Everyone loves it for a reason. Make it. Spread it on toast. Serve it with lamb. Use it instead of tomato sauce on pizza. Eat it right out of the jar! I do that pretty often, tbh.

THE TOMATO JAM

INGREDIENTS

1 28-oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano

2-3 shallots or 1 small yellow onion, sliced into strips

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. tomato paste

3 tbsp. olive oil

4 tbsp. red wine (sub: white wine or red/white wine vinegar)

3 tbsp. white sugar

3 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground all spice

1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Pour can of tomatoes into a bowl; strain liquid & reserve for later. Crush tomatoes with your hands into bite sized pieces.

In a medium sauce pan, cook olive oil, shallot/onion, and minced garlic on medium-high heat until jammy & caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add in ground cinnamon + all spice, stir. Add in tomato paste, cook until dark and caramelized, about 2 minutes.

By now, things might get stuck to the bottom. That’s ok! Pour in wine (or vinegar) to deglaze the pan, stirring up all of those bits on the bottom. Let wine reduce for 2 minutes.

Add in crushed tomatoes + their juices, sugar, cinnamon stick, sesame seeds and salt. Bring to a boil. Once bubbles start to appear, reduce heat to low and let jam cook until it thickens, about 35-45 minutes. If jam becomes too thick, add in 1/2 cup of reserved tomato liquid at a time (I always end up using an extra cup).

Once jam is thick, and well, jammy, remove from heat & add in distilled vinegar. Taste for salt.

store: in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 weeks.

diet: vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free

eat it with: avocado toast + egg, simit, on top of labneh