Spicy And Savory Tomato Marmalade

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In the spirit of topping burgers with interesting stuff, Joan Nova has a great tip for us.
Text And Photo By Joan Nova

Do you top your burger with a slice of tomato and a slice of onion? A pickle perhaps? Ketchup? I’ve got a much better idea.

I made this dish and used it in lieu of any other topping. While it has all the basic flavors of ketchup and the usual toppings, it’s much more than a condiment. The flavors are very concentrated and depending upon the amount of chili you add, it kicks! I made it up as I went along and overdid the chili so I’ll leave that quantity to you if you care to try the recipe. My lips still burn. It’s better than collagen!

I definitely will be making this again, particularly during the summer when tomatoes are plentiful. I think it would make a great topping for fish or any grilled meats.

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Author: Joan Nova
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 1 cup 1x

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Description

This spicy and savory tomato marmalade is a rich condiment that elevates burgers, grilled meats, or fish with its concentrated flavors of sweet tomatoes, tangy balsamic vinegar, and a kick of chili.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 pint ripe grape tomatoes, halved and minced
1/2 Vidalia (sweet onion), thinly sliced and minced
1 garlic clove (whole, remove after cooking)
1/4 cup (60 ml) balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Dried chili, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

In a saucepan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onion and whole garlic clove. Sweat the onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the minced tomatoes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook down the tomatoes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and have released their juices, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the dried chili to your preferred level of heat and the balsamic vinegar. Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to a marmalade consistency.
Remove the garlic clove before serving. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can blend the marmalade slightly using an immersion blender.

Notes

For a smoother texture, blend the marmalade slightly after cooking.
Adjust the amount of chili to control the heat level.
This marmalade pairs well with burgers, grilled fish, or meats.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Condiment
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
Calories: 60
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 5
Fat: 3
Carbohydrates: 8
Fiber: 1
Protein: 1
Cholesterol: 0

I served it on a burger with sweet potato ‘fries’ (sliced and baked in the oven) which was a great counterpoint to the heat of the marmalade…plus I love crispy sweet potatoes.

Finishing Touch (and just because I had it) was a sprinkle of Sweet Onion Sugar. Frankly, I can’t say that it added anything that the balsamic vinegar had not already supplied.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the recipe add a whole garlic clove that gets removed before serving?

The whole garlic clove is sweated with the onion to gently infuse garlic flavor into the base without the sharpness of minced garlic. The recipe specifically instructs you to remove it before serving, so you get a subtle garlic background rather than distinct pieces in the finished marmalade.

The author warns her lips still burned — how do I control the chili heat?

Both the article and the notes explicitly leave the amount of dried chili up to you. The author admits she “overdid the chili” in her batch. Start with a small pinch and taste as you simmer — the 30-minute reduction concentrates all flavors, including heat, significantly.

What can I use this marmalade on besides burgers?

The article says the author thinks it would make a great topping for fish or any grilled meats, and the notes confirm it pairs well with burgers, grilled fish, or meats. The recipe yields about 1 cup, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.