Chili pepper marmalade

Ingredients:

Jam

• 2 tbsp. pepper essence, recipe follows
• 5 tbsp. sugar
• 1 packet of liquid pectin
• Red food coloring (optional)

Pepper essence

• 1 and 3/4 cups white wine vinegar
• 1 and 1/4 cups of water
• 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 2 cups diced and seeded red bell peppers
• 1 cup diced and seeded red peppers or jalapenos

Preparation:

1. Pepper essenceCombine all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the peppers are soft.
   
   Remove from heat and leave covered for 15 minutes. Try not to inhale the steam..
2. Strain the pepper essence through a fine sieve or a cheesecloth-lined colander into a large bowl.
3. Then strain the essence through a sieve lined with a coffee filter until it's as clear as possible. Refrigerate the essence for a few hours to allow any remaining particles to settle to the bottom.
4. Strain the pepper essence one last time through a coffee filter, carefully scooping it from the bowl with a ladle, being careful not to disturb the sediment. Then pour 2 tablespoons into a large saucepan.
5. JamHeat the essence and stir in the sugar. Bring the liquid to a boil and stir constantly for 1 minute. Stir in the pectin and bring to a boil again, stirring for 1 minute. Then stir in the food coloring, if using.
6. Remove the pan from the stove and skim off any foam from the surface of the jam with a spoon. Pour the jam into sterilized jars, leaving 1 cm from the top, and preserve.