Tomatoes

Confronted by bowls of ripe (and green) tomatoes can be a bit daunting, but chutney (using red or green tomatoes), soups and pasta sauces are all easy to make and store well.
 
MINESTRONE SOUP - One recipe of many variations

6 rashers bacon cut into very small pieces
2 onions, chopped into small cubes
2 garlic, crushed
3 sticks celery, chopped into small cubes
1 thinly sliced leek, washed well
2 courgettes, cubed small. Skin on if young and tender
Runner beans, trimmed, and diagonally sliced into small pieces
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
Loads of skinned and chopped well tomatoes, as many as you want to add, balancing other veg
Water just enough to cover veg (more can be added later)
3 chicken stock cubes
1 beef stock cube
Basil, thyme, tarragon & parsley chopped
2 cups macaroni or small pasta
Salt & Pepper to taste

In large saucepan, gently fry bacon, add onion & garlic, then celery, leek, courgettes, beans, carrots, tomatoes & pasta.
Bring to boil and gently simmer adding the basil, parsley, thyme and tarragon (if available) for approx. 20 minutes.
Test carrots to check if cooked through. Season to taste.
Freezes well.

MARINATED TOMATOES

3 large tomatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
1⁄4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teasp salt
1⁄4 teasp pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tblsp fresh chopped parsley
1 teasp fresh chopped basil
1 tblsp finely chopped onion
Cut tomatoes into 1⁄2 inch thick slices. Place in a shallow dish.

Combine oil and remaining ingredients in a jar, cover tightly and shake vigorously.
Pour oil mix over tomato slices. Cover. Marinate in fridge for 2-24 hours. Serve as side dish.

ROASTED TOMATO AND RED PEPPER SOUP
 
3lb Tomatoes, halved
2lb fresh red peppers, halved and deseeded
Vegetable stock
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 7/ 220C
Place the tomatoes and peppers, skin side up, on baking sheets. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Place trays in the preheated oven and roast until the skins start to blacken. Remove trays from oven and as
soon as able, pinch off the blackened skins and discard.
Place tomato and peppers in a saucepan adding enough vegetable stock to cover well. Bring to boil and simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste, then blitz with stick/hand blender. If too thick, add more stock.
Freezes well in single portions.
To serve hot, can add a swirl of cream fraiche, finely chopped basil leaves and crusty bread.

TOMATO AND APPLE CHUTNEY

1kg (2 lb) apples - peeled, cored and sliced
450ml (16 fl oz) water
1 tblsp yellow mustard seeds
1kg (2 lb) tomatoes, sliced
2 large onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
85g (3 oz) sultanas
140g (5 oz) caster sugar
2 1⁄2 dessertspoons curry powder
1 teasp cayenne pepper
2 dessertspoons salt
560ml (1 pint) malt vinegar
 
Place apples and water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, simmer gently, and cook 25 minutes, or until
apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Add more water if necessary to keep the apples simmering.
Wrap mustard seeds in muslin or cheesecloth, and place with apples. Mix tomatoes, onions, garlic, sultanas,
sugar, curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt and vinegar in with the apples. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
Bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until a thick chutney remains.
Remove and discard wrapped mustard seed.
Seal chutney in hot sterile jars.
Keeps well.

FRESH TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA

2.5lb / 1.13k fresh red, ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
1 tblsp olive oil
1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
Bunch fresh basil (discard stalks)
salt and black pepper
a little grated Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), to serve.

Roughly chop the tomatoes.
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan, add the onion and garlic and let them gently cook for 5-6 minutes, until they
are softened and pale gold in colour.
Add the chopped tomatoes with about a third of the torn basil leaves.
Season with salt & pepper.
Stir well and let the tomatoes simmer on a very low heat, without a lid, for approximately 11⁄2- 13⁄4 hours or until almost all the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are reduced to a thick, jam-like consistency, stirring every now and then.
Blitz the thickened mixture with a stick/hand blender, but not too much.
Stir in the rest of the torn basil leaves.
Freeze in individual portions.
Serve fresh to cooked pasta and topped with grated Parmesan (or other hard cheese) and fresh black pepper.

EXTRA USES
Slightly under ripe tomatoes (some green), can be cut into thick slices and dredged with a mixture of cornflour,
grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Fly each slice in olive oil until golden and crisp. Serve these
traditional FRIED GREEN TOMATOES on toasted bread.
Try baking a glut of larger tomatoes with their tops cut off, laid side by side on a baking tray. In a plastic bag
mix together fresh breadcrumbs, drained capers, chopped anchovies if liked, and a little chopped parsley.
Shake mixture to mix well. Cover the tomatoes with the breadcrumb mix and top with fine slithers of garlic.
Drizzle with olive oil. Cook 25-35 mins in medium oven and serve with fish.

If you are reading this and have a favourite tomato recipe you are willing to share, please use our contact page and we will try to include it.