Tomato Jam

Whenever I hear the phrase tomato jam, I think of two things.

1) The phrase "tomato jammy jam" which is likely a riff off of an old In Living Colour episode or House Party 2, both gems of the 1990s. Or....
2) Well, I guess since a tomato is a fruit, it would make a good jam.

But until a month ago, I had never tried it. I got to sample a homemade tomato jam for the first time at our local farmers' market and I was hooked. And they just so happened to share the recipe. So I made this jam as an appetizer for a dinner I was cooking a few weeks back. It made a decent amount so I brought it to a few other events and it was a big hit. If I had proper canning equipment, this would make a great gift for others. While tomato season is behind us, I'd suggest bookmarking this to try next year. It is totally worth the effort.

I served the jam on melba toast with chevre cheese.

Tomato Jam (makes 2 quarts)

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 lbs of tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a 2-quart pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until thickened to a jam-like consistency, about 3 hours. Be sure to stir on occasion to make sure it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pot. Transfer to glass jars and refrigerate for up to two weeks.