and it is obvious why. My partner and i know all
about the powerful way you produce important strategies through this website and therefore inspire participation from people about
this situation then our child is always studying a great deal.
Take advantage of the remaining portion of the new year.
You are always performing a dazzling job.[X-N-E-W-L-I-N-S-P-I-N-X]I am
extremely impressed along with your writing skills as smartly as with the layout on your blog.
Is this a paid subject or did you modify it your self?
Either way stay up the excellent high quality
writing, it is rare to see a great weblog like this one these days.
Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google,
and found that it’s really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels.
I will be grateful if you continue this in future. Numerous people will be benefited from
your writing. Cheers!
It’s an awesome post in favor of all the online visitors; they will obtain benefit from it I
am sure.
It’s not my first time to pay a visit this site, i am visiting this
web page dailly and get good information from here every day.
Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your web site is fantastic, as well as the
content!
{
For most up-to-date information you have to pay a quick visit
the web and on the web I found this site as a best web site for most up-to-date updates.
Wow that was odd. I just wrote an extremely long comment but after
I clicked submit my comment didn’t show
up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyhow, just wanted to say excellent blog!