green tomatoes

[washerboy]

I had a tuff time with my tomatos this summer; they didn't do very much. I think it had a lot to do with the scorching record breaking temps..it was actually 117 one day in July!! I ate a few and managed to can about 4 pints. Now that winter is around the corner suddenly all the plants are bowed over loaded with tomatos. We have a freeze scheduled for latter in the week and I doubt few if any will be ripe before the temps drop. I know I can pick them and let them ripen up inside but I came across a recipie for green tomato pie. It sounds similar to apple pie but was wondering if anyone has tried/made a pie with green tomatoes? I'll probably fry several of them. Also found several recipies for green tom cake and green tom bread..I don't know if I'm that adventuresome./thanks!!/mark

 

[westie2]

Mark the same thing happened up here in NWArkansas.  We had a hard freeze 2 weeks ago.  I had some of the freen totmato pie several years ago and was not bad at all. Apple is still my favorite.  Green tomato relish is easy to make and goes great with fried catfish.  It is not the ground type but the chunked up type. 

 

Charles

 

[westie2]

Green Tomato Relish

Here it is.

 

<h2>Green Tomato Relish Partners Well with Fried Catfish</h2>
By Arkansas Game and Fish

 

If there is a signature Arkansas food, it may well be fried catfish. And the popular accompaniment to this entrée is green tomato relish.

As colder weather arrives, some gardeners have a number of green tomatoes that won’t make it to ripeness. Pick them and head to the kitchen for a session of cooking and canning green tomato relish.

Here is a recipe from one Arkansas Game and Fish Commission staff member who said it is a vintage family hand-me-down.

Green Tomato Relish

24 cups chopped to thumb size green tomatoes
4 hot peppers, chopped
4 red bell peppers, chopped
4 green bell peppers, chopped
4 cups chopped onions
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 cups vinegar
8 cups sugar

Cook together in a large pot until color changes (cook a pretty good while until fork tender). Pour into sterilized pint jars or any size desired. Seal while hot. Makes 14 pints or a bit more.

 

It is best to me witht he thumb size chunks.

 

[henry200]

Green tomato pie!

That's a long-standing tradition in my family for using up the last of the tomato harvest, and something I looked forward to every year as far back as I can remember.  Another traditional staple is green tomato mince; tomatoes, apples and raisins cooked with sugar, spices and a little butter until it's thick and then canned for use later as a pie or bar filling. 

 

[westingman123]

Ah, green tomato "mince" pie. Now THAT took me back to the farm.

 

[wringer]

Green

tomato mince takes me back also. My family used to use all the green tomatoes at the end of the season for mince and relish. Many long years ago unfortunately. Thanks for the reminder !!

 

[henry200]

Recipe for green tomato mince

This is the recipe handed down through my family for generations.

 

1 peck green tomatoes

1 peck green apples  (as tart as you can get)

2 pounds raisins  (or 1 pound plus 1 pound currants)

5 pounds brown sugar

1 cup vinegar

1 cup butter

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cloves

 

Finely chop tomatoes and drain off liquid.  Cover with water in pot, add 2 tsp salt and boil for 20 minutes.  Drain, discarding water then cover with fresh water and boil again.  Drain thoroughly.

 

Peel, core and finely chop apples (my aunt put the apples raisins and currants through a coarse blade in the meat grinder....and my job was to turn the crank)

 

Combine all ingredients and cook until very thick (approx. 1/2 hour) then fill canning jars and process in water bath.

 

[tomturbomatic]

For you youngsters who never had to learn this in 2nd grade math, a peck is 8 quarts or a quarter bushel.

There was an old song my parents used to sing to us, "I love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug arouhd the neck."

 

[henry200]

"I love you a bushel and a peck..."

My aunt used to sing that song too!

 

[circlew]

Song

Bushel and a Peck was a big hit in 1950 for Perry Como and Betty Hutton.

 

[kenmore71]

Bushel and a Peck

The song was written by Frank Loesser originally for the stage version of "Guys & Dolls" which opened on Broadway in late 1950. The Perry Como & Betty Hutton single was recorded when the show was in development and the record was released when the show was still in previews. Vivian Blaine played the role of Miss Adelaide in "Guys and Dolls" and premiered the song on Broadway. For some reason, the song was cut from the 1955 movie musical with Sinatra, et. al.

 

[washerboy]

thanks!!!

thanks everyone for your comments on green tomatoes!!! I'm going to make the pie over the weekend. I was thinking I might try the green tomatoe relish as well; I'm not sure I'll have 24 cups of tomatoes but 12 cups for sure...so I could make a half batch

Tomturbomatic: thanks for clearing up the "peck". When I saw that I thought OMG!!!! I haven't seen that measurment in years. I racked my brain for a minute and for the life of me couldn't remember anything execept I remember my grandmother using words like Peck and Mess..(although I was really never sure what a mess actually was...LOL!!!)

Thanks again for all your comments.

On another note: I've never said this but I love this site and it's usually the way I start most days. Some folks read the newpaper I scan AW first. It's really nice having cyber friends!!!/mark

 

[tomturbomatic]

Doesn't anyone fry Green Tomatoes? I realize they should be a little bit beyond the absolutely green stage to fry, but I loved them. In the mid 60s, we used to go to a cafeteria that served them. I always got a serving and liberally sprinkled them with pepper sauce before eating 'em. What we in the South called pepper sauce was green peppers in vinegar, not the red stuff, which is great also, but different.