A tantalizing portrait
Monday, September 1, 2008 at 8:12AM 
Mark Bittman's tomato jam; wonderful to look at, tastes even better. Photos taken by my sister-in-law.
It was love at first sight. Or at least greed at first glance.
It was early. I was still in my pajamas and had only recently padded into the kitchen. Coffee in hand, I flicked open the newspaper and there it was. Across the countertop lay spread a photo so alluring, so beautiful, that my breath caught and I stopped mid sip.
Now what ever could have caught my rapt attention? What was the object of my early-morning desire, you ask?
Mark Bittman's Tomato Jam. (You know me well enough to know it would be about food.)
But seriously. Look at this. It is just a spoonful of gorgeousness. To call it red would be a disservice; it seems too plain. Scarlet doesn't cut it, brick doesn't even come close. Vermilion? Crimson? I cannot come up with an adjective that captures the particular hue of this luscious-looking stuff.
Attempts to describe aside, I did know one thing from the start. I wanted to try this jam. I needed to make it. And I needed to make it right away.
And so, I set about making a batch of tomato jam. Lucky for me, my dear Sean is used to the vagrancies of my behaviour and said not a word when I started mincing green chilies and ginger. After a minimal bit of chopping, stirring and grinding, on my stove sat a bubbling pot. Soon the smell of coffee met and mingled with scents of ripe tomatoes and grassy cumin, with an underlying warmth of cinnamon and clove.
The pot remained for the remainder of the coffee, and for the duration of breakfast. All the while deepening in colour and texture; what started out as bright and watery slowly turned darker, richer. In the end, I was left with a sticky sweet relish, heady with spice but with a good balance of acidity. It was complex without being overly complicated.
The jam was even better after it cooled overnight in the fridge. Akin to a chutney, it is an unexpected but delicious accompaniment to bread and cheese. I would offer more suggestions for its use, but I haven't gotten that far; I've just started exploring the possibilities.
I can tell you this though, this tomato jam looks good enough to eat. And its looks do not deceive.
Tomato Jam
By Mark Bittman, as published in the New York Times (August 19, 2008) and in syndication.
Recipe and an associated video are both available online.
Notes:
• I used a mix of tomatoes from our garden, all rather sweet in their own right. While I understand its role in setting the jam, I was still wary of the amount of sugar in the recipe - so I used a generous 3/4 of a cup and upped the tomatoes to a full 2 lbs.
• For another savory note I included 1 large garlic clove, grated.
• Wanting enough heat to cut through the sweetness, I used two small green chilies instead of the jalapeño.
• When I make this again I might include a bit of lime zest, if I'm so inclined.
• Most likely due to the reduced amount of sugar and additional tomatoes, my cooking time was closer to 2 hours to reach the consistency I was looking for.
Reader Comments (18)
I've never had a tomato jam...but it looks and sounds very tasty. :)
Sounds like a nice jam. WIll you use it in place of chutney or ketchup or, will you use it on toast?
It looks delish - will you use your tomato jam as a substitute for ketchup or chutney or spread it on toast in place of other fruit jams?
Tara, I have an arsenal of tomatoes patiently waiting for me to make up my mind. And MB's recipe sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing it.
This looks AMAZING!! Do you think you could can this with a hot water bath without losing its flavor? If so, about how long?? I've a BUNCH of tomatoes, and while I'm planning on canning them as per the usual stewed/tomato sauce, etc., I'd love to have some of THIS for winter!!
Tomato jam is new too me - sounds very interesting.
That jam is jezebel! I'm falling in love too.
I saw this tomato jam last week and printed it out. The thing I wasnt sure about was the ginger. Did you like that part? Your jam looks amazing. I love that comment that its jezebel. too funny.
Tomato jam rocks! My grandmother used to make it and since she passed away I had to guess at the recipe. All the recipes i have seen use WAY TOO much sugar. I use about 1 cup of sugar, 4 thin lemon slices,sliced basil, and 1 cinnamon stick.
I have used the jam on turkey sandwhiches, poultry, pork and beef.I like the garlic idea, and the peppers.
But having it on a cold morning on toast with coffee is how i remember and like it best!
Tomato jam rocks! My grandmother used to make it and since she passed away I had to guess at the recipe. All the recipes i have seen use WAY TOO much sugar. I use about 1 cup of sugar, 4 thin lemon slices,sliced basil, and 1 cinnamon stick.
I have used the jam on turkey sandwhiches, poultry, pork and beef.I like the garlic idea, and the peppers.
But having it on a cold morning on toast with coffee is how i remember and like it best!
treehousejukebox, I had never had it either - until I tried this one. Made me feel that I've been missing out for all these years!
Dana, as noted, I haven't gotten further than cheese and bread just yet. On Bittman's blog he advises using the jam as a condiment for chicken and fish; I think it would be great on top of a burger of almost any sort. Our pint is already almost gone, so I will have to make some more to continue experimenting.
marysol, I would think your tomatoes would be rather happy to end up as this delicious jam. I hope you enjoy it.
kristen, that was my thought as well - interesting. I did not know what to expect when I read the recipe, but the photo was too enticing to pass up. I am glad I gave it a shot.
Renee, I am no expert when it comes to canning. I would suggest going to Mark Bittman's site, where there is a discussion of canning versus freezing in the comments section. If you decide to try either, please report back!
[eatingclub] vancouver || js, it is a bit of a tart, no?
Lori, since I am a fan of ginger, I didn't mind it here. It really played nicely off the acidity and sweetness, adding a warmth underneath. If you like mango chutney, I think you will enjoy the ginger here.
Putting this on the short list of things to make with my current avalanche of tomatoes ...
I love tomato jam!!... with bread, with cheese, with yoghurt, cookies and even plain...
Yours look delicious!!
I adore this but haven't seen a recipe in years.
I'm thrilled.
Thanks so very much.........
Wow! I now know exactly what I need to do with my bumper crop of tomatoes!
greg, I am happy to hear those great suggestions for uses. Thanks for your recipe, I'll be trying your version; it sounds like a wonderful (and tasty) way to remember your grandmother.
dlyn, I really liked that it was a "new" way to use up all those tomatoes that are around. I'd gotten sick of roasting them!
Leonor, thanks for the compliment and for the further suggestions. I too have been caught eating this by the spoonful, with no accompaniment.
justfoodnow, you're very welcome.
J for Kitchen Confit, I am actually jealous of your avalanche. I'm looking to make another batch rather soon. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
I love tomato jam, and yours looks wonderful!
Tomatoes are one of the most common vegetables all over the world. They are quickly growing plants and are favorite among most amateur gardeners so as me.
I will start to grow tomatoes in my farm and now learning watever i can about them, thanks for information. I also
found another good site about tomatoes and so many other methods of agriculturing, i recommend you to take a look.
http://agricultureguide.org/