Summary: A wonderful twist on the standard strawberry-rhubarb jam, this instead draws upon the bright tartness of plums and the floral spiciness of star anise to compliment the rhubarb!

Yield: 2 pints

Ingredients

4 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups chopped plums (unpeeled)
3 cups unrefined sugar
2 star anise

Instructions

If you're going to can this jam, set your waterbath canner over high heat. Once the water is boiling, sterilize 4 half-pint jars and their lids.

In the meantime, put the rhubarb, plums and sugar in a heavy-bottomed, non-reactive pot set over medium-high heat. Stir to combine well and keep stirring on a regular basis until the sugar has melted.

Once the sugar is completely dissolved, raise the temperature to high and bring to a boil. Stir regularly and, if you like, use a potato masher to help the rhubarb melt away into the jam. When the temperature reaches 214° Fahrenheit pints or so, drop in the 2 star anise. Stir, taste, stir, take the temp. When the jam is hovering around 217° or 218°, remove the star anise, and carefully ladle the jam into your sterilized jars. Apply the lids and bands, wiping the rims if need be, and process in the boiling waterbath for 12 minutes.