Gariguette strawberry and white balsamic jam

Originally from the south of France, the Gariguette strawberry is an early-season variety prized for its strong perfume. During the month of May you will find them everywhere in Provence, and they are becoming more common now as they can be easily grown, so are worth looking out for. I have had some problems with strawberry jam as the fruit contain so little pectin, and I’ve spent years trying to create a recipe that would work without using additional pectin. Adding acid to the cooking process of jam (such as lemon or vinegar) binds with the sugar and natural fruit acid to form the gelling agent. This recipe is also a nod to my mum, who would serve her fresh unripe strawberries with balsamic vinegar and icing sugar back in the early 1990s. Use white balsamic vinegar to retain the scarlet colour of the berries.

MAKES SIX 220g JARS

1.2kg of Gariguette strawberries

800g of caster sugar

100ml of white balsamic vinegar Pinch of

pink sea salt

1 Hull the strawberries and cut them in half. I like to keep them in halves so that you still have largish pieces when the jam is cooked.

2 Put the strawberries in a preserving pan and set over a low heat so that they start cooking and release some juice.

3 Slowly add the sugar, vinegar and salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes or until the jam reaches setting point of 105ºc/220ºf on a sugar thermometer.

4 Remove from the heat and leave to rest for five minutes, stirring every few minutes so that the natural pectin is distributed evenly. Pour into warm sterilised jars and seal immediately. Store in a cool, dark place.

Tip: This jam is delicious served with goats’ milk yoghurt for breakfast, as shown, or try making a set cream with goats’ milk and cream. If you can’t get Gariguettes, then hold out until local strawberries are in season – patience is a virtue.