I know. I thought it sounded weird at first, too. Jam? From Tomatoes???
I’ll admit, I was desperate. I had so many tomatoes coming on over the weekend screaming “Pick Me! Pick Me!” that I began to get a bit desperate. I came across a tomato jam recipe and gave it a try. It is great spread on a toasted baguette slice over a thin layer of ricotta.
I decided to spice it up quite a bit, so the jalapenos were my idea. And, I only used about half of the recommended sugar so the jam would have a more tangy savory feel. And, don’t be tempted to squeeze out the seeds and liquid from the tomatoes – that is where all the pectin is that will thicken the jam.
TOMATO CHILE JAM
4 cups diced ripe tomatoes
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 large shallots, minced
3 red jalapeno peppers *
4 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup apple cider or rice vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Place 1/2 of the tomatoes, ginger and peppers in food processor and process until a smooth puree.
Stir all ingredients together in a large stockpot. Bring to a rapid boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is reduced to a thick jam.
Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.
*If you want more heat, leave seeds and pulp in peppers, since this is where the heat resides. Otherwise, cut peppers in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds and pulp with a spoon.
Other Fab Frugal Tomato Jam recipes out there:
Tomato Jam, andreasrecipes.com
Sicilian Tomato Jam, divinacocina.blogspot.com
– posted by Donna
I have tried a recipe similar to this – it is surprising how delicious it is. try this with chicken, a yogurt sauce, on a pita.
Tomatoes are amazing, aren’t they? Sweet or savory, however you use them they are fabulous!
This sounds delicious! I can’t wait to try it. Do you think it would be acidic enough to can more for the pantry, or will it need to stay refrigerated?
You know, I was meaning to find that out myself. It would be a fabulous thing to have stashed in the pantry!
I will talk to my university extension office food safety specialists and then I’ll email you the info.
In the meantime – do try this out. I was skeptical, but love it!
Oh, thank you so much! I bought some tomatoes at the farmer’s market this morning expressly for this jam. I’m looking forward to making it tonight!
I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe! I used ancho chiles from my garden and added smoked sea salt. It’s amazing! I can’t wait to spread it on toast in the morning… thanks again! I never would’ve thought of anything like this!
One of the best things about having a food blog is connecting with folks like you!
I am so happy that you liked the jam – it surprised me, too!
Aw, thanks, that’s so sweet. I made whole wheat polenta bread this morning and they go so beautifully together!