Get ready to Wow with this fantabulous recipe for chili jam. We all know that a charcuterie boards are trending, and there’s little sense of its popularity slowing down. Store-bought meats and cheeses, jams, and crackers help to make charcuterie boards accessible and delicious. We’re also seeing jams featured on cheeseboards, usually something fruit-forward. Today, we invite you to consider making a couple of the cheeseboard essentials from scratch, and this chili jam is a great place to start.

Chef Dom’s encouraging instruction will have everyone feeling like a cheeseboard pro after whipping up both homemade ricotta cheese and this stunning chili jam, both made fresh and served over top of crunchy-chewy toasted crostini.

Chili Jam can have as much or as little heat as you’d prefer. The seeds of the jalapeño are the source of its heat, so to reduce that kick, remove the seeds at the same time as the stems. For a little bit of sweet-smokiness, we’re also using roasted red bell peppers. These are pureed together and then transferred into a saucepan where it gets some new “roommates,” apple cider vinegar, and sugar that will reduce and thicken into a jam, under consistent supervision and stirring.

Once it’s reduced, thickened, and cooled, the jam is ready to serve. While this was all simmering on the stovetop, in the oven were our crostini. French bread sliced on a bias for a certain elegance, and drizzled with olive oil and some salt. These toast beautifully in the oven, but not too much!

The end goal is a crisp exterior with a soft and chewy interior, a delightful base for the cool creamy Homemade Ricotta Cheese, the star-of-the-show Chili Jam, and a bit of peppery arugula for bright freshness. How lovely! A brilliant cheeseboard that is sure to delight the eyes and the tastebuds. Enjoy!

This recipe is featured in our online cooking class, Cheeseboard Essentials.

Click the link above to watch the step-by-step video of how to make this recipe!

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