Covid Cafe: Spicy Tomato Jam

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It's Friday, chefs. Are you pondering the weekend, finishing up a week's work, or both? Do you need an engaging pandemic project that requires going to the farmers market for tomatoes and a little time in the kitchen? Rob's here with an idea...

Reward for foraging

the Spirit Circle

Rob writes: Yum! My challenge to try new things has led me to creative ways to take advantage of seasonal produce. This is a simple recipe, basically put all the ingredients in a skillet and cook them down. The resulting jam has deep umami flavors brought on by the fish sauce and the glutamates in the tomatoes balanced with the star anise and ginger. Let it settle overnight in the fridge, where it will last about four weeks.  

I can’t wait to try this with a strong cheese and cracker.

I poured the mixture out of the skillet and into a four-cup pyrex and broke it down with an immersion blender instead of using the potato masher recommended in the recipe. 

The final texture still has noticeable bits, but a better spreading consistency The jalapeño didn’t overpower while giving the dish a good zing!

Spicy Tomato Jam

Makes about two one-cup jars
2 pounds plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 ¼ cups sugar
¾ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup fish sauce
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 large jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeds reserved, and minced 
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 star anise pods (optional)

(For a spicier jam, add the reserved jalapeño seeds. The star anise pods add a
subtle licorice-like flavor, but they can be omitted, if desired.)
 

--Combine tomatoes; sugar; vinegar; fish sauce; garlic; jalapeño (and reserved seeds, if
desired); ginger; and star anise, if using, in 12-inch nonstick skillet. 

--Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring often, until mixture is thickened and has darkened in color, 25 to 30 minutes.

--Discard star anise, if using. 

--Mash jam with potato masher to even consistency. 

--Continue to simmer until rubber spatula or wooden spoon leaves distinct trail when dragged across bottom of skillet, 5 to 10 minutes longer. 

--Transfer jam to two one-cup jars and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate for at
least 24 hours before serving. 

(Jam can be refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.)

We started green and wax beans in a bin, and we'll move the fetal plants to the garden eventually for a fall harvest. These are seeds we brought back from NZ.

Quote

“None of us know what will happen. Don’t spend time worrying about it. Make the most beautiful thing you can. Try to do that every day. That’s it.”  

Laurie Anderson

Setting up:

Row 7 Habanada Peppers, so named because they have no heat 

All the floral sweetness of the famous habanero, minus the burn. 

Here's what they'll look like when mature...

 

Photo via