What do you do with 12 pounds of tomatoes?
Obviously, you make tomato sauce!
What else would you do with them besides can them? My Year of Canning had taken a little break for the past month or so (like most other things in my life), but it's back on and we're going strong. The tomatoes were so beautiful at the market over the weekend and I also received another lovely gift of tomatoes from my boyfriend's grandmother (leaving me with 12+ pounds of tomatoes, not including the cherry variety). So, of course, I decided to sweat it out in the kitchen and can tomato sauce. Literally, it was like re-living my internship all over again. Not going to lie, I regretted the project almost as soon as I started. But, the end result (tons of tomato sauce) was well worth it, even if I was up all night, elbow-deep in tomatoes. Nonetheless, tomatoes are at their peak - sweet and delicious - making it the perfect time to preserve them for the long cold winter ahead (even though it's hard to even fathom cold right now with the 90+ degree weather). I'd call that passion, culinary determination, and edible craziness.
The recipe for the Tomato Basil Sauce is fairly simple, involving fewer ingredients than most supermarket tomato sauces, and resulting in a much better flavor. Be sure to buy local organic tomatoes, otherwise it sort of defeats the purpose. But, as someone with many food allergies/intolerance, homemade (local, organic, or not) is always preferred over jarred any day.
As if 12 pounds of tomatoes weren't enough to handle in one night, I also got the bright idea that I would pickle some okra to top it off. Of course- Pickled Okra! Obviously I wasn't hot, sweaty and tired enough. Hey, the canning water was already boiling! (Yes, I know that I am deranged and a crazy seasonal fanatic. My poor boyfriend had to sweat it out for over 4 hours last night) The recipe is pretty standard as pickling recipes go. But, I'm pickling them for the dinner I plan to make tomorrow night. It's the end result that I'm going for! That whole "bigger picture" thing.
Tomato Basil Sauce: Yields 4 Pints (maybe a little more if yours doesn't reduce as much as mine)
8 lbs tomatoes
2 cups onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t salt
1/2 t cracked black pepper
2 T brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped basil
3 T balsamic vinegar
4 T lemon juice (or 1 T for each jar you end up canning)
1. Cut an X on the bottom of each tomato. Blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds and then shock in an ice water bath. Peel, seed and chop the tomatoes. Place in a large stainless steel pot.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and basil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. Meanwhile, wash and sterilize jars. Reserve water bath for processing later.
4. Remove sauce from heat. Process through a food mill to puree sauce and remove any missed tomato seeds (honestly, I skipped this step and canned chunky tomato sauce instead). Return to pot, add vinegar, and boil for 5 minutes.
5. Remove hot jars and place on a towel. Place 1 T of lemon juice into the bottom of each jar. Carefully, ladle the sauce into the jars. Wipe rims, top with lids, and screw on rings.
6. Place in water bath. Bring to a boil and process for 35 minutes. Remove jars and let cool to room temperature before tightening rings and labeling.
Pickled Okra: Yields 2 Pints
1 1/2 lbs okra
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 T sugar
1 T salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
4 large sprigs of fresh dill
1. Clean okra and trim off the ends.
2. Combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
3. Wash and sterilize jars. Reserve water bath for processing later.
4. Remove hot jars and place on a towel. Place 1 clove of garlic and half of both the crushed red pepper flake and dill in each jar. Pack in okra tightly, point end down. Pour in vinegar/water solution. Wipe rims, top with lids, and screw on rings.
5. Place in water bath. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and let cool to room temperature before tightening rings and labeling.
Hope you enjoy these yummy canning recipes! The wonderful advice that I was given after starting the project was "You should have done this in the winter!" But, that's why I'm a foodie. A locavore. Even when it's hot and sticky, produce can still be preserved at it's peak freshness. It might cause you to grumble and groan during the process, but it will pay off in the long run.
Making a simple dinner tonight (if I have the energy). Not sure yet if it will be blog-worthy. Tomorrow night, however, I'm going at it again with Cornmeal-Crusted Eggplant, Black-Eyed Pea and Pickled Okra Relish, Sauteed Collard Greens and Grilled Tomatoes. Also (as if that wasn't enough), I'll be making Trail Mix Bars to bring as a gift to my boyfriend's family over the weekend. Woah. I'm winded just thinking about it :) Should be a fun night of cooking.
What else would you do with them besides can them? My Year of Canning had taken a little break for the past month or so (like most other things in my life), but it's back on and we're going strong. The tomatoes were so beautiful at the market over the weekend and I also received another lovely gift of tