Tomatillo and Lime Jam

It's a shame that I didn't discover tomatillos until well into adulthood, because they've now become one of my favorite ingredients. I'm not sure if they were just an impulse buy at the farmers' market or I picked them up because of a Rick Bayless recipe that I wanted to try, but they now make regular appearances at my house when in season. It seems like I've made nearly every iteration of tomatillo salsa out there, so when I saw this recipe on Pati's Mexican Table on PBS one Saturday morning, I immediately put it on my culinary to-do list. Different than anything I've ever made with tomatillos before, this jam preserves the flavor of tomatillos for weeks in this sweet and spicy accent for myriad foods. I found the original recipe, which used 1 1/2 cups sugar, a bit too sweet for my taste, so I scaled back the sugar and added a spicy kick with a bit of jalapeno. This jam makes a wonderfully unexpected condiment for sandwiches, can be transformed into a delicious glaze for meats, or even just used for an adventurous piece of toast.

Tomatillo and Lime Jam
adapted from Pati's Mexican Table
makes about 1 1/4 cups

1 lb tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
4 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
Rind of a lime, whole or chopped 
Finely minced jalapeno or serrano pepper, to taste (optional)
A pinch of salt
 

1. Place all of the ingredients into a saucepan set over medium heat.  Let them come to a simmer and stir occasionally, letting them cook until it has thickened and achieved a soft and loose jam consistency, about 35 to 40 minutes. 

2. Don't wait until it has thickened too much, because it thickens considerably as it cools.  Once it has cooled down, pour it into a container, cover tightly and refrigerate.