Here’s a different take on tomato jam.
Ingredients:
2 pounds delicious fresh tomatoes, cored, but not peeled or seeded, and crushed with your hands 1 cup sugar grated zest of 1 medium lemon 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, more as needed 1/4 teaspoon good tasting hot chile, more as needed 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice (fresh ground is especially good here) 1/8 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
In a 12-inch slant sided skillet, combine all the ingredients, and bring to a boil. Cook at a lively bubble, scraping down the sides of the pan and stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are thick and practically sizzling in their juices (adjust heat so they don’t burn).
The jam is done with the tomatoes’ liquid is thick, syrupy and has glossy bubbles. (Glossy bubbles are a sign that most of the fruit’s water has cooked away and now the sugar is liquefying).
Scrap the jam into a stainless steel bowl and let it cool. Taste to see if you want a little lemon juice to contrast with the sweetness, and if the jam needs more chile. It will keep a week in the refrigerator, but freezing it for winter is a great idea.