Mixed berry jam (or coulis if you may)

Vaccumming the fridge.  That's what I call it.  Once a week, I'll try and turn the fridge upside down (well, not literally) and bring out all left-overs for the week and we'll have a feast!  Once a quarter, I do the "check-all-expiry-dates-on-jars-and-bottles" and throw out all sad-looking things that have not seen the light of day for a million years.  But I'm not that bad at keeping food.  Usually, fruits and vegs are kept in the freezer  before they become sad and wilted. And one day, while doing a litany of tasks with the girls, we found half a punnet of raspeberry in the freezer, added a punnet of blueberries and strawberries and voila - an accidental jam was created.   The girls loved it so much they begged for it in their lunch box the next day!  Happy days!

The jam has since gone, and we've made a new batch.  This time with precise quantities of ingredients, so we can share them.

2 125g punnets raspberries

3 125g punnets blueberries

1 250g punnet strawberries

1/4 cup and 2 tbsp caster sugar

20 ml water

3 tbsp water mixed with 3 tsp arrow root

In a medium sized sauce pan, stir the sugar and water together until the sugar has dissolved.

Add the fruits and continue in medium heat until the fruits have softened.

Take off from heat, add the arrow root mixture and stir to thicken the sauce.

Return to low heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the mixture has reduced.
 
Allow to completely cool before transferring to a jar or container.

* While the jam/sauce is simmering check every now and then to make sure it has not dried up.
 *  We used this as jam on breads and filling in cakes.
* This mixture strained over a fine mesh or sieve can also be used as a coulis for cold desserts.

It may not be the traditional way of making jam (in the absence of pectin and other preserving agents), but it did serve its purpose in our home.  Jam on toast and everything nice. 

 A new favourite - love raspberries!