Monday, May 21, 2012

Tomato Jam + Appetizer Ideas | Secret Recipe Club



Time flies. It seems like I was just writing my last post for The Secret Recipe Club. You don’t know what The Secret Recipe Club is? Let me share a quick synopsis with you. Each month you are given a link to a member’s blog and you browse through the “secret” blog to determine which wonderful recipe you are going to create. The club is divided into four groups with each one having a “reveal” day during the month. Once the reveal takes place you are also able to see who received your blog and what recipe they chose. It is a lot of fun - I encourage you to check it out.



For May, I received Cathy’s blog Wives with Knives. Cathy lives in the beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon for her entire life. Her love of food came from growing up on a farm on the Columbia River and learning how to cook from her grandmother. Her recipes come from family favorites along with local farmers’ market vendors and other spectacular collected recipes.

Cathy herself is a vendor at the local farmers market and sells roasted and glazed nuts, granola and trail mixes. She went on a trip to Germany years ago and fell in love with the Christmas markets along with the smell of roasting almonds. She loved it so much, that she purchased two of the roasting machines and sells her delights at the farmers market in Beaverton, Oregon. { Note to self: need to make a trip to Beaverton and stop by Cathy’s booth at the market.}

Cathy has an incredible selection of tasty recipes, that it was quite difficult to select which one I wanted to make. I have bookmarked many to create in the future. Like Cathy, I am a self professed condiment junkie. I am drawn to them at small grocery stores, farmers markets, specialty food stores and anywhere else I may spy them. So when I saw that she made Tomato Jam – I was sold on that recipe.


I used the tomato jam to make Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.  Simply cut a baguette on the diagonal and buttered each side.  Added a bit of jarlsburg swiss cheese and a generous spoonful of the tomato jam.  Grilled until golden brown on each side.  Absolutely delish!


Making jam is one of my favorite things to do. I enjoy creating unique flavor profiles and then sharing with friends and family. Tomato Jam has been on my list for several years to make, but just have not found the perfect recipe – until NOW. This jam is rich, spicy, hearty, unique and tasty. This might just be the ultimate tomato jam.


Another quick appetizer - Tomato Jam and Chevre Costini.  Simply slice a sourdough baguette thinly and brush each side with a bit of olive oil.  Lay onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until golden brown on each side. Best to rotate at the 5 minute mark to brown evenly.  Remove from the oven and let cool.  Spread chevre (goat cheese) on top of each one and add a generous spoonful of the delicious tomato jam to the top of each one.  Perfect with a glass of sauvignon blanc.


Tomato Jam

1 ½ lb.Ripe Roma tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 T. minced crystallized ginger
1 t. ground cumin
¼ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. ground cloves
1 t. salt
½ t. red pepper flakes, or to taste

To peel the tomatoes easily, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cut a slight X on the top of each tomato. Place into the boiling water for about one minute and remove to cool for a few minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, the skin will peel away easily. Continue to dice into small pieces and remove any end portions of where the tomato was attached to the vine.

Combine all ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has consistency of a thick jam, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. Watch carefully so the jam doesn’t burn. Taste and adjust seasonings, then cool and refrigerate. Will keep, refrigerated, for two weeks. Makes approximately one cup of jam.










42 comments:

  1. These look really yummy. I pinned them.

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  2. I so agree with you, Cathy's blog is amazing!! I have never had tomato jam but after looking at the recipe, I am going to be making it for sure. Great SRC choice.

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  3. I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Lisa. Imagining it spread on crostini with a bit of goat cheese has my mouth watering. Thank you so much for your comments. Your photos are stunning.

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  4. I'm all over that grilled cheese with the tomato jam. If I ever grow decent tomatoes I'll be making this.

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  5. We enjoy Cathy's blog so much, but you definitely did her recipe justice. We totally have to try this jam. Sounds fabulous!

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  6. I first spied tomato jam over at Jennie Perillo's blog, and have been wanting to make it ever since. Your post today is further convincing me. After your rave reviews of Cathy's blog, I can't wait to hop on over. Heading there now.

    Btw....these mini grilled cheese sandwiches look crazy good....might be on my menu soon. Thanks!!

    Visiting from SRC group C

    Denise @ Creative Kitchen

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  7. Have to try making tomato jam! It sounds delicious!

