As the markets are brimming over with the sweet juicy bounty of the season’s harvest, set some aside for enjoying in a preserved form. With recipes for compotes, jams, and preserves for sour cherries, watermelon rind, raspberries, and more—in methods as simple as freezing with sugar to pickling in vinegar—transform your favorite summer fruits to enjoy immediately, or well into the fall and winter.
Violets picked in spring make for an aromatic accompaniment that can be enjoyed all year round. Portion in small baby food jars and you’ve got lovely Mother’s Day gifts.
Preserve summery tomatoes and nectarines with this chunky, vinegary chutney from cookbook author Cathy Barrow. It’s the perfect preserve to serve with a sturdy cheese and crisp crackers.
Jalapeños, red bell peppers, poblanos, and serrano chiles come together in this spicy-sweet jelly from Elizabeth Stark, the blogger behind Brooklyn Supper. It’s perfect paired with rich meats, spread on sandwiches, or served on a cheese-and-cracker spread. Get the recipe for Four Pepper Jelly »
Rhubarb, a reddish pink vegetable that grows in celery-like stalks and is harvested through the late summer, has a pleasing tartness, so it pairs well with sweet strawberries in a jam.
This jammy tomato compote is perfect paired with a triple cream goat cheese or with firm white-fleshed fish dishes. Floral vanilla bean brings out the musky qualities of cherry tomatoes. It is best made with ripe tomatoes at the height of summer.
Garlic and Sriracha balance the sweetness of pineapple in this Southeast Asian-inspired pickle; a splash of fish sauce adds a robust savory edge. Get the recipe for Piquant Pickled Pineapple »
Ripe nectarines and a touch of rosewater transform into a fragrant condiment that’s equally good topping ice cream as it is accompanying grilled meat or fish.
Blueberries are great candidates for jam-making because of their high level of pectin—preserve them at the height of summer and enjoy their flavor year-round.
