It’s that time of year again, tomato season, when I spend ample time devouring and writing about the glorious vegetable, and then wait for the emails and DMs telling me I should know a tomato is actually a fruit.
It’s true, a tomato is technically a fruit from a botanical perspective. Its seeds make it so — and by that definition peppers, cucumbers and squash are fruits, too. But from a nutritional and culinary point of view, tomatoes (and peppers, cucumbers and squash) are rightly classified as vegetables because of their nutrient makeup and the way they are typically used in the kitchen. The Supreme Court even ruled tomatoes a vegetable in an 1893 case.
This recipe plays with that fruit-vegetable paradigm, teasing out tomatoes’ inherent sweet-savory essence by turning them into a luscious jam. It’s simple to make, and a wonderful way to use up a batch that is threatening toward overripe: Just seed, chop and put them in a pot with a little honey, vinegar, salt and pepper to simmer for about an hour, until the tomatoes are broken down and reduced to a thick, spreadable jam. (I don’t bother to skin the tomatoes first because I don’t mind the textured bits in the finished product, but feel free to do so if you want a smoother jam.)
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The jam works in myriad ways: Transforming a grilled cheese sandwich, or any sandwich, really; as an elegant and surprising addition to a cheese plate; dolloped onto yogurt for a savory finish or as a topping for a grain bowl, to name a handful. In the accompanying recipe, the jewel-red tomato jam is spread onto crusty whole-grain toast, then topped with a fried egg and treated to a sprinkle of pan-crisped prosciutto. The saltiness of the cured ham balances the gentle sweetness of the tomato spread, and the egg makes the dish a satisfying foundation for a meal. I like to serve it alongside a bowl of chilled vegetable soup or a garden salad.
Whatever you call it — fruit or vegetable — versatile tomatoes make a pretty fabulous jam.
Storage: The recipe makes about 2 cups of the tomato jam; you’ll need 3/4 cup of it for this recipe. The jam may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Serve it chilled, warm or at room temperature.
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