Savory Tomato Jam

Tomato Jam? That's what my husband's reaction was, when I started making this on a Sunday afternoon.  I can understand why he couldn't bond with the idea of tomato jam on toast.   I didn't create this recipe for toast and jam.  I was inspired to make a Savory Tomato Jam out of pure lust.  You see, there's a local restaurant that served a dish that I fell in-love with.  It was a lemon-rosemary marinated grilled chicken breast, served over a risotto cake with tomato jam.  I loved it!  But, that special is no longer on the menu, and I was pining for more.

I spotted these beauties at Whole Foods, and it was already October. At $3.99 a pound, I grabbed a couple of baskets and decided that these were destined for my own version of tomato jam.  I did a lot of surfing the internet, but most of the recipes I saw had heat from hot pepper-- and I didn't have a jalapeno in my fridge, anyway.  My taste buds were leaning towards more of a  combination of sweet and sour.  I reviewed my recipe for Peach Chutney, and then I jumped in and started to throw things together:

I had two pints of these beautiful organic tomatoes.  After washing them, I added them to a non-stick pot, and seasoned them with coarse salt & pepper. I decided to use brown sugar-- about a 1/2 cup.

I added about 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. White vinegar would work, too. 

I decided to add one small diced onion to the mix and enough water to cover the tomatoes. I didn't measure, but I'd guess about 2 cups of water.  I brought the tomatoes to a boil, and then down to a low simmer.   The tomatoes were releasing their pectin. After a few minutes, I gave the jam a taste. To me, it tasted a bit too sweet-- and one dimensional-- for me (hence, I recommend using 1/4 cup of sugar to start with).

 
I decided to add some thyme, red pepper flakes,  and the juice of 1/2 fresh lemons.  Much better!

I let the jam simmer for about 20 more minutes.  This photo makes the pot look like I burned the jam. I almost did, but I got it in the nick of time.  Lesson learned: pay very close attention when reducing something with sugar in it!  I had already been in the middle of canning apple sauce, so I poured the tomato jam into a sterilized jar and the the top sealed with a reassuring "click".  I stored this in the fridge, and two weeks later, I made this recipe with it:

This is a pan-fried chicken breast, served over polenta with a fantastic sauce (I will share that next).  The tomato jam was the perfect topping, for this dish. In fact, my husband raved about how good the tomato jam tasted-- it was his favorite part of the dish.   There's still 1/2 jar of this tomato jam left, and I have another idea...I've shared this chicken recipe, and you can view it here.  I decided to, first, post how I made the tomato jam, so that my post wouldn't be too long.  It's a delicious condiment, with just the right balance of sweet and sour.  I thinking that adding more heat with a jalapeno could work, too.  If  you've never tried cooking down tomatoes, as a condiment, I encourage you to do so.   I plan on making more of this recipe, so that I can enjoy tomatoes year-round.


Here's the recipe:

Panko-Stuffed Broiled Tomatoes

When I made Ina Garten's Potato Basil Puree, I decided to add broiled tomatoes as an extra bonus.   I often forget how delicious tomatoes can be, when they are filled with bread crumbs, seasoned with fresh herbs and garlic oil.  They're also really easy to make. I've tried a few recipes, but this is my favorite version:

I'm such a fan of panko crumbs. I love that special "crunch" that I don't get with regular bread crumbs.  I add fresh thyme, a little bit of Parmesan cheese.  In a separate pot, I heat a little bit of olive oil and butter, and then some minced fresh garlic. On very low heat, I allow the garlic to infuse the oil.

 

I use Roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise; seeds and pulp are removed.

Season with salt and pepper...

Slowly, drizzle the garlic-herb oil/butter mixture into the panko crumbs, and combine with a fork.

Fill each tomato...then bake at 350F for 7-8 minutes.

Place a small pat of unsalted butter, and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.

VERDICT:  I'll let my son be the judge. You see, he's always hated tomatoes... ever since he was a little kid.  Brian looked at his dinner plate, and poked at the tomato suspiciously. He took a bite-- he tasted that wonderful garlic and herb combination, and that buttery crunch of the panko crumbs.  His eyes grew big, and he liked it!  It took 23 years for me to see the day that he ate a tomato.  Now, that's a compliment.  The tomato complimented the delicious Basil Potato Puree, perfectly.   As Ina would say, "How Easy Is That"?

