Blackberry Balsamic Blue Cheese Dressing

A delicious sweet and tangy salad dressing made with blackberry jam, balsamic vinegar and blue cheese.

Although most of my recipes are very much child focused, every so often I do like to post something a bit more grown up. Us parents spend so much time ensuring our little ones are properly fed that we often end up neglecting our own meals. (Anyone else find themselves eating cold soggy fish fingers for dinner? Please say it’s not just me!) 

So today I have a recipe just for us adults. I’ve teamed up with Jarden Home Brands* to show you how you can make a delicious Blackberry, Balsamic & Blue Cheese Dressing using their fantastic range of Ball® brand preserving jars.

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Everyone in my family loves jam; on toast, in porridge, in rice pudding… we’re big jam fans! Ball brand products make it super easy to make your own jam with a simple Home Preserving Starter Kit. There’s also a Ball brand low or no sugar pectin mix which allows you to use honey or other sugar substitutes to make your own jam.

Once the jam is made you can use it to create a really tasty salad dressing, perfect for something a bit more grown up for lunch. You simply need to throw some of the jam and a few other ingredients including olive oil, balsamic vinegar and blue cheese into a jar, pop on the lid and give it a good shake! I drizzled the dressing over a simple lettuce and spinach salad and it really felt like a deliciously decadent lunch. Not a soggy fish finger in sight!

If you try this recipe please do let me know what you think. Or tag me in a picture on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I’d love to see your pictures!

*This post and recipe has been commissioned by Jarden Home Brands but all thoughts and opinions on the products are my own.

Blackberry Balsamic Blue Cheese Dressing

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★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Ciara @ My Fussy Eater
• Category: Sauce
• Cuisine: European

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Description

A delicious sweet and tangy salad dressing made with blackberry jam, balsamic vinegar and blue cheese.

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Ingredients

• Blackberry Jam:
• 600g crushed blackberries
• 200g cups sugar
• 200ml cup water
• 6 Tbsp Ball® Jam Setting Mix with Pectin
• 6x 240ml Ball® Quilted Crystal Jars
• Blackberry Balsamic Blue Cheese Dressing:
• 60ml blackberry jam
• 80ml olive oil
• 45ml balsamic vinegar
• 30 g very finely chopped shallots
• ½ tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme OR 1 tsp. very thinly sliced fresh basil
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 30g crumbled blue cheese

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Instructions

1. To make the jam:
2. PREPARE large pan of boiling water. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
3. PLACE crushed berries in a large bowl. Add sugar, mixing thoroughly. Let stand 10 minutes.
4. COMBINE water and Ball® Pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, continuing to stir.
5. ADD cooked pectin mixture to fruit mixture and stir for 3 minutes.
6. LADLE the jam into the hot Ball® jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Centre lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
7. PROCESS filled jars in a large pan of boiling water for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when centre is pressed.
9. To make the dressing:
10. Combine all ingredients in a 240 mL Ball® Quilted Crystal™ Jelly Jar and shake well.