Rhubarb Ginger Jam

For the first time in my life; I ate jam out of a jar with a spoon. Make this zingy, sweet and tart Ginger Rhubarb Jam and you'll understand. It's rhubarb season, which means my friend RH is making ginger rhubarb jam. I don't know if she was planning on making it a tradition, but it elicits such rave reviews that it has showed up each spring right along with the rhubarb crop. Just when it starts to sound like a jammy fairytale; the bad news: R is moving to Chicago this summer, making this not only an opportunity to make a great jar of jam, but an opportunity to pass on a great recipe, and keep a little bit of my friend right here in Brooklyn. She might be eating deep dish, while I get to savor a Brooklyn slice, but we'll both be eating the same jam every spring.

This jam, like most, is very simple and requires no special equipment. If you make a larger batch, it would be a natural for canning, as rhubarb season is short and a jar of tart rhubarb jam with a warming ginger bite sounds just as good, if not better, in the bitter cold of winter. We made a pretty small and manageable batch, (I don't think R digs the idea of moving jars of jam cross country), great if you want to make enough for you and your friends, or maybe enough to last until the strawberries arrive.


the recipe:

3 lbs rhubarb (discard leaves)
4 cups sugar
zest and juice of 1 large lemon
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger

Cut rhubarb into 1 inch lengths. Mix with sugar and lemon and let sit for 20 minutes. Add rhubarb mixture and ginger to heavy saucepan. Bring to boil and adjust heat to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until gelling point (place a dollop of jam on cold plate. The surface will form a skin when gelled): 45 to 55 minutes. When gelled, skim any scum from the surface, remove from heat and stir to evenly disperse fruit. Ladle into warm jars and store in fridge, or use canning process for self stable storage. Makes about 4 - 5 half pint jars.