Summer Garden Tomato Compote & Char Crust Chicken

 
Well, hello again!  I've been missing in action since last weekend. Sorry! At last, it's Friday and can try to post some recipes for you. The weather across the United States has been all over the place.  While my girlfriend, in Rhode Island has been telling tales of miserable heat and humidity, and extreme weather changes to rain-- well, we folks on the Central Coast of California hadn't seen sun in weeks.  Suddenly, we had a heat weave that hit triple digits for two days. My tomatoes were happy little campers!

Just the week before, I had all kinds of little green tomatoes...

...and the next time I looked, they were bursting with summer sunshine ripeness. I had to start using these fast!
Roasted tomatoes, are one of my favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes.  I turned the oven on to 375F and sliced  a Vidalia onion-- my last one, in fact.  I sliced 2 cloves of fresh garlic and heated some olive oil in my beloved cast iron skillet...

Next, I decided to cut some thyme, from our garden. Dry would work fine, too.  I cooked the onion until tender, added the garlic and cooked that for a minute. Next, I added the thyme, kosher salt & black pepper (to taste).  I turned off the heat and added these beautiful yellow pear tomatoes.   Then I paused, and went back into the garden...

...and I grabbed some cherry tomatoes that were so ripe, some of the skins were already splitting.  These were added to the mix.

I had some leftover white wine (sauvignon blanc), so I added that (about 1/4 cup). I popped the skillet into the oven, next to some chicken breasts that I was roasting.  (You could certainly cook these on the stove top if you choose to.)

About 15 minutes later, the tomatoes looked roasted to perfection.  I set the skillet on very low heat, to let the wine finish reducing.  These were so fragrant, I wish I had cooked some Angel Hair Pasta!

VERDICT:  Amazing!  My taste buds said "sweet", "savory", "mildly garlicky" and "dee-licious!   I so will make this again, as a pasta.  

About that chicken that I mentioned was roasting in the oven-- I was contacted by Susan Eriksen, "AKA Mrs. Char Crust".  Susan offered to send a few of her special rub blends for me to try.  As promised, I received an three different Char Crust blends to try.

I had just purchased two beautiful air-chilled, free-range chicken breasts (bone-in) at Whole Foods (which is where I can also buy this product.  I decided to try the Roasted Garlic Peppercorn flavor. This rubbed is described as:

Savory roasted garlic and fresh cracked peppercorns make music in your mouth. With added lilt of worcestershire and lavender, this symphonic sensation creates a crescendo of flavor with steak, lamb, fish (especially salmon), and roasted potatoes.

Sold!  Of course, I had to let me nose explore the different ingredients in this rub.  Wow!  After patting the chicken dry, I did just what I was supposed to do-- I rubbed it generously all over.  Using my second cast iron skillet, I decided to sear the chicken, starting skin side down.

About 4 minutes later, I flipped each breast over.  Very nice, I thought!  The skin is not burned at all. It's the rub, which was very fragrant.  I roasted the breast for about 18 minutes, checking that the temperature reached about 170F. 

Then I let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes. Now, for the moment of truth...

I was losing natural light, so these photos aren't as detailed as I'd like. I can tell you that the chicken was very juicy.  I give credit to a few things. Using chicken that is bone-in, I am convinced,decreases the chances of ending up with dried out chicken breast meat.  It was cooked just the right amount of time, too, by watching the temperature and then letting it rest.  The trademark claim on Char Crust products is "Seals in the Juices", and I have to agree!

VERDICT:  There are a lot of flavors working in harmony with this delicious rub seasoning. At first, I thought I tasted sage. I read the ingredient label, and I was wrong.  Maybe it's the combo of Worcestershire and soy, herbs, garlic and other spices-- who knows? We both liked the chicken very much.  Thank you, Char Crust for letting me try this product. I have made a few other recipes, which I will try to share throughout the coming week.  This product is a great way to make plain chicken come to life with flavor and lots of juiciness! Oh, I will also be announcing a giveaway where you can receive Char Crust samples to try for yourself. Soon... very soon!

Pictured:  Char Crust Roasted Chicken Breasts, Tomato Compote and Hasselback Potatoes.

