Red Wine Cranberry Jam

Red Wine Cranberry Jam

Ingredients

·         1 pint red wine

·         1 bag of fresh cranberries (12oz)

·         Zest and juice of 1 lemon

·         1 cinnamon stick

·         1 teaspoon 5 spice powder

·         1 tablespoon grated ginger

·         1 cup coconut sugar (could use sugar in rawor brown sugar)

·         3 tablespoons Chia seeds

I remember the first time I made this jam. It was about 5 years ago, during my Prime 1000 days. When I went to taste the finished product, the flavor hit me with the full force of nostalgia.

The best food transports you. Baked ham delivers you to being dressed in pastels on Easter. Caprese Salad delivers you to blue-sky, summer afternoons. Well, this Red Wine Cranberry Jam has always delivered me to the warm feelings of the holidays, wrapped in a blanket, sipping hot cocoa by a fire, stuffed to the brim with family casseroles.

This is a very versatile recipe. It can be paired with an endless list of desserts, or it can serve as a homemade replacement to canned cranberry jelly. Because of its versatility, I constantly riff on the ingredients. This year’s addition is Chia seeds. As I have grown older, and healthier, I’ve begun to focus on ingredients that are both delicious and nourishing. By adding Chia seeds, the amount of sugar can be cut, and they contain omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. If that is not a win-win, I don’t know what is.

Directions

Step 1: Cook

Place all ingredients (except Chia seeds) in a sauce pan. Turn heat to medium-high and stir to combine ingredients. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes. Be sure to stir every couple of minutes. You will know when it is finished when most of the cranberries have cracked and it has the consistency of a thick syrup.

Step 2: Ch-ch-chi-Chia!

Remove from heat and stir in the Chia seeds. Let sit at room temperature until cool.

Step 3: Package or Serve

Individually package for gifts or place in a large container.  If left in a large container, I suggest leaving in the cinnamon stick as a means of continuing to perfume the jam.

Until next time,

Chef Josh Charles