One of the most rewarding ways that Singita manages its environmental impact is by growing veggies in our kitchen gardens and sourcing ingredients from suppliers in local communities . We take great pride in being able to produce creative and delicious meals in remote locations with minimal reliance on imported items with a higher carbon footprint.

Tomatoes absolutely flourish in the warm climate at Singita Kruger National Park , and their plump, juicy flesh provides flavour for all manner of different dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This versatile ingredient is used in soups, salads, salsas, sauces and sandwiches; fresh, roasted, grilled, fried, pureed and stuffed, the options are endless!

Tomato Jam Recipe

We use this homemade tomato jam for lots of things at Singita Sweni Lodge , not least of all as the base for a dish with potato gnocchi, parmesan chips, asparagus and avocado puree:

Ingredients – what you will need:

500g ripe plum tomatoes
2 red onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
300g brown sugar
200ml white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil

Method – what to do:

1. Take your tomatoes and remove the eye (where the fruit comes from the plant) and make an “x” on top of the tomatoes using a sharp knife. You do not want to cut deep into the tomato, you just want to break the skin.
2. Next, place all the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove the tomatoes from the pot and place directly into a large bowl of iced water and allow to cool completely.
3. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and roughly chop the peeled tomatoes.
4. Add the olive oil to a medium size pot followed by the onions, garlic and thyme.
5. Sweat the onions, garlic and thyme over a gentle heat for 5 minutes.
6. Next add your tomatoes, brown sugar and vinegar and reduce the heat to a simmer.
7. Cook all of the ingredients for ± 90 minutes, stirring frequently.
8. The tomatoes should have turned slightly translucent by now and have a glossy appearance.
9. Break up roughly with a spoon or purée in a blender, depending on your preferred texture, and then allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

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