Originally published on February 1, 2016
I would’ve never thought to put tomatoes and jam together until tomato jam showed up on one of our feature menus at work. And to be honest, even then I was a little hesitant to try it. Once I did though, I could not believe how good it was – or why I hadn’t thought of it before. The natural sweetness of the tomatoes works beautifully in the jam, but a slow simmer and the addition of other ingredients makes it very “jammy” and not at all like tomato paste (which I have to admit, is what I first envisioned.)
When I asked my co-worker who made the recipe how to make it she said, “Grab a potful of tomatoes, lots of brown sugar, and simmer on very low heat for two days while stirring occasionally.” I had some questions. I mean, two days? Does that include overnight? (Apparently it does.) I just didn’t see it working. What if you had to leave your house? Everyone knows you can’t leave the stove on and just walk out the door. So instead of taking the chance, I’ve played around with tomatoes and sugar a little bit and have come up with a tomato jam that is delicious, and perfectly safe to make!
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds tomatoes (Romas are best, but any tomato will work)
- 1 cup sugar
- Juice from 2 limes
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Directions:
1.) Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
2.) Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture has consistency of thick jam, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cool completely before refrigerating. Chilled jam will keep for at least two weeks.
3.) Serve on sandwiches, scone, or wherever you want delicious jam, and enjoy!