Tomato Chilli Jam

 

Peter Gordon is my all time favourite chef. He is the absolute King of Fusion, he  has the most amazing palate for mixing international flavours to create divine dishes. If you can get to Providores in London, or Dine in Auckland, do so, you'll be able to taste his wonderful blend of flavours. Here's his website to tempt your taste buds www.peter-gordon.net .

This Peter Gordon recipe is one I make often, and serve on most anything - it's great on burgers, with barbequed meats, or simply spread on thick sour dough toast and topped with fried egg. I love it with sweetcorn fritters, bacon and avocado, and 'watered' down with lime juice and water, it makes a great dipping sauce for Asian appetisers, like spring rolls or dumplings.

It's important that the tomatoes in this recipe are good quality with no blemishes, and ripe, but not too ripe. If they're too ripe, they'll lose their natural fruit pectic which helps to set the 'jam'. I also tend to make 3 or 4 times the recipe and bottle in nice jars, as it makes fabulous gifts.

I have a few jars hanging out on the bench if anyone wants any :)

Peter Gordon's Tomato Chilli Jam
makes 2 x 200ml jars

• 500 grams ripe tomatoes, cored and diced into 1cm cubes
• 4 red chillies, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 6 cm thumb of ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 300 grams caster sugar
• 100mls red wine vinegar

Method

The Puree

 

After adding the extra tomatoes

The jam ready to bottle

 

1. Place half of the tomatoes, chillies, garlic, ginger and fish sauce into a blender or food processor and blitz to a puree
2. Pop into a pot with the sugar and red wine vinegar and heat slowly, stirring constantly until boiling.
3. Add in the remaining tomatoes, bring back to the boil, turn down to medium and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until thick and 'jam-like'. Sometimes I find this can take about 45 minutes to reduce down.
4. Pour into sterilised jars and seal. Just pop the jars into the dishwasher on a hot cycle, dry thoroughly, and if not using a water bath to seal then store the jars in the fridge, not the cupboard, the jam will last at least 6 months, unless like me....you scoff it in much less time.