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  8. Tomato jam! Totally making this when my tomatoes ripen this summer. :-)

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  9. That looks SO good! Oh my heavens - I really need to try this :)

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  10. I love wives with knives and man on man does this look good. Your photography is stunning and now I can't wait to make this! So glad to be in the SRC club and to meet great foodie bloggers like you!

    Lots of yummy love,
    Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner

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  11. Love the grilled cheese, love the crostini, love it all. The tomato jam looks amazing! A "must make" for sure!

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  12. Looks irresistable...thanks for the app ideas! Can't wait to share these with my friends and family!

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  13. Wow that looks great. This would be a great idea to get rid of all those tomatoes you have over the summer!

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  14. I love the idea of this, Lisa...sweet-savory is one of my favorite flavor combos!

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  15. Your photos are making me hungry;-)
    I have to put this tomato jam on my to make list, all your appetizer ideas look wonderfully delicious!

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  16. Hi Lisa! I have never made jams before, but it's been on my to do list since I started blogging. I get inspired by delicious recipes like you and one day I want to make my own jams. Tomato jams sounds very useful for regular snacks and meals (maybe because I don't bake, fruit jams seems less occasion to use?). Love the appetizer ideas too. I didn't know chevre is a goat cheese. I was wondering what that is when I started reading your post. :-) Looks wonderful!!

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  17. Can't wait to try this jam when my tomatoes are ripe. Your mini grilled cheese sandwiches are too cute!

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  18. Appetizers at your house? :) The ingredients in this jam are so interesting...ginger, lime juice and spices. I'm definitely intrigued. Looking forward to tomato season at my farmer's market so I can make this. Lovely post!

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  19. Lisa, I have seen some recipes for tomato jam and I haven't been sold until now since I didn't know what I would do with it. Your idea on a grilled cheese and as a crostini sound great!

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  20. Lisa, I love your crostini! They seem so delicious! I think I ought to try making tomato jam. Never tried one.

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  21. Your blog makes me SO hungry! I can't wait to try making your tomato jam.

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  22. I'm such a big ketchup fan so I'm SURE I'll love this...it'll make my lunchtime grilled cheese more gourmet ;)

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  23. Oh Lisa that is brilliant idea! What a great tomato jam recipe! Love your photos too!

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  24. Great recipe, and I love all the ways you showed to use it!

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  25. this is such a great idea! i'm not sure why i haven't tried this before. LOL!

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  26. Why have I never made tomato jam??? It looks delicious, especially with a crusty piece of bread and cheese. Thanks for choosing this recipe, I'll try it soon.

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  27. I think my comment disappeared. The jam looks delicious. I've made jam forever but never tomato. That will change. Thank you.

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  28. Oh my gosh! I was going to make tomato jam this weekend, LOL! But mine does not look nearly as interesting as yours - the cumin is fantastic!

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  29. Oh, I love Cathy's blog...and you found a fabulous dish to try. Your photos are stunning....and the sandwich and crostini both look fantastic! Have a wonderful weekend, Lisa~

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  30. Love your photos! And love that this can be used for so many things! Love your little crostini apps :) Must. make. soon!!!

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  31. I adore Cathy and her site :) This jam is just amazing...love it!

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  32. I think that a jar of this delicious concoction would last just as long in our house C:

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  33. Tomato jam sounds sooooo good. And I love that you used the jam to make grilled cheese sandwiches. YUM!! :)

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  34. I love all the jams you've ever made that I've had the good fortune to taste. I bet this is no different especially with the magic Lisa touch. :) Love all the appetizer ideas, too!

    Have a great weekend and hope to see you soon!

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  35. Your site is lovely and your photos are fantastic!! I am going to add this tomato jam to my Mouth Watering Mondays post next Monday. Come on over to see it at www.noshingwiththenolands.com Cheers, Tara

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  36. Can you use fresh ginger, instead of the crystallized??

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    1. You certainly could. I would probably decrease the amount by half, since fresh ginger is more intense. Let me know how it turns out.

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  37. Thanks for posting the recipe! These make great appetizers.

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  38. Wow this was amazing!!! I put it on a grilled cheese and bacon. (Multigrain bread and quality thick bacon) 10 different types of tomatoes- I have a feeling I will be making alot of this.

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