THE STUDENT VEGETARIAN COOK BOOK

-METHOD -

Bake and crush the nuts as on page 21. Toast the sesame and coriander: put into a small saucepan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until they start to change colour, shaking constantly to ensure even cooking (beware of the sesame, which spits). Crush finely. Add a pinch of salt and mix with the nuts and oil.

- PETER GORDON'STOMATO JAM P

eter Gordon is a chef from New Zealand who worked with Clara Tomasi at Frith's Restaurant in London. This jam is a cross between ordinary jam and chutney: it is pungent rather than sweet but contains no vinegar. Like chutney, itgoeswith a wide variety ofsavoury dishes, such as burgers, pancakes and fritters (at Frith's I had it with plantain fritters). or can be used to flavour yoghurt or in sandwiches. If put into a sterilised jar, it will keep for months; but because it contains very little sugar, once opened it must be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within a few days. For this reason, if you have them, it is a good idea to put it into two small jars (6 oz/190 g in size, such as those in which peanut or other nut butters are sold) rather than one large one. However, as the jars should be full, do not be tempted to half-fill two larger ones. With fresh tomatoes, the quantities below will fill one 12 oZ/375 g jar; with tinned, because of the size of the tins, there will be a little more.

Plum tomatoes, which are large and plum-shaped ratherthan round, give a much better result than ordinary round ones, which are too watery to produce a jam-like consistency; fresh plum ones are becoming easier to buy, although relatively expensive, but tinned ones are widely available. Ifthe choice is between fresh ordinary and tinned plum tomatoes, I (for once) recommend tinned (but not tinned ordinary ones; you should also avoid chopped tinned plum ones flavoured with garlic).

Even using fresh tomatoes, the jam takes only a few minutes to prepare, but you need to allow 2114-2112 hours for it to simmer. Makes about 12 oz/375 g.