Jam hot

I had a lovely package delivered through the internal mail the other day - a selection of chillies that Jean had been growing in her glasshouse. I wanted to make something that would preserve them so that we can keep on enjoying them for as long as possible.





Two other happy events coincided to lead me to make chilli and tomato jam this evening. The first happy event, was the 'christening' of my newest and current favourite book: Darina Allen's Ballymaloe Cookery Course (for the scientists...Darina's book is to cooking as Stryer is to biochemistry, or Alberts to cell biology).


The second event, is the bountiful harvest of chillies from the lab of Dr Kate Storey. I'm not sure she intended it, but she has two very green fingered post-docs in the form of Marios and Barry who have been growing chilies on their office window sill. The two plants love it in there and have been producing heaps of fruit continuously for several months now and still continue to produce yet more flowers. Every time I go in there, Marios is franticly triyng to give them away. I particularly like this curly one I picked tonight, and the cute tiny little (HOT) ones from Jean...





I had some yummy langoustines with chilli jam at the Lochinver Larder when we went to the NW coast with Kirsty and I've been wanting to have a go at something similar since then. Thanks to Darina for an inspirational chapter on jams and preserves, and even more thanks to Jean for the most exciting thing I've had through the internal mail system!!!


Tomato and Chilli Jam

• 500g very ripe tomatoes



• 2-4 red chillies...I used 6 :)



• 4 garlic cloves



• 2.5cm ginger, peeled and roughly chopped



• 2tbsp nam pla



• 275g golden caster sugar



• 100ml red wine vinegar
  
  
  
  Puree the chillies, garlic, ginger and nam pla in a blender. Peel the tomaties and cut to a 1cm dice. Add all the ingredients to a pan, gently bring to the boil and cook gently for 40mins, stirring occasionally. Pour into sterilised jars, allow to cool and then refrigerate.
  
  
  It's cheeky!!
  
  ooh, Heston Blumenthal has just come onto Jonathan Ross, excellent :)