Spicy Tomato Jam and Oven-Fried Potatoes

I have set a challenge for myself. Create or adapt a recipe once a week to either compliment or use one of my jams or jellies in a new and interesting way. Today with the temperatures reaching the mid teens which is basically unheard of for March 11th, we decided to bbq some sausages from our local butcher on The Big Green Egg and I decided to address my challenge head on.

Up until now, I have simply been using my Spicy Tomato Jam in toasted panini's or on a cracker with cheese. But today, I decided to use it as an alternative to traditional ketchup. But not just on frozen french fries. No, I was going to create some oven fried potatoes as the perfect partner to this spicy yet somewhat sweet jam.

You can adapt the number of potatoes to suit your needs and then keep the spice mix for the next time if you make too much. Or you can subsitute sweet potato in for regular potato.

Spicy Oven Fried Potatoes

3-4 Medium Potatoes

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp crushed or finely chopped fennel seeds

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp salt (I find sea salt or kosher salt worked perfectly)

2 1/2 tbsp sesame seeds

Wash and dry your potatoes. I kept the skin on but the decision is yours as I think this recipe would work either way. Cut lengthwise into slivers. Place them into a bowl and toss them with the oil.

Using a small knife or mortar and pestle, either finely chop or mash your fennel seeds.

In a separate bowl mix fennel, cayenne pepper, salt and sesame seeds. Sprinkle over the potatoes and toss until all potato pieces are nicely covered.

Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spread. Bake at 400 degrees F for 40-60 minutes, making sure to turn the potatoes to cook evenly. Today I took mine out of the oven after only 30 minutes and they were cooked through, just not browned.

Take them out of the oven and dip them into the Spicy Tomato Sauce and ENJOY!