This excellent recipe comes from Thane Prince's recently published book Jams & Chutneys (Dorling Kindersley, £12.99).

This is not a jam in the accepted sense but a preserve with a shelf life of six to nine months. (Preserves tend to contain chunks of fruit in a thickened syrup and are therefore a little more runny than jam).

Thane was given this recipe by her friend Sue Laing, who lives on a fruit farm in Norfolk. It's is one of 150 recipes, all designed to help you make the most of the fruits and vegetables at your disposal.

If you plan to make more chutneys, jams and pickles this year, to save on food bills, this book would make an excellent investment.

YOU WILL NEED: 1.5kg (3lb. 3oz) small, freshly picked strawberries 1.5kg (3lb.3oz) white granulated sugar Freshly squeezed juice of four lemons.

METHOD: In a large china or glass bowl, layer the strawberries and the sugar, then sprinkle with the juice.

Cover with clingfilm and leave for 24 hours.

Scrape the contents of the bowl into a preserving pan, and bring slowly to the boil.

Allow the mixture to bubble over a low heat for five minutes, then remove from the heat, cover and allow to stand for 48 hours.

Return the pan to the heat, and bring the mixture back to the boil.

Skim thoroughly and boil until a setting point has been reached.

Remove from the heat, pot into hot sterilised jars, seal and label.