Moroccan · Condiment
Moroccan Smoky Tomato Jam
A savoury tomato jam cooked down slowly with charred pepper, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic and a little honey until dark, thick and intensely concentrated. Sweet, smoky and mildly spiced, it's a superb relish for grilled meats, eggs, cheese and sandwiches.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Serves
- 12
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 800 g ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 red pepper, charred and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste
Method
- 1
Start
Warm the oil, add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and chilli, and cook a minute.
- 2
Add tomato
Add the tomatoes and charred pepper and bring to a simmer.
- 3
Reduce
Cook down slowly for 40 minutes, stirring, until thick and jammy.
- 4
Sweeten and sharpen
Stir in the honey and vinegar and cook 10 minutes more until glossy and dark.
- 5
Season
Add salt to taste.
- 6
Store
Cool and jar; it keeps in the fridge for two weeks.
Chef's tips
- Char the pepper over a flame for the smoky depth that names the jam.
- Cook it down properly — patience gives the thick, concentrated texture.
- Smoked paprika reinforces the smoke without any grill needed.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from matbucha?
Matbucha is a cooked pepper-and-tomato salad kept looser and more savoury. This is reduced much further with honey and vinegar into a sweet-savoury jam.
What do I serve it with?
Wonderful with grilled meat, burgers, eggs, cheese and in sandwiches — anywhere you'd use a sweet-smoky relish.