Tomato-Basil Preserves

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When the tomato plants finally give up all at once in late summer, this is how we make sure none of it goes to waste. It cooks down slow into something between a jam and a chutney, sweet with a little tang running underneath, and fresh basil stirred in right at the end so it stays bright. Spread it on a warm biscuit or spoon it next to a wedge of cheese, either way it disappears fast.

Ingredients

• 4 lbs ripe tomatoes, a mix of paste and slicing tomatoes works well
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice (bottled, not fresh squeezed, so the acidity stays consistent)
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced, plus a few whole small leaves

Instructions

1. Peel the tomatoes. Score a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato, then blanch in boiling water 30 to 45 seconds until the skins start to loosen. Transfer to an ice bath, then slip the skins off.
2. Core, seed, and roughly chop the tomatoes. Place them in a large, heavy-bottomed pot, they’ll cook down a lot, so don’t worry that it looks like too much at first.
3. Stir in the sugar, bottled lemon juice, and lemon slices. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for about 1 hour so the tomatoes release their juices.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
5. Cook uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally at first and more often as it thickens, until the preserves are deep amber-red, glossy, and mound up on a cold spoon rather than running off it. If you have a candy thermometer, you’re looking for around 220°F.
6. Remove and discard the lemon slices. Stir in the fresh basil during the last 5 minutes of cooking so it stays fragrant instead of cooking flat.
7. While the preserves cook, wash and sterilize 6 half-pint canning jars by boiling them 10 minutes, and keep the lids warm in a separate small pot of hot (not boiling) water.
8. Ladle the hot preserves into the hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean, center the lids, and screw the rings on fingertip-tight.
9. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes (add 5 minutes above 1,000 feet elevation), keeping jars fully submerged.
10. Remove and cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours, checking that each lid has sealed tight before storing. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use within a few weeks.

There’s something about a jar of this on the shelf in January that makes the whole summer feel a little closer. Want to grow your own? Check our guides for basil and tomatoes.