Hot Tomatoes

As promised, here is another recipe to use up those abundant tomatoes. 
If you don't grow your own, check out Adelaide Central Market or your local Farmer's Market because there should be some great tasting tomatoes on sale.

My chilli plants are fruiting nicely and just getting red blushes on them. I think there will be a good supply from mild to very, very hot! I think one lot is marked as a 10 for hotness. Can't wait to try them! I need to find my Chilli Oil recipe before I get inundated. I found a few Birdseye Chillies so I have used these, seeds an all.

My vegetable delivery today  via Aussie Farmers Direct had 4 red capsicums, so I decided to make a small batch of this Chilli Jam.  I have been playing around with the recipe and needed to get the balance right before I shared it with you. This recipe has a good balance of sweetness and heat, but go right ahead and adjust it to suit your own palate.

Sweet Chilli Jam

Ingredients
2 Garlic cloves crushed
Knob fresh ginger grated (size of thumb nail)
400g Tomatoes, chopped
200ml Water
200g Sugar
300ml Red wine vinegar
2 Red Capsicums chopped 
2 Chillies (I used small birds eye chillies)
Juice of a lemon

• Using a food processor, add capsicum, garlic, ginger, chillies with seeds and process until finely chopped.

• Scrape this to a large pan, add chopped tomatoes, vinegar and water and bring to the boil. 
• Remove any scum.
• Reduce heat and cook on low for 45 minutes until the mixture starts to reduce and ingredients begin to meld together.
• Add sugar and  lemon juice and bring back to the boil. Cook on a higher heat until the mixture begins to thicken and looks jam like, about 15 - 20 minutes. Keep checking it so it does not burn.

• Take off the heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and then taste the jam and make sure you are happy with the sweetness and heat. (You can add more sugar at this point and reheat if needed)
• Fill two clean hot jars, seal and label. 

(See post under Cherry Jam for instructions on preparing jars)

This only made two jars, but if you want to make more you can adjust the quantities to suit. This is a great condiment for melted cheese on toast and is really lovely with Lentil and Vegetable Loaf (I need to post this recipe too). 
In fact it is pretty nice with most things, even scrambled egg.