If you have too many Tomatoes from your garden

[rayjay]

Roasted Fresh Tomato Sauce

4 lbs ripe, unblemished tomatoes
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped, about one cup
8 to 10 garlic cloves, or to taste, peeled
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper tp taste
optional flavoring
2 TPSP chopped fresh herbs (basil, rosemary, dill oregano, chives, or parsley)

Preheat the oven to 400 F

Cut the tomatoes lengthwise into quarters, and arrange them in one layer in a shallow roasting pan.
Sprinkle the onion and the garlic around the tomatoes, and drizzle the oil over the tomatoes.
Roast the vegetable for 50 to 60 minutes or until the tomatoes are lightly browned and the garlic is tender when pierced with a knife.
Transfer the mixture in batches to a food processor (I used a blender because I was lazy), and chop coarsely or puree until fine to produce either a chunky or a smooth sauce.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and the chopped herbs, if using.

Makes about 5 cups.

Nutritional Analysis (Yes, we are maturing, I guess.) per 1/2 cup
72 calories
37% calories from fat, 3 grams of fat
17 milligrams of sodium (I omitted the salt!)

Using this method gives you time to prep the rest of the meal as well as talk with a friend on the phone. No stirring, no tomato paste (which I mistakenly bought), no scorching the pan on top of the stove.
I hope this gives you a way to use your tomatoes that are finally ripening!
Take care.

PS: I tried this and it was fantastic. I took 4 Italian sausage links out of their casing, browned and added to the sauce. You may not want to used canned tomatoes again. The sauce was so fresh and sweet, and the roasted garlic and onions really made it taste great.

Enjoy

 

[charbee]

We discovered the joys of home-made tomato sauce this year, before the plants all got scorched to death. Yes, it's an incredible change from canned tomatoes!

We had more of the Yellow Pear tomatoes than anything else, and I actually was able to make about a half-gallon of pure Yellow Tomato sauce. Made a linquini sauce out of some of it with nothing but yellow bell pepper and yellow onion. It was really pretty to see, and really sweet, too! The last batch I made I ended up using the stick blender to puree it all (skins, seeds, too) and that made an incredibly rich sauce. We also raised several varieties of Black tomatoes, and I roasted some of them on the grill and made salsa with 'em...oh, yeah!

 

[foraloysius]

Sounds very yummie, I'll have to try this one!

 

[hoovermatic]

Or freeze it on baking trays and use in sauces and at a push Pesto ;-P

 

[rayjay]

Louis, you really have to try this. (Do you have great tomatoes where you live)? You will not want to use canned tomatoes again. I just tasted, the plain sauce which was great, but then added the browned sausage to it. So, we will probably have it tonight on either plain pasta or stuffed rigatoni. I get the stuffed rigatoni(restaurant quality) from a restaurant supplier.

ALso try the Linguine with tomatoes and basil.

Let me know how you like it.

Ray

 

[petek]

Oh if only... with our lack of summer I've barely got any red tomatoes on my 4 plants,, what a disappointment this year has been tomato-wise.

 

[rayjay]

Well, living in NJ it is a little better because we are know for our tomatoes and corn. If you can get some at a road side stand that would be great. We have so many of these around where I live.

 

[appnut]

This all sounds soo good, but I don't have acccess to a local farmer's market becaue it's only open during working hours. I odn't have very good luck picking good 'maters at the store. And cuttin gthem and trying to peel them, that's another disaster :-(

 

[bobbyderegis]

If you have too many tomatoes in your garden..........

you must be Italian!
Bobby in Boston

 

[rayjay]

Now Bobby......You know I am Polish. lol lol But, most of our friends are Italian. They are the best!!!!

Try the recipes, they are really good.

Ray

 

[michaelman2]

There are few things better to eat than a fresh tomatoe that is acidic and really ripe! My grandmother used to "put up" tomatoes and use them as vegetable soup base. I had actually thought about learning how to can this year and never got around to it. I recently read where people are canning again and actually creating seperate canning kitchens in their homes. I know that at our State Farmers Market there was once a cannery, I am not sure if it still exists....Okay now I am hungry and headed off to my favorite "meat & three" (meat & three vegs restaurant)..going to order some sliced tomatoes

 

[rayjay]

Hi Michael. Your birthday is pretty close to mine. I am a bit older though. lol I was born in PA, and my grandmother and aunt used to put up 500 jars of variouis sauce, vegetables, fruits, etc. It is so nice to have this on hand. And yes,,,I did hear that canning is making a come back. If you have any good recipes, please pass on.

Ray

 

[michaelman2]

Hi Ray, yes our birthday's are close...ya Taurus'y thang! lol
Below is an answer to your request regarding good recipes. A friend of mine made this and it is fantastic!

Bruschetta in a Jar
 5 cloves garlic, minced
 1 cup dry white wine
 1 cup white wine vinegar
 1/2 cup water
 2 Tbsp sugar
 2 Tbsp dried basil
 2 Tbsp dried oregano
 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
 9 cups chopped cored peeled plum tomatoes (about 4 lb or 12 medium)
 7 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

Directions:
1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) COMBINE garlic, wine, wine vinegar, water, sugar, basil, oregano and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until garlic is heated through. Remove from heat.
3.) PACK tomatoes into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Ladle hot vinegar mixture over tomatoes leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.
4.) PROCESS filled jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

 

[ronhic]

Chutney/relish

Hello all,

I've been watching this post and thought people may like the following recipe for Tomato Chutney. This was originally my grandmothers and is fantastic with cold cuts, cheese or even by the spoonfull from the jar.

6 lb ripe tomatoes (do NOT use Romas)
2 lb onions
1 3/4 lb sugar
2 T salt (T=Tablespoon and t=teaspoon.....and an Australian Tablespoon is 4xteaspoon)
2 T mustard powder
2 T curry powder
2 T cornflour
1 t nutmeg
1 large bottle good malt vinegar

Peel and section tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Leave overnight.
Drain liquid off tomatoes.
Add sugar, finely chopped onions and cover (just) with vinegar. Cook 30 min.
Mix cornflour and spices with a little vinegar to a paste. Stir through tomatoes.
Cook a further 25 minutes stirring continuously.
Place jars in a warm oven to sterilize.

Fill jars. When cool, overlay opening with plastic wrap. Seal.

Makes about 8-10 500g jars

Notes.
Mum uses white sugar, Keens curry and mustard powders and cornwalls malt vinegar. Different curry/vinegar will alter the flavour.
If you want it more jam like, cook longer to reduce further.

 

[rayjay]

Hey Guys. Thanks for the recipes. Let keep it going.

 

[retro-man]

Just cut up a couple dozen this morning that I picked from the garden and they are on the stove simmering on low for about 4 to 6 hours. Will let them cool overnight in the fridge and use the stick blender tomorrow to grind them all up. Into freezer bags they will go and use as sauces during the winter. Picked a bunch of peppers also which I will cut up into strips and freeze and use during the winter also. Need to pick green and yellow beans and freeze those for future use. I find that when freezing fresh veggies, I put them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours then put into freezer bags suck the air out and I don't get the frost buildup in the bags during storage.
Jon

 

[appnut]

Tomatoes anyone?

 

[appnut]

Still not ready to let it go