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.