Chili Heirloom Tomato Jam

Sweet, spicy, and worth every minute on the stove.

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This is the recipe for tomato season — from the first good heirlooms at the market in the early summer through the last ones in the fall. Whatever tomatoes are ripest and most flavorful when you go, those are the ones to use. A little over an hour on the stove with sugar, sea salt, chili flakes, rice vinegar, olive oil, and a hint of lemon zest, and they cook down into something deeply savory, sweet, and warm with heat.

It goes on toast with soft cheese, alongside a cheese board, spooned over grilled meat or fish, or stirred into a vinaigrette. Make a jar and keep it in the fridge. You’ll find reasons to use it on everything.

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Makes about 1–1 1/2 cups Active time 15 min Cook time just over 1 hour

Ingredients

• –725g heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped (skins on)
• –125g sugar
• –23g sea salt
• –7g red chili flakes
• –22g rice vinegar
• –24g extra virgin olive oil
• –Zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. Add the roughly chopped tomatoes, sugar, sea salt, chili flakes, rice vinegar, and olive oil to a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Stir to combine.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for just over an hour. The jam is ready when the tomatoes have broken down completely, the liquid has reduced significantly, and the mixture is thick, glossy, and holds its shape on a spoon without being watery.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest. Adding it off heat keeps the citrus bright rather than cooking it out.
4. Taste and adjust — more chili flakes if you want more heat, a splash more rice vinegar if it needs brightness.
5. Let cool slightly before transferring to a clean jar. The jam will continue to thicken as it cools.

Notes

On the tomatoes: Use whatever heirlooms are ripest and most flavorful at the market — mixed varieties give you complexity. The skins cook down completely and add body to the jam.

On the heat level: 7g of chili flakes gives a noticeable warmth that builds slowly. Scale up if you want it spicier, down if you want it more of a background note.

On the rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is milder and slightly sweeter than red wine or white wine vinegar, which keeps the jam from going too sharp. Don’t substitute apple cider vinegar — it’ll overpower everything.

How to use it: On toast with ricotta or soft goat cheese, alongside a cheese board, spooned over grilled fish or chicken, or stirred into a vinaigrette for something with more depth.

Storage: Keeps in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.