In the Kitchen with Marti: Savory Tomato Jam

I grew up in a house with a mother who loved me so much she cooked a 40-minute chicken breast, just to make sure it was safe for me to consume. I say this not as a dig at my wonderful mother who will read this column and tell me it was closer to 25 minutes, but to say that I grew up with a bit of fear surrounding botulism. As such, I didn't grow up with an understanding of how to can, it wasn't passed down as a great family tradition. The familiarity I had with mason jars didn't extend far beyond an often overused centerpiece at a "shabby chic" wedding.

However when Ash and I started dating, that needed to change: quick. She kept bringing home gorgeous tomatoes in every color of the rainbow, and I couldn't keep up. There are only so many BLT's one can consume.

Then while dining at one of our favorite lunch spots in Des Moines, I had a perfectly paired grilled cheese with smeared with savory tomato jam. I nearly fell out of my seat. While we had been eating tomatoes on everything, nothing I made tasted this beautifully intense. I had to figure out how to make it, and keep it on hand all year round, botulism be dammed.

Thus my foolproof recipe for Tomato Jam was born. Smear it on an egg sandwich. Put it on your charcuterie board. Swap out your sad beefsteak for the for the ultimate BLT. Seriously, what ever you do make it a double batch. You can thank me later.

Note: I call this ugly delicious because it isn’t the most pleasing to photograph and it is sticky as all get out. Ripe tomatoes are just about the most beautiful thing in the world, and this recipe does nothing visually to honor that beauty. Trust me, much like Momofuku Chef David Chang says, I believe that the #uglydelicious foods of the world are actually the most tasty. Embrace the mess.

Hope you enjoy.

-M

Savory Tomato Jam

2 pounds ripe tomatoes- seeds removed - diced- aim for 1/4 inch

3 cloves of garlic- minced

1/4 c. white onion- diced

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 lemon- juiced

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

salt + pepper

Add everything to a small sauce pan, bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer until it is thick and jammy. Should slide off the spoon in sheets not droplets. Heat your jars to reduce breakage. Ladle hot jam into four sterilized half-pint jars.

Wipe down tops and sides of jars. Seal finger tight. Process in hot water bath canner for 20 minutes. Line countertop with two layers of kitchen towel. Rest jars for 24 hours undisturbed. Check that all seals are tight before storage.