Time does funny things to my memories of flavor. Thinking of delights tasted in far-off lands usually ends in my attempting, and failing, to recreate them. Even if I get every nuance of the recipe right, it just doesn’t work. The air smells different. The setting is all wrong. Until now. Rewind a few months to an idyllic Moroccan vacation full of adventure, colours, and mouth-watering delicacies. While I haven’t even tried to tackle a Moroccan breakfast, I recreated a moment in time with Sofra’s recipe for Sesame-Tomato Jam. I am sitting in a tiled Riad in Marrakesh…..mmmmm.
TOMATO SESAME JAM
• 4 cups peeled and seeded tomatoes (or one can diced tomato)
-‐ for easy peeling, blanche the tomatoes in boiling water for about one minute until the skin splits, then remove and let cool enough to handle before peeling
• 1 heaping teaspoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ras el hannout (see below)
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Place all of the ingredients except for the lemon juice in a large sauté pan on low heat and GENTLY simmer until it turns into a soft jam. (About 30 minutes)
Stir in lemon juice.
Season with salt and white pepper
RAS EL HANNOUT (this makes enough to use in lots of other ways)
• ¼ cup cumin seeds
• ¾ tsp saffron
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 T turmeric
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 T ground black pepper
• ½ cup paprika
In a small skillet on low heat, toast the cumin seed for 2 minutes until fragrant. Cool and grind with the saffron.
Place in a small mixing bowl and combine with the remaining spices.
