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Make the taste of summer last a little longer

Recipe: This tomato jam is a versatile relish, on or off the sandwich

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Tomato jam is a condiment that captures the taste of summer. (Photos: Debbie Arrington)


Looking for a way to make summer last a little longer?

This recipe won’t add days to August, but it will extend the flavors of summer into fall and winter meals.

This relish is sweet, a little hot and very tomato. Served alongside chops or atop a burger, it will bring back memories of summer long after the last fresh tomato is picked.

Jamie Sandberg, my sister, has been making this tomato jam as an all-purpose relish for several years. The original recipe came from Charles and Rachel Kelsey, who own Cutty’s Sandwiches in Brookline, Mass. It is no ordinary sandwich shop. The Kelseys, both graduates of the Culinary Institute of America, met while working at America’s Test Kitchen. Their shop has been featured on the Food Network.

Cutty’s uses its tomato jam to give BLT’s a little more tomato depth before the best tomatoes of summer arrive, or after they’re gone. Delicious on a wide range of sandwiches, this relish also makes a tasty glaze for pork or chicken.

Tomato jam

Makes about 1-1/2 cups

Adapted from Cutty’s 

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds meaty tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy, optional
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium, heavy-bottom, non-reactive saucepan, preferably nonstick. Over medium-high heat, cook until bubbling. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy, about 1 hour. (As it nears proper thickness, watch carefully and stir often to prevent scorching.) Remove from heat and cool the jam to room temperature.

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. This jam also freezes well.


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RECIPE

A recipe for preparing delicious meals from the bounty of the garden.

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of March 24:

In between cloud bursts, try to catch up with early spring chores. 

* Attack weeds now! Get them before they flower and go to seed. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout. Aim for 1 inch below the soil line.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

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