Moroccan Tomato Jam

This is another great use for all the wonderful tomatoes we have at the moment. We usually eat this on a Moroccan-style mezze but I always hope there is plenty left over for the fridge. I love to eat it like a chutney with cold meats and best of all, some Brie. It is tangy and sweet with lovely floral flavours from the orange flower water and a slight nuttiness from the sesame.

This version is based on a recipe from in Paula Wolfert’s beautiful book on Moroccan cooking (The Food of Morocco). I regularly make things from it and if you like Moroccan flavours, I highly recommend it (again, not on commission I promise).

The original recipe was too sweet for me (which means it is very, very sweet) so I have spiced it up with some chilli. I also use a little less honey in than the original instructions but you need quite a lot to get the right texture. It should be soft and thick and slightly sticky.

My sister Kate absolutely loves this stuff as it is rich with cinnamon. I also sometimes add other spices such as ground coriander seeds or roasted whole cumin seeds. It is a really adaptable recipe so you could add your favourite spice. We eat it with tagines or couscous dishes, cheese and cold meats, as a starter with some flatbread, or Kate just eats it off the spoon!

Ingredients

2kg Tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tbps honey
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp red chilli powder or a pinch of cayenne
2 tbps toasted sesame seeds
2 tsps orange flower water
Salt & pepper to season

Instructions

1. Roast the tomatoes in a hot oven (200 degrees) for an hour or so until they are really soft.
2. Allow them to cool a little and peel them. Take out the seeds and roughly chop the flesh. The more water you get rid of at this stage the better as the tomatoes will reach the correct consistency quicker and not get over cooked.

Remove the skin and seeds from the tomatoes

Chop the remaining tomato flesh

3. In a frying pan heat the olive oil until shimmering and add the tomatoes.
4. Cook them until most of the moisture has gone. This should take around 10 minutes but it depends on the tomatoes. They are ready when they start to brown and look dry and are turning almost to a paste.

Cook the tomatoes until the moisture has gone.

5. Add the honey, cinnamon, paprika and chilli. Continue to cook for a minute or two to warm the spices through then take it off the heat.
6. Meanwhile toast the sesame seeds.
7. After around 5 minutes when the mixture is still warm add the sesame seeds and orange flower water.
8. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and enjoy.

A great thing to have in the fridge to brighten up sandwiches, salads and pretty much anything.

by Sally.