Spiced Tomato Jam

• • • Makes 2½ pints • • •

A little spicy, vinegary, and sweet, this is one of my favorite condiments to serve with cheese. Beyond that, it’s wonderful on crostini (page 194) and also on a smoked turkey sandwich.

5 pounds (2.3 kg) ripe red plum tomatoes

2 large lemons

2 cups (200 g) vanilla sugar (see page 57)

2 tablespoons good-quality aged balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

8 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

2 fresh chile peppers, minced

Equipment

5 sterilized ½-pint jars and their lids

Basic water-bath canning equipment (see page 15)

1 • Cut off the stem end of the tomatoes and peel them with a vegetable peeler. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the tomatoes in half again lengthwise into quarters, and cut the quarters into 2 or 3 pieces. Put them in a large nonreactive heavy-bottomed saucepan or preserving pot as you work.

2 • Zest the lemons with a vegetable peeler, taking care to get just the thin outer skin and no pith. Chop the zest finely and juice the lemons, discarding the seeds. Add the zest and juice to the pot with the tomatoes. Stir in the sugar, vinegar, salt, cloves, bay leaves, and chile peppers. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to cook at a lively simmer until the jam is glossy and thick enough that you can drag a path along the bottom with a silicone spatula. When the jam is ready, fish out and discard the bay leaves and cloves.

3 • Ladle the jam into the sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean, if necessary, with a clean, damp cloth and screw the lids on the jars.

4 • Process for 15 minutes in a boiling-water bath (see Water-Bath Canning, page 15). Remove the jars and set them upright on a clean kitchen towel. Let the jars cool to room temperature before storing in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Refrigerate after opening.

Variation  • Using yellow tomatoes instead of red yields a lovely, deep golden-colored jam. Look for yellow plum tomatoes or medium yellow globe tomatoes such as Lemon Boy. Follow the same instructions using white balsamic vinegar in place of red.