Tomato Jam

We are picking tomatoes daily.   Be prepared, dear reader, for lots of tomato recipe.

I am going to start out with the best one ever:   Tomato Jam.   If you have a garden, visit farmers markets,  or belong to a CSA, you must have this book:   The Preservation Kitchen by Paul Virant.

I have crushed and canned, diced and canned, and roasted and canned (and salsaed and canned).   I was ready for something completely different.   Tomato Jam fit the bill.

Tomato Jam
from The Preservation Kitchen

5 lbs. Roma tomatoes (or a mix), about 10 cups
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced (a scant cup)  I used a few small red and white onions.
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. coarse sea salt
1 t. fresh ground pepper
1 1/4 c. sugar
1 c. plus 2 T. white wine

Peel tomatoes by scalding them and then placing them in a water bath.

Dice the tomatoes and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until the onions are limp.   Add garlic and continue to cook until the onions begin to brown (but don’t burn the garlic).

Stir in the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.   Add the wine and cook over medium heat, simmering rapidly, for about 15 minutes.   Add the tomatoes and let simmer for 45 minutes.   The jam should be thick and coat the back of a spoon.

Sterilize 3 pint jars and lids.

Ladle the jam into the jars leaving a 1/2-inch space.   Wipe rims and seal with the lids.  Screw on bands.

Place in a canner, covering the jars with one inch of water.   Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.   Turn off heat and remove canner lid.   Leave in the water for a few minutes.   Remove the jars and let cool completely.

The only thing I did different was to add the garlic to this recipe.

This stuff is stupendous.   The Hubs will not let me give any jars away.  His new catch phrase is “You know, you could put tomato jam on this and it would be even better.”

Our favorite way, so far, is to serve it on top of goat cheese on crostini (or in this case, Melba toasts).

It was his idea (as we sat on the patio crunching away) to put some Pistou basil on top.

What I love most about The Preservation Kitchen is that the preserved/canning recipes are referenced for use in other recipes.    Buy the book and you can find how to use up the Tomato Jam in “Tomato Glazed BBQ Goat” and “Tomato-Jam Roasted Potatoes.”   I don’t see the goat in our future, but I am sure I will make some of these potatoes….only if I can wrench some of the jars away from The Hubs’ grasp.   I wouldn’t be surprised if he has hidden it all away by now.