Stand aside, sides! In Louisiana, where a whole family of iconic dishes begins with the “holy trinity” of onions, celery, and bell pepper, fruits and vegetables are a world unto themselves.
While the tomato might technically be categorized as a fruit, the ways in which the Creole tomato plays a starring role in New Orleans summer staple soups, salads, and favorites like Creole Tomato Pie, are well-documented. But in the hands of creative New Orleans chefs, the Creole tomato is capable of so much more. During her cooking workshop at this year’s Creole Tomato Festival, Chef Camille Staub, Louisiana native and co-owner of the elevated pop-up catering company Luncheon, will demonstrate how she captures the very essence of red, ripe Creole tomatoes in her house-made Creole Tomato Jam.
Sam Hanna
Camille Colleen Chefs
Camille Staub (left) and Colleen Allerton-Hollier are co-founders of the elevated New Orleans catering pop-up, Luncheon.
Originally the brainchild of Staub’s former business partner and Luncheon co-owner, Colleen Allerton-Hollier, Creole Tomato jam packs a sweet-meets-savory kick that accentuates the flavors of starchy vegetables like sweet corn, and is equally at home when served with cheese or fruit. At Luncheon you’ll find Creole Tomato Jam adding lush complexity to summer menu favorites like panzanella salad, grilled tomato and corn salad, or peach and grilled tomato salad. For her Creole Tomato Festival cooking demo, Staub set out to capture the essence of the Creole tomato in a way that brings its earthy acidity to bear on a wide range of dishes. In her unique take on Creole Tomato Jam, Staub adds sugar and fresh cinnamon bark to build a complex flavor profile; and apple cider vinegar, black pepper, and salt to underline the Creole tomato’s acid punch. Then comes an unexpected flourish: a dash of cold brew sourced from local New Orleans’ own French Truck Coffee. Staub explained that coffee brings out the tomato’s savory flavor, while also preserving its sweet notes. “The cold brew lends itself really well to savory things and it's got this lovely sweetness to it as well,” she observed.
Chef Camille Staub’s Creole Tomato Jam
Yield: about 4 quarts
- 2.5lb ripe Creole tomatoes, cored and cut down to a large dice
- 1lb granulated sugar
- 1/4 stick of cinnamon
- 1/4 oz salt
- .08 oz black pepper
- 3.5 oz apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 oz cold brew concentrate
Combine all ingredients in a heavy bottom pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until the jam reaches 220 degrees (about an hour, depending on your range and the pot used). This jam will keep for up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
During the Creole Tomato Festival, watch Chef Camille Staub make her Creole Tomato Jam at 1 pm Sunday, June 11 on the Cooking Demonstration Stage. Then, pick up a few pounds of ripe, red tomatoes, and make a batch for yourself. When tomato season is over you’ll be glad you did. As Staub says, “It allows you to preserve a little snapshot of spring for yourself for the rest of the year.”
For more info on festival schedules, attractions, and activities, visit frenchmarket.org/creoletomatofest
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