Savoury Jam Maple Coffee Apple Chilli Jam
I bought a little too much of everything over the festive season, but then again who didn’t! Oddly I had a glut of bacon, apples and avocados, weird ones I know.
The bacon was destined for pigs in blankets, but just a few rashers were needed rather than 500g I bought from the butcher!
Why apples? The kids were home and studying and apples are a great snack item, both like different varieties but they were not snacking!
The avocados were destined for canapes and starters, but I made too much choice, so they were not used.
I needed a recipe to use the ingredients and a bacon sandwich with savoury jam and avocado was the answer.
As both my children were working over the holidays one to clear A level holiday homework and revision and the other was sitting her first set of University exams in January. I wanted to spoil them when they took a break for lunch, with something that is a little more exciting to eat, so I create a little wave of joy in the sea of revision with this savoury jam.
Making a humble bacon sandwich, not exciting but with doorstop artisan bread and a smothering of this wonder gooey, glossy savoury jam, it was different and became a talking point, especially as none of us are natural jam eaters. The jam has a very slight chilli kick, you can increase or decrease the chilli to taste, which enhances but did not over power the bacon.
This savoury jam is really quick to make, as I work in the kitchen in the holiday, a few stirs every now and again thanks to a non stick pan, made this no bother at all to produce.
A little twist on what is essentially a vegan jam, is to add bacon, vegan or traditional, well I did say I had an excess of bacon. I know Bacon Jam has been a thing in shops for a long time but buying it never drew me, meat in a jar sitting on a shelf usually gets a ‘no thank you’ from me. But it has always intrigued me. The base of bacon jam is very similar to this savoury jam recipe. So I thought to use up even more of the bacon I’d blend a little into the jam.
Bacon Jam:
Essentially bacon jam is crisped up rashers of bacon added to jam and blended together. I used a ratio of a slice of crispy bacon for each heaped tablespoon of jam. Add a thin layer of that to the bacon sandwiches and it was delicious.
Tasting the bacon jam on a cracker and that was lovely too, it would make for a delicious canape. On the cracker the jam was the star of the show, in the bacon sandwich it becomes an interesting supporting act.
What to do with Savoury Jam:
I always try and see what else you can do with the recipes I make so here are some ideas:
This jam is vegan, lactose and gluten friendly and could enhance a canape, vegan and lactose free cheese sandwich.
Canape ideas:
A base of vegetable pate and topped with the savoury jam
Cold slices of my vegan loaf cut into squares and topped with a dollop of savoury jam as a lunch dish or canape
A smearing on a houmous salad sandwich
Added as an accompaniment to a cheese board
Make and give as an edible gift
As a dip add the 1 tablespoon of the jam to 125ml of vegan or natural Greek yogurt
Enhance an afternoon tea table with the savoury jam, it can top cheese or plain scones
Add the jam to a vegan bacon or a toasted smoked tofu sandwich
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 1 cooking apple or two small eating apples, cut into a small dice
- 50g dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 100ml espresso coffee or 100ml water 1 teaspoon instant coffee
- 75ml white wine vinegar
- 100ml maple syrup
- In a heavy-based or non stick saucepan add the diced onion and sweat off for 5 minutes ensuring that the onions do not take any colour.
- Add the balance of the ingredients and simmer on a medium heat for about an hour stirring often.
- If the mixture gets too sticky add a little water.
- Cool the jam for half an hour and pulse till smooth in a food processor.