Shhhh!
I have a secret. Come close.
A little closer…
I think I figured out how to make Cafe Bezalel’s EXTRAORDINARY jam.
Now, if you’ve never had it and you’re wondering what it is, and why I’m calling something with cherry tomatoes and star anise “extraordinary,” you are probably in good company. I can actually assure you that you are because those two thoughts crossed my mind when I first learned the ingredients in this jam.
Desperate to know how to make this, on three different occasions I pretended to have a severe allergy to certain ingredients in jam (???…I don’t know. It worked.) in the hopes that some generous person (read: fool) would tell me how to make this truly extraordinarily flavored treat. And someone did! Well, sort of. In true to-the-point Israeli style, each of the servers told me: cherry tomatoes and anise. So, I just filled in the blanks…sugar, lemon, sugar, sugar, date honey, you get the idea. And then I added plums because I couldn’t really get the color right. You really have to try this, if for no other reason than just to marvel at the combination. You don’t even have to eat it! Give it to a co-worker as a gift! Or to that guy down the hall… 😉 But why wouldn’t you eat it
Soooo….you’re welcome. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know your thoughts!
Makes about 8 oz, maybe a little more
(*Just one quick thing: this recipe will depend upon the type of cherry tomatoes you find. The ones I had in Israel when I made this were reaaaally sweet–those long, tear-drop shaped ones. But the rest of us can just add extra sugar/honey.)
What you need:
2 c cherry tomatoes; halved (amount after slicing)
1/2 c dark plums; chopped (optional)
1/2 c sugar + 1/2 c date honey
1 tblsp lemon juice
2 star anise seeds
How to do it
Over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Bring it to a boil, constantly stirring for about 10 minutes. When film begins to form spoon it off and discard. After about 10 minutes, let it simmer for about 5 more minutes. You don’t have to stir it but keep an eye to make sure nothing is sticking and burning. Turn off the heat, let it sit for about 10 minutes or so and then transfer to a jar. It stays good for about 2 wks.
my jerusalem kitchen 