Tomato Chile Jam Recipes

TOMATO CHILE JAM

Steps:

• Open the can of tomatoes and drain the liquid into a food processor or blender. Reserve the tomatoes.
• Slice 3 to 6 fresh red chile peppers (depending on their heat) and add to the blender or processor with garlic, ginger and fish sauce. Blend until smooth.
• Pour into a pan, add the diced tomatoes and vinegar and sugar. Simmer until thick and syrupy, about an hour. Natural pectin in the tomatoes gives the sauce its jammy consistency.
• When cool, transfer to containers or jars, and keep refrigerated.

TOMATO CHILLI (CHILE) JAM

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a two-quart saucepan. Add mustard seeds and cook until they pop.
• Add onion and stir for about 30 seconds, then add all other ingredients.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes. Keep an eye on it and stir frequently. You don't want it to burn.
• When the jam has thickened to your preference, turn off heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then zap with a stick blender to puree it slightly. You want it to stay on the chunky side.
• Bottle and store in the fridge. Use within two weeks. I find it improves with age.

TOMATO CHILI JAM

Steps:

• First, blanch the tomatoes (bring a pan of water to the boil, remove from heat and place the tomatoes in the water for a minute or two). Then peel them. Chop them into halves or quarters.
• Peel the garlic cloves and place them, together with the tomatoes, the Nam Pla (or alternative) and chilis into a blender. Blend on a medium setting until the whole mixture resembles a strawberry milkshake. Yeah, really, it will. It's a little off-putting, to be honest, but it won't last for long....
• Pour the vinegar and the "strawberry milkshake" mix into a large-ish heavy-bottomed saucepan, and then pour in the sugar - just dump it in; there's no need to do it in increments.
• Bring the whole thing to a boil over a high-ish heat, stirring constantly to completely dissolve the sugar.
• Once it comes to the boil, turn the heat to low and leave the jam to simmer. There's no need to cover the pan (and doing so will likely increase cooking time.).
• From now on, stir every 10 minutes or so to keep the mixture from sticking to the sides of the pan.
• You need to leave the pan at a simmer until the mixture starts to gain a jam-like consistency. This can be a little difficult to gauge on your first outing, since the jam will be runnier at cooking temperature than at room temperature. It'll start to look a bit "jammy" even at high heat, though, and stirring it will become more difficult.
• Reaching thei "jam stage" usually takes somewhere around an hour and a half, but it can vary up to half an hour either side, depending on the water content of the tomatoes. The eventual amount of jam, similarly, will vary somewhat.

NEW ZEALAND VENISON SLIDERS WITH TOMATO CHILE JAM

Steps:

• Combine the beef, venison, oil, salt, cinnamon, oregano, pepper and parsley in a mixing bowl. Use a spoon, spatula or your hands to blend it thoroughly. Form the meat into twelve 3-ounce sliders, and refrigerate until cooking time.
• Brush the sliders with olive oil and cook on a preheated very hot grill or in a nonstick pan for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook! This lovely lean meat is best served rare or medium-rare.
• Place the grilled venison sliders on a bun, top with Tomato Chile Jam and cover with the bun top. Finish by skewering a cornichon and driving the skewer through the top bun, the slider and the bottom bun to keep them intact and easy to eat. Repeat with all the sliders.
• Place the sliders on a platter and waste no time getting them to your guests and into your mouth!
• Combine the tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, garlic, chiles and ginger in a saucepot. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 2 hours, stirring all the time to make sure it doesn't scorch on the bottom. Allow the thick, glossy condiment to cool to room temperature, and refrigerate till needed. Cook's Note: This will make more than needed, but this sauce is mildly addictive and you will be happy to have some stashed away in your refrigerator for any grilled meat, fish or prawns. It lasts for over a month when stored properly in a sealed container.

CHEAT'S TOMATO CHILLI JAM

Steps:

• Put a 400g can chopped tomatoes, 1 finely chopped red chilli, 1 grated thumb-sized piece of ginger, 1 star anise, 250g caster sugar, 150ml red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt in a pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 mins until thick and glossy. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, and transfer to a sterilised jar. Will keep for two weeks, or unopened for up to six months.

GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN AND BELGIAN ENDIVE AND TOMATO CHILE JAM

Steps:

• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt using a large heavy knife, then stir together garlic paste, rosemary, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Pat pork dry and rub all over with paste. Marinate, uncovered, at room temperature 20 minutes.
• While pork marinates, prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.
• While grill is heating, set a box grater into a shallow dish, then rub cut sides of tomatoes against large teardrop-shaped holes to remove as much tomato pulp as possible (discard skins). Boil tomato pulp, sugar, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a 4-quart heavy pot, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer tomato jam to a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool to room temperature, stirring.
• Brush both sides of endive halves with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and season with salt. Grill pork and endives on lightly oiled grill rack, turning over occasionally, until thermometer inserted diagonally into center of pork registers 150°F and endives are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to about 155°F while standing.) Serve pork with endives and tomato chile jam.