Tomato Jelly (2nd Method)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5-quart wide stainless-steel preserving pan
• •Digital sugar or candy thermometer
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Long-handled heatproof spoon or spatula
• •Pastry brush
• •Four clean half-pint preserving jars with lids

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the tomato pulp

   Cut a shallow cross in the base of each tomato, lower them into boiling water for 20 to 30 seconds, then cool them in cold water and slip off the skins. Halve them across the middle and press the seed pockets through a fine sieve, saving the clear juice and discarding the seeds. Chop the flesh, combine it with the juice, and cook covered over low heat for about 10 minutes, until completely collapsed. Pass everything through the sieve and measure exactly 3 cups (720 ml / 700 g) of smooth pulp.

2. 2

   Ready jelly and jars

   Measure the red-currant jelly prepared from one-third red currants and two-thirds white currants under The Cooking, Potting, and Sealing of Jams (No. 2955). Warm it gently with the tomato pulp until fluid but not boiling. Place two small saucers in the freezer for testing, and warm four clean half-pint jars so the hot preserve cannot shock the glass.

   The currant jelly is a finished component here. Keep its fruit ratio exact, because all-red jelly overwhelms the tomato and gives a darker result than this second method intends.
3. 3

   Cook sugar to crack

   Put the sugar, water, and split vanilla bean into a wide, heavy preserving pan. Following The Cooking of Sugar (No. 2344), heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then bring it to a boil without stirring. Skim away any cloudy foam at the beginning and wash crystals from the pan wall with a pastry brush dipped in water. Cook to the small-crack stage, 285°F (140°C), then remove the pan from the heat at once. The syrup should remain clear and barely coloured.

   If crystals spread through the syrup and make it cloudy, stop. Ça se rattrape: add 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 30 g) water, cover the pan for one minute, then uncover and dissolve everything over gentle heat before continuing.
4. 4

   Combine without seizing

   Stand back from the pan and add the warm tomato and currant mixture to the hot sugar in four small additions, stirring carefully with a long-handled spoon after each. The syrup will surge sharply. Return the pan to low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, the home-stove equivalent of holding it at the side of the range, and stir until every hardened thread of sugar has dissolved. If the sugar seizes into a solid lump, keep the heat low and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 15 g) hot water; it will melt back into the mixture.

5. 5

   Boil fiercely to nappe

   Turn the heat to its highest setting and bring the gelée to a full rolling boil that cannot be calmed by stirring. Cook quickly, scraping the base often, until it reaches nappe, the sheeting stage, at about 221 to 222°F (105 to 106°C). Lift the spoon: the preserve should gather toward its edge and fall in broad, slow drops that join into a sheet. A teaspoon placed on a frozen saucer should wrinkle lightly when pushed after 30 seconds. Remove the pan immediately and lift out the vanilla bean.

   If the gelée becomes ropy or sets hard on the cold saucer, it has gone too far. Stir in boiling water 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 15 g) at a time, return it briefly to the boil, and test again. If it remains loose after a night's rest, return it to the pan and boil once more to nappe.
6. 6

   Rest and pot

   Let the gelée stand for 7 to 8 minutes, skim away the last foam, then ladle it into the warm jars, leaving ¼ inch (6 mm) headspace. Wipe the rims and close with clean lids. This refrigerated home method replaces the paper-and-glycerine closure described in The Cooking, Potting, and Sealing of Jams (No. 2955); it does not claim pantry stability. Cool undisturbed, refrigerate, and leave the gelée to set for at least 12 hours before serving. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The currant ratio belongs to the recipe: weigh one part red currants to two parts white before preparing the finished jelly. The white currants preserve the tomato's colour while contributing the same useful natural set.
• •This gelée is best with truly ripe tomatoes. If the market offers only hard, pale fruit, use good canned whole tomatoes and sieve enough to obtain the required 3 cups (720 ml / 700 g) pulp; the flavour will be deeper and less fresh, but it will be honest.
• •Use a pan holding at least 5 quarts. The final boil must rise freely without threatening the rim, and the broad surface shortens cooking so the tomato keeps its character.
• •Serve the gelée with toasted brioche, fromage blanc, pâté en croûte, or cold roast duck. Its vanilla is restrained, but it is present, so choose companions that welcome a sweet, tart preserve.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the red-currant jelly several days ahead using one-third red currants and two-thirds white currants. Measure the finished component only after it has set.
• •The tomato pulp can be prepared one day ahead and refrigerated in a covered container. Warm it with the currant jelly before adding it to the cooked sugar.
• •Make the finished gelée at least one day before serving. Keep the sealed jars refrigerated and use within four weeks; once opened, always return the jar promptly to the cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 20g)