English muffin with "F.R.O.G." Please!

Fruit jams are often uninspired, but a good preserve or compote can be worked into breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert with some creativity. This jam was inspired by one found at a farmer's market in Ohio, and it was called "F.R.O.G" spread. It stood for fig, raspberry, orange and ginger. It is spicy, sweet and a bit savory even - perfect for topping an english muffin, topping ice cream or cheese cake or even served with the ordinary Easter ham. It doesn't have any gluten in it, so if avoiding gluten and experimenting with different breads and muffins, sometimes a nice jam adds a nice bit of flavor and makes them palatable especially to children. A great dessert idea is to take a grain such as quinoa or rice and make a rice pudding with this spread stirred in at the end. Great flavor that compliments Middle Eastern and Indian flavors well.

To make this jam, which makes about 3 or 4 large jars worth, just grab a saucepan that is large enough to catch any splatter. When heating sugary substances, it is important they don't go onto the stove because they'll never come off. No large saucepan? Just stick to a double boiler, then. Grab a mixing bowl to fit over whatever pot you have. Shopping for ingredients consists of finding a container or bag of dried black mission figs (about 8 ounces), a jar of bitter orange marmalade (bitter is important, to give it some balance and to keep it from getting too sweet), a small 12 to 16 ounce bag of raspberries or black raspberries and a bag of candied (preferably uncrystallized ginger). For a spicier compote, add more candied ginger or simply grate some fresh ginger into the mix. A little goes a long way with fresh grated ginger, though.

Start with the raspberries. Empty the whole bag into the saucepan or double boiler and warm until the berries are all melted and just short of boiling. Keep the heat high enough to just barely simmer, but not hot enough to keep at a rolling boil. While the raspberries are warming through it is a good idea to get the rest of the ingredients all ready, which consists of cutting the ginger and figs. Dried figs are sometimes hard to cut, but a serrated knife often works best. Once the ginger and figs are diced, they can be added to the raspberries. Once those ingredients have incorporated and warmed, add the orange marmalade and stir often until the ingredients have all come together. This jam should keep in the refrigerator for a couple weeks in an airtight container. It is perfectly fine, though, to go ahead and freeze in small portions, especially if just cooking for a small family or yourself.

>>> Sensitive about seeds? Fig seeds are incredibly small, so it is best in these cases to get a nice strainer and strain the warm mixture a few times to get a smooth jam. It will weed out the tasty rind of the bitter oranges, but still retain great flavor for those who normally have to be so careful with fruit spreads.