The next recipe I'll be sharing with you involves figs.  Wow, was this dessert great with this very dinner I just shared with you. Coming up this weekend (I hope)!

Wishing all of you a wonderful weekend with perfect weather!

Toasted Barley Salad with Fresh Herbs, Heirloom Tomatoes & Zucchini (from the Culinary Institute of America, St. Helena, CA)

Oh, hi!  Has it really been one week, since I last posted?  I'm on my last day of a two-week vacation and I've literally taken a vacation from cooking at home-- if you don't count breakfast and maybe a lunch or two.  Craig and I decided to enjoy the sights of California within a 150 mile radius, for our vacation week together.  We've been having a blast!  We spent two nights at my BFF's home in the California Bay Area-- just a little over an hour scenice drive to Napa.  Last Sunday, the four of us took off for a day trip.   I had a personal agenda, and my friends graciously agreed to take us.  I really wanted to return to the Culinary Institute at Greystone, in St. Helena.  This property is so beautiful, and rich in history. It was once the Christian Brothers Monastery and winery.  The views of the local vineyards are spectacular.

The CIA is truly a food lover's dream destination.  One of these days, I'm going to splurge and spend a few hundred dollars for a hands on one-day class.  In the meantime, the CIA at Greystone offers a cooking demo in their lovely classroom, at a bargain price.

For $15.00, you can attend a one hour demo; for an additional $10.00 you can take a guided tour through Greystone. The tour includes visiting the kitchens were aspiring chefs spend two years studying the culinary arts.  I bought tickets for myself and my Best Friend (of 34 years and counting...)  While waiting for the class to begin, I took a few shots of the Culinary Institute.  My camera flash decided to break, so I was working with natural lighting, shooting through glass and trying to be quick.  Hence, the photography isn't stellar, but I hope to share with you a taste of my fun day:

There was a remodel since I last visited, and it's very impressive. The Toy Culinary Store has every culinary tool that you can imagine.  Craig is standing at their new "Flavor Bar". Here you can pay $10.00 to watch a video on "How to Calibrate Your Palate".  Basically, you are given some spices and herbs and you watch a video that shows you how different spices, salt or citrus can enhance or change the flavor of food. As Pat and I were walking to class, I took a shot of Craig and Cliff, taking the class.  The bottom right shot is the amphitheater, where lectures are given to chefs.  This is my dream kitchen island! Also new is the "Chocolate Section" classroom...

You can pay $10.00 for a video class on chocolate tasting.  Our class was ready to start, so all I could do was to photograph these beautiful confections.  The bottom right photo is the Viking Class, where you can come and take a hands on class. Ready to take this class, folks?

The control panel in the CIA classroom... I was shooting through glass, no flash and the room lights weren't turned on yet.  Every seat has a great view, but you can also watch the demo on the monitors. What's for lunch? Toasted Barley Salad with Fresh Herbs, Heirloom Tomatoes & Zucchini.  I'll be honest, here.  I wasn't chomping at the bit over this recipe, at first. It sounded.... well, unexciting.  My friend said she wasn't crazy about barley and I wasn't sure that I was. Truthfully, I've only used barley in soup.  But, I had come this far, and there was no turning back.  Five minutes before class time, the classroom door opened.  Naturally, Pat and I were front row and center. We're ready!

The mis en place is ready for the demo...

Chef used heirloom tomatoes in all kinds of pretty colors. He diverted from the recipe a bit, by using purple basil, rather than cilantro.  I love cilantro and basil-- and I forget to buy purple basil.  According to the chef, green basil is "so last year".  I learned a few tips and once we got a taste of the salad, we both liked it.  It only whet my appetite to make my own big bowl.  I am officially converted to loving barley in a salad! There are lots of health benefits to eating barley, too!  Barley helps to lower cholesterol and it helps to um... well, let's just say that the fiber works great. 'Nuff said.  I made this salad, when I got home so here is my own "Foodiewife" Demo:

Our own container tomatoes aren't ready yet. Summer temperatures have had a very slow start on the Central Coast of California. Fortunately, our local farm stand had beautiful red heirloom tomatoes for $3.95 a pound. I had hoped for more color, but it's all red for today.  What a lucky score for me-- there was freshly picked purple basil! Better yet, I got to take all I wanted for $1.00! 

I hope you can find pine nuts.  I had no idea that, other than Christmas, they are challenging to find.  Trader Joe's just got a shipment of these in--they were out for a couple of weeks. They're a little pricey at $7.99 for an 8 oz. bag (NOTE TO SELF: Stock up when Costco gets them again and keep them in the freezer.)  You want to take the extra step of toasting each of these.  To toast the barley, heat a dry skillet to medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly toasted-- about 5 minutes.  Set the toasted barley aside.

 To toast the pine nuts, place them on a baking sheet (parchment paper is helpful) and roast at 350F for about five minutes. Watch them carefully, so they don't burn!  Set aside.

 Bring chicken stock to a boil and cook the barley, covered,  for about 15 minutes.  Stir every so often. If the chicken stock evaporates before the barley is cooked, at a Tablespoon of water or so.  Cook until al dente (slight crunch) and set aside, covered for 5 minutes.  Allow to cool at room temperature.

Fortunately, I have quite a bit of curly parsley in our herb garden.  I was glad to hear the CIA chef say that curly parsley is for more than just a garnish. I do think it's a bit sweeter than Italian parsley.  Use what you prefer.  You'll want to cut the zucchini, lengthwise, and scrape the seeds with a spoon.  The CIA chef sauteed the zucchini in a little olive oil, seasoned with kosher salt & pepper-- so that's what I did.  It only took 3-4 minutes to reach a light golden brown. You can skip this step, if you want.  Set the zucchini aside to cool.

I thank my husband's gardening skills for our two container lemon trees.  The Meyer lemon tree is loaded with lots of little green tasty fruit to come. I picked a Eureka lemon, fresh from the garden.  You'll want the lemon juice and the zest. I didn't photograph the chopped red onion-- I think you know how to do that, by now! Okay, let's assemble this dish:

To make a "chiffonade" of basil, simple stack a pile of leaves.  Roll and then slice.  In a large bowl, add all of the veggies, herbs, lemon zest and half the lemon juice,  and some extra-virgin olive oil (about 2 Tbsp.) Taste! Add some kosher salt. Taste again.  I recommended adding the seasonings a little at a time. Trust your own taste buds, okay?  I added more lemon juice. The lemon juice should have a brightness to it, but shouldn't overwhelm the entire salad.    Once you are happy with the flavor, add the barley and then the pine nuts.  Gently combine and give one final taste. I needed just a pinch more of kosher salt.

Hello, Summer!  This would look even prettier if I had some yellow or orange heirloom tomatoes!

If you can find purple basil (or grow it, yourself) it's delicious!  I'm going to make a purple pesto with the leftover basil and pine nuts-- just like the CIA Chef suggested!

VERDICT: The recipe tasted just like the small sample we received at the Culinary Institute.  I loved the crunch of the toasted pine nuts and barley.  Who doesn't love sun-ripened tomatoes?  I loved the perfect balance of lemon with just a very light coating of olive oil.  I ate three bowls of this salad, without one single ounce of guilt.  This would make a pretty side dish at a barbecue or any kind of potluck.  I agree, as the chef said, that this salad should be served and eaten within an hour of making this. Otherwise, I think the barley and pine nuts would begin to lose that crunch-- which is what I loved about the texture of this salad. 

I'm glad to share something that isn't over-the-top caloric comfort food. As always the recipe is at the bottom of this post.   A few last photos from the CIA tour:

Walking fairly fast, with no flash and scattered natural lighting, I took a few snapshots of the Culinary Institute of America's training kitchen.  It's huge!  How about that stockpot?!

Wouldn't I love to play in the baking area-- which is equally huge!  However, it's really hot in there. I was wilting...the outside temps were 99degrees.  The kitchen doesn't have air-conditioning, which makes sense. I noticed that the kitchen are was very clean and organized.  Thanks for joining me on a tour of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, CA.   Someday, I dream of being sponsored to participate in some kind of culinary adventure.  I'd be there, no matter what! I love this place!

Today is our last official day of vacation.  We're headed off on another road trip and will return some time this evening.   I have lots of recipes to blog, but I need to make the time. I'll be back. Soon. I promise!

Thanks for visiting with me!