Lilac Jelly

I did it and it's beautiful. 


I say that like I'm surprised but I'm not. I'm delighted beyond words though.


Pretty flowers make pretty jelly. It's mostly sugar tasting, but there is a subtle floral taste, which is lovely. 

I made lilac jelly and I can't be more pleased. I now need to develop a recipe or two which uses it. I'm thinking a lilac chicken breast with butter and shallots, maybe over polenta. Scroll down. I added that too.

I hear the lids on the jelly jars popping down as I type. I'm freaking giddy.

Here's the recipe for Lilac Jelly

2 cup lilac blossoms, I used dark purple lilacs
2 cups boiling water
the juice of 1 lemon, about .25 cup
4 cups sugar
1 3oz packet of liquid pectin
Pick the blossoms off the stems, removing as much green as you can. Settle in, this is what takes time. Cover it with 2 cups of boiling water, in a non reactive container. Cover and let sit 24 hours. Strain blossoms. Prepare 4.5 cups worth of canning jars.
Add lemon juice and sugar Bring to a boil. Add pectin and boil again for one minute. Skim foam. Pour into prepared jars. Clean the rim, seal them and follow canning instructions, which is basically simmer the jars covered in water 10 minutes.

Jelly!

This hasn't been tried with lilac jelly, but I've done it a million times with current jelly and I bet it will work beautifully.

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
salt and pepper to taste
1 T. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup lilac jelly
cracked black pepper
2 T. butter

Preheat oven to 350. In a oven safe skillet heat olive oil. Salt and pepper the chicken. Sear on both sides. Move to oven. Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and set chicken aside. Using the skillet, add garlic and shallots. Cook until fragrant. Add wine. Reduce by half. Add jelly and pepper, stir until smooth. Add butter. Add chicken back to the skillet to coat. Serve with some fantastic tangy/creamy starch like blue cheese polenta.

When was last time you inspired by something beautiful? What did you do?