Recipe: Tomato Preserves

We're expecting the first hard frost of the year soon! Most of our fruiting plants have since tapered off and are waiting for the season to finally come to a close.

My tomato plants went absolutely wild this year, even eating an heirloom daily for breakfast, having sunbursts on salads, and trying to squeeze them into every meal possible, I still had too many! 

After making and canning a ton of pasta sauce, I decided it was time to try something a bit different - how can I get all of that tomato-y goodness into a smaller container, and keep the bright, vibrant flavors that grew from the yard?

Preserves! Also known as confiture, this recipe is a great way to use ripe or overripe tomatoes and ensure that you'll have plenty of summer flavor as the cooler weather rolls in.

Tomato Confiture

The Stuff You Need

• 3 cups of diced tomatoes, drained
• While you can use canned for this recipe, fresh are always best. If you do choose to use canned tomatoes, look for tomatoes in glass vs. metal; metal tends to leave a taste that i don't enjoy in the final product.
• 3 tablespoons high quality tomato paste
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic, diced finely
• 1/2 cup finely minced yellow onion
• 1/4 cup finely minced shallot
• 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sherry or champagne vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel pollen, or ground fennel seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered dried boletes

While not necessary, you'll generally have better results and final flavors if you lightly toast your spices before adding them to this recipe. If you choose to do this, toast them over low heat and let them cool fully before proceeding.

How To Do It

1. Heat the oil over medium-low heat until shimmering and fragrant. Add the onion, shallots, garlic and cook gently until translucent. This should take around 3-4 minutes depending on your stove.
2. Add your spices to the mix: salt, pepper, powdered boletes, cumin, coriander, orange zest, chile flakes, fennel, and the mustard seeds. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes.
3. Add in the tomato paste and sugar. The oil will separate at this point, continue to stir until it comes back together and the sugar is melted and bubbling. 
4. Turn the heat to low, and add the vinegar.
5. Once the mixture has settled, add the tomatoes. Cook for 30-45 minutes until it resembles a jam. Stir occasionally to prevent any burning or sticking.