How to make your own Tomato and Chilli Jam.
This Tomato and Chilli Jam is a great way of using the glut of tomatoes coming from the garden at this time of year. This rich, ripe homegrown fruit produces the best results. But if that’s not possible, get the ripest fruit you can. It has always amazed me that people will shun ripe tomatoes preferring firm unripe ones. They would refuse hard plums or peaches, so why accept poor quality tomatoes?
TIP. Because of this you will often see soft tomatoes seen sold off cheaply in the shops. Take advantage any buy them! They will be perfect for the chilli jam or our Tomato and Red Pepper Soup.
Hot Sweet Heaven.
A must for any store cupboard, been both flexible and addictive. Have it chutney style with cheese or picnic lunch. The smooth version becomes a dressing or sauce, great for presentation and amazing with seafood, especially scallops. What’s even better is you can make both variations at the same time.
You will need.
Chopping board and knife.
Heatproof silicone spatula.
Wide shallow pan.
Jam funnel.
Small ladle.
Sterilised 8oz jam jars and lids. (look up our pages on home preserving, the golden rules on hot to sterilise your jars)
Waxed paper jam covers to fit jars.
Tomato and Chilli Jam.
Makes 4 x 200ml jars.
2tbs light olive oil.
2 red onions roughly 200g – cut into small dice.
3 cloves of garlic.
¼ heaped tsp sea salt.
800g fresh tomatoes, ideally San Marzano if you have them.
300g light soft brown sugar.
3cm ginger very finely grated.
juice of 2 limes.
2 hot red chillies – thinly sliced, with seeds, if you’re brave.
Peel the onions and cut into small dice about 1cm across. Pour the olive into a wide pan and gently cook the onions until soft – 5 to 10 minutes. While they are cooking peel the garlic then crush to a paste using the salt to help break the cloves down. Roughly chop the tomatoes like the onions, then add to the pan followed by the garlic paste.
Increase the heat and add the sugar and lime juice, followed by the ginger and sliced chillies. If you’re not sure how much chilli you need, or like add two, then let the mix cook for five minutes. Have a taste, If you want, you can add more chilli, but remember the jam will get slightly hotter as it reduces in volume
Let the mix cook at a strong simmer until thick, about 15 minutes. To check pull the flat edge of a silicone spatula across the pan. If just a little juice flows back into the gap, its ready.
The jam can now be poured via a jam funnel into hot sterilised jars covered with a waxed paper disc and sealed with a lid. I always use small 200ml jars so its always on hand but not hanging around for too long in the fridge.
Use as a sauce as well.
If you want to make the smooth version, you can keep half back in the pan and use a hand blender to turn it into a smooth sauce. Professionally we would then press it through a very fine sieve to give use the best presentation. At home it’s fine to use as it is. Return the pan to the heat and re-boil the contents before pouring into jars as before.
Store the jars in a cool dark place for at least four weeks before use. Once opened keep in the fridge and use within 10 days.
I have to admit to been a little obsessed with this. It like an adult tomato ketchup, great with almost everything! make it as hot or mild as you like it’s up to you.
Enjoy Life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
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