When ::Steph chows:: announced she was hosting a Jam Exchange, I was excited to get jammin. I had high aspirations of making a rich blueberry jam or even a tart raspberry jam.
So why in the world did I pick tomatoes?
Well… because berries are expensive here in Dallas!
(C’mon, I know I am not the only money conscious blogger out there!)
It may only take a few ingredients to make jam, but you normally need 5 – 6 pounds of your main ingredient. Five pounds of blueberries at $3.99 a pound, versus five pounds of tomatoes at .33cents a pound. Can you see where I am going with this?
I am sending my jam Monday morning so the recipient still has to wait a few days until she receives it. I hope she opens her package and is shocked that she got tomato jam. Then I hope that shock turns into curiosity. And the curiosity turns into delight.
Tomato Jam
yield: 3 8oz jars
5 lb Tomatoes, very ripe
3 cups Sugar
1 tsp Tobasco
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1. Chop up all tomatoes in a uniform size. Discard the seeds.
2. Add all ingredients in a medium sized stock pot and turn on high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
3. Reduce to low heat and let reduce until it is jam consistency, about 1 and a half hours.
4. When thick remove from the heat and transfer mixture to another container to let cool.
The jam is sweet yet still has a tomato flavor. The splash of tobasco and red pepper flakes give it that sudden touch of heat. Tomato Jam is more of a condiment than jam, since it is so versatile and can be paired with so many things. I enjoy Tomato Jam on toast, fresh bread, sandwiches, morning bagels with cream cheese and especially soft cheeses like brie or goat cheese.
