Chilli jam
An endlessly useful sweet and savoury condiment that’s easy to make at home.
There’s something so satisfying about making your own condiments, bubbling away on the stove and filling jars to be stashed away. I think it connects me with a world utterly unlike the one I actually live in, where the season’s bounty would be harvested and preserved for the long, hard winter. A boy can dream.
I use the long, pointed Italian frying capsicums (peppers) here, sometimes called Cubanelles, as they’re sweeter and have less seeds. Feel free to substitute regular capsicums (bell peppers) if you can’t find them. Red only, please.
The heat and sweetness are both completely up to you. I don’t think long red chillies are particularly fiery, so I use them seeds and all. They certainly give this a kick – it is chilli jam, after all – but if it’s too much for you just scrape the seeds out as you go. Likewise, you can fiddle with the balance of the vinegar and sugar to suit your taste, remembering that it may set differently when cool.
You can also change the texture, if you want. I like to keep it rustic, but you can (and I have) given it a few (careful) blitzes with an immersion blender before the final reduction to make it smoother.
Chilli jam
Makes about 2 cups.
6 long red chillies
3 cloves garlic
1 red onion
3 red Italian frying peppers
2 stalks lemongrass
400g (14 oz) cherry tomatoes
150ml (⅔ cup) red wine vinegar
250g (1 cup) brown sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
To prepare the vegetables, roughly chop the chillies (deseeding if you want), garlic and onion and pulse in a food processor to break down and combine. Set aside.
Slice the Italian frying peppers in half lengthwise, trim, remove the membranes and seeds (the point of a teaspoon makes for quick work) and chop, crosswise, into fine slices.
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
Bruise the lemongrass well with something heavy – rolling pin, meat mallet, tin can – then chop into 3 or 4 long pieces each, small enough to fit in your pan and big enough to be easily retrieved.
Put the red wine vinegar and brown sugar into a heavy-based pan over gentle heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Add the chilli mixture from the processor, the peppers, tomatoes, lemongrass and salt. Bring up to a boil then turn down to a steady simmer. Stir occasionally until well reduced but still liquid, about 45 minutes.
Using tongs, carefully remove the lemongrass and discard.
(This is the point to use the immersion blender if you want a smoother finished product.)
Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir constantly for a few minutes to finish thickening until you achieve a jammy texture.
Spoon into sterilised jars, seal and turn upside down for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before storing.
