Later this month, Nicky and Oliver are hosting Sugar High Friday which you'll be able to catch at their fabulous blog delicious:days when they present the round-up on August 25th.

Their theme? Can You Can, a compendium of recipes for preserves, conserves, and jams and jellies from all over the world. Maybe I'm a Stupid Boy, but I assumed when they said 'can' they meant to use something that comes in a can. Can You Can (get it?) Being a literalist (and a smart-aleck), I decided to flip the top off a beer can and make Shallot, Beer, Prune, and Cocoa Nib Jam.

What?
Beer in jam?
Well, why the heck not? I've been intrigued by the combination of beer and chocolate ever since tasting this fabulous gelatina from Italy. The flavor of the beer here is rather mild, and I used the classic 1664 French beer (the Budweiser of France...but it tastes better). But you can use whatever you'd like. Since you'll have to finish off the can, choose something you like.

But rather than spread this jam on your morning toast (unless you like beer in the morning) I serve it alongside savory dishes like my Lamb Tagine that I made a few weeks ago, or smear a bit atop warm rounds of tangy goat cheese on grilled toasts for an appetizing appetizer.

Here's a few general tips on jam-making:

• Hard & Fast
  Most conserves with fresh fruit benefit from being cooked quickly, over moderately-high heat. This allows the fruit to retain much of its character.

• Don't Overcook
  There's nothing worse than overcooked jam. That's when the sugar caramelizes, and that flavor overwhelms whatever else is in the jam. There's not much you can do to save it at this point, so watch out.

• Brighten Up
  Fruit jams often benefit from a squirt of lemon juice and a shot of kirsch added to brighten up flavors. Kirsch augments the taste of fruits and I add a few drops to just about every fruit dessert I make.

• Don't Overreact
  Never use reactive cookware when making jams. Materials such as non-anondized aluminum and tin can react with the acids and leave a tinny aftertaste. To avoid burning and hotspots, use heavy-duty cookware with a thick bottom.

• Don't Double Your Pleasure
  In general, don't double recipes. Better to make two small batches, since each will take less time to cook, preserving the appealing flavors of your ingredients.

• Degrees of Faith
  If you aren't sure if your jam is cooked to the right temperature, check it with a candy thermometer. For this jam, it's easy to gauge its cooking, but fruit jams 'set' at about 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104 C). Never put a glass thermometer in something hot. It might break. Stick it in at the start of cooking.
  

Shallot, Cocoa Nib, Beer, and Prune Jam
About 1 1/2 cups

This goes great with pâté or as a sweet counterpoint to anything rich and meaty. In Paris, there's normally a gathering before dinner for drinks, such as a kir or a glass of Champagne. I've served this with slices of foie gras on toasted brioche, a perfect partnership.

I used the largest shallots I could find since I'm too lazy to peel those little ones. Feel free to substitute raisins for the prunes (I sometimes mix them), and if you'd like to use white wine or rosé instead of beer, allez-y.

1 pound (450g) shallots, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoon unflavored vegetable oil
big pinch of coarse salt
a few turns of freshly-cracked black pepper
1/2 cup (100g) beer
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
2 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons cider or balsamic vinegar
8 prunes (3 oz/90g), pitted, and cut into tiny pieces
1 heaping tablespoon cocoa nibs (see Note)

In a medium-sized heavy-duty skillet or saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the shallots over moderate heat with a pinch of salt and pepper, stirring frequently, until they're soft and wilted, which should take about 10 minutes.

Add the beer, sugar, honey, vinegar, prune pieces, and cocoa nibs and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the shallots begin to caramelize. While cooking, continue stirring them just enough to keep them from burning.

The jam is done when the shallots are nicely-caramelized, as shown.

Store the jam in the refrigerator, where it will keep for at least 2 months.

(Note: Organic Cocoa Nibs are also available from Dagoba.)

For his sweet event, the fine folks at delicious:days