For the Love of...: ...Roasted Tomato and Bacon Jam

Have you ever grilled up a great steak at home and thought to yourself that a little squirt of ketchup would make for the perfect sauce, but you couldn't bring yourself to do it because of your inner food snob? I'll be the first to admit that ketchup is one of my all time favourite condiments and even though I think it goes great with beef I just can't bring myself to use it on a premium dry aged steak. The solution to my dilemma is this gourmet homemade tomato and bacon jam that is based on something similar we tasted at Farm on our charcuterie plate. This condiment is easy to make, sweet, savoury and smokey and can hold its own next to any premium steak out there.

Ingredients:

- 2 dry aged Angus beef strip loins

- 4 large tomatoes quartered and de-seeded 

- 1 large white onion sliced thinly

- 2 tbsp chopped sage

- 7 strips of bacon

- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 

- 3 tbsp honey

- Salt and pepper

Method:

1. place the de-seeded and quartered tomatoes on an oven proof dish, season with salt, pepper and canola oil and roast at 400 degrees Celsius for 30-40 minutes

2. At the same time place the bacon on a separate baking sheet and bake at the same time as the tomatoes until golden brown and crispy

3. Once the bacon is crispy remove from the oven, allow to cool, chop into fine pieces and set aside

4. Use 3 tbsp of the reserved bacon drippings to slowly caramelize the onions and sage. When golden brown set aside to cool

5. Once the tomatoes are slightly dried out and soft, allow to cool for 10 minutes and either chop finely or blend till smooth in a food processor

6. In the same pan you used to caramelize the onions, cook the pureed roasted tomatoes over medium heat until reduced by a third. Add the balsamic and honey and cook for another 7-8 minutes 

7. Combine the reserved bacon and caramelized onions with the reduced tomato sauce and allow to cool

8. Serve with your favourite steak

Enjoy!