Sassy pepper jam
Instructions:
- Have ready one 1-quart jar or three half-pint jars that have been sterilized in boiling water or run through the dishwasher on the hottest cycle. The jars should have sterilized tight-fitting lids. The jars and lids do not have to stay hot, but they must stay sterile.
- Core and coarsely chop the sweet peppers and place them in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Trim the stems from the chile peppers. (To reduce their heat, cut them in half lengthwise and trim away their seeds and inner ribs.) Coarsely chop the chiles and add to the processor. Pulse until the peppers are finely chopped, but not pureed.
- Transfer the chopped peppers into a medium saucepan. Stir in the vinegar, salt, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in the pectin. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Quickly add the sugar, return to a rolling boil, and cook for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully ladle the jam through a wide-mouth funnel into the prepared jar. Let the jam cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 months.