Tomatoes, with all their natural sweetness and vibrancy, make an excellent jam. You can use this as an alternative to tomato ketchup, or as a filling for savoury scones and sandwiches; it’s almost like a sweet chutney. It’s also a great way to use up leftover tomatoes.
MAKES 700G
750g (6 large) tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp sea salt, plus more if needed
250g caster sugar, plus more if needed
2 tsp tomato purée
Place the tomatoes, vinegar and salt in a large, microwavable bowl or container, covering loosely with a plate or lid. Microwave at full power (800W) for 10–15 minutes, stirring every 5, until the tomatoes are very soft.
Add the sugar and tomato purée, then blitz to a smooth consistency with a hand-held blender.
Return to the microwave without the lid for a further 25–30 minutes, stirring every 5, until thick and a spoonful put on a chilled plate doesn’t run. You may think this is a long time, but it’s a lot quicker than it would be on the hob. You need it to cook this long to reduce the water content that was in the tomatoes. Taste and add more salt or sugar if necessary. Allow to cool.
(If you haven’t got a microwave, put everything in a heavy-based pan, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, stirring, until thick and a spoonful put on a chilled plate doesn’t run. If the jam sticks to the pan a bit don’t worry, as this helps the flavour. Whizz with a hand-held blender for a more jammy texture.)
Pot in a 600ml (or two smaller) sterilised jar(s) (see here), while it and the jars are still warm. It keeps for a month in the fridge.
