chilli & persimmon jam

chilli and persimmon jam 

Inspired by my constant need to have chillies, chilli sauce and chilli preserves in the house at all times and a bagful of persimmon that took an age to ripen, I came up with my recipe for chilli and persimmon jam. Adapted from my tried and trusted ultimate hot & sweet chilli & garlic jam recipe that I have been using for years.  The persimmon adds a wonderful tangy, sweetness to the hot and spicy jam. I am pleased it was worth the wait for them to ripen. 

I love the nutty, perfumed caraway flavour with chillies. It's often an ingredient in harissa sauces and pastes, and is a flavour I grew up with in Polish rye bread that was studded with it.  I like to leave the coriander and caraway seeds whole rather than crushing them first, to add lovely little bursts of flavour throughout the jam. 

My chilli and persimmon jam is great in a sandwich with strong cheddar cheese, topping a baked Camembert, or added to soups, stews and stir fries. It is one of my kitchen staples and find I add it to anything that needs a bit of pepping up. It makes a tasty food gift too. 

recipe by: Ema at De Tout Coeur Limousin 
makes about six/seven 1lb jars
preparation time: less than 30 minutes
cooking time: 60-90 minutes

ingredients:
300g ripe persimmon pulp (skinned and de-seeded) 
400g fresh/tinned chopped tomatoes
600g onions peeled and roughly chopped
1 head garlic peeled
50g ginger peeled
325g red chillies - remove stalks
300g red pepper/bell pepper de-seeded and roughly chopped
750ml red wine vinegar
1.5kg granulated sugar
1 tbs caraway seeds
1 tbs coriander seeds
1 tbs sea salt

method: 

add the chillies, garlic, ginger, persimmon and peppers to a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. 

add the chopped vegetables to a large pan/preserving pan along with the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, coriander seeds, caraway seeds and salt and bring gently to the boil 

stir occasionally with a wooden a spoon and simmer for about 60-90 minutes until reduced and thickened. Skim off any 'scum' that rises to the surface while cooking.  

when the jam is cooked (I test for the jam setting point using the frozen plate method) pour carefully into cleaned/sterilised jars and seal. Store in a cool, dark place and once opened store in the refrigerator.  

cooks hints & tips:

I used long red finger chillies which have a medium heat and I left the seeds in. You can remove them if you prefer, or are using a hotter chilli.

finely chop the vegetables by hand if you prefer or haven't got a food processor.

you can of course use green chillies, but you won't get such a vibrant red colour in the finished jam.

feel free to use your favourite herbs and spices you like - it's really nice with fennel and cumin seeds too.

chilli and persimmon jam

Thanks for stopping by. You can say bonjour and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Bloglovin too and sign up to our newsletter here. We look forward to welcoming you soon at De Tout Coeur Limousin.  

Bienvenue to De Tout Coeur Limousin

 a dish of daily life