Apricot Jam

Boy, do I know how to pick ‘em. Yes, I’m being sarcastic and yes, I chose another batch of less-than-stellar summer fruit that I neither wanted to eat plain nor throw out. I’d been quite impressed by the fresh apricots that I bought at Trader Joe’s about a month ago, so I expected this bunch to be just as sweet and juicy. Not quite. In fact, these stone fruit were borderline sour which leads me to believe they were picked prematurely, before they had the chance to properly ripen.

Rather than pout and complain, I remedied the rather unfortunate situation by transforming the lackluster apricots into a deliciously simple jam. No need for either pectin or a gluttonous amount of sugar, this jam turned out perfectly thick and sweet. Given apricots’ natural affinity for a variety of foods, I bet this jam would be great as a glaze for grilled chicken, layered with plump blueberries and granola in a yogurt parfait, or spread with goat cheese on a piece of toast.

Apricot Jam

Ingredients:

2 cups pitted & chopped fresh apricots (about 5 apricots), preferably organic
1-2 Tbsp evaporated cane juice or granulated sugar, depending on sweetness of the apricots
1 Tbsp water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small non-stick saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to dissolve sugar.
Maintain boil for 10-15 minutes, or until apricots begin to break down and form a thick jam, stirring often to keep jam from sticking to pan.