Chile Jam
At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs. When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.
Ingredients:
8 Red Peppers (Deseeded & Roughly Chopped)
10 Red Chiles (Roughly Chopped)
Thumb-Sized Piece Fresh Root Ginger (Peeled & Finely Chopped)
8 Garlic Cloves (Finely Chopped)
400g/14 oz Tin Of Chopped Tomatoes
750g/26 oz Golden Caster Sugar (See Tip Below)
250ml/8 oz Red Wine Vinegar
Method:
Tip the peppers, chiles, ginger and garlic into a food processor, then whizz until very finely chopped. Scrape into a large heavy-bottomed pan with the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar, then bring everything to the boil.
Skim off any scum that comes to the surface, then turn the heat down to a rolling boil and cook for about 1hr 30 mins, stirring occasionally.
Once the jam is becoming sticky, continue cooking for 10-15 mins more, stirring frequently so that it doesn’t catch and burn. It should now have a thicker consistency.
Leave to cool slightly before transferring to sterilised jars. Leave to cool completely before either refrigerating or placing in a cupboard.
Tip: You shouldn’t reduce the sugar too much if you want it to last, as the sugar is what preserves it. I reduce it to 550g/19 oz and it should last for 2-3 months in the fridge/ cupboard.