A sweet-and-tangy tomato relish thick with onion, sultanas and warm spice, cooked down with vinegar and sugar to a glossy, chunky preserve. An Irish kitchen staple slathered on cheese, cold meats, burgers and the side of a fry-up.
Created at Ballymaloe House in East Cork from a traditional Allen-family tomato relish recipe, made each autumn to preserve the glut of ripe garden tomatoes (Ballymaloe Foods; Myrtle Allen).
Sweet and sharp in equal measure, the relish hits with ripe tomato and caramelised onion, then a fruity hum from the sultanas and a gentle warmth of spice. The vinegar keeps it lively rather than jammy-sweet. A spoonful transforms a plate of cheese or cold ham instantly.
Long, gentle cooking evaporates water and concentrates the tomato while the sugar and vinegar act as preservatives that also balance sweet against sharp. Caramelising the onions and reducing the mixture builds the deep, glossy body of a true relish.
Variations
Spiced up with chilli, made with red peppers, or sweetened with extra sugar for a jammier set
On the Palate
Where Ballymaloe Relish sits in the Irish flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 12How it's made
8 steps · 45 min active
- 110 min
Roughly chop the ripe tomatoes and finely dice the onions.
- 23 min
Combine them in a heavy pot with vinegar, sugar and sultanas.
- 32 min
Add mustard seed, a little salt and a pinch of warming spice.
- 45 min
Bring slowly to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- 530 min
Cook gently, stirring often, until thick and jammy.
- 62 min
Check it is reduced enough that a spoon leaves a clear trail.
- 73 min
Spoon the hot relish into sterilised jars and seal.
- 82 min
Cool, then store and let the flavour mellow for a few days before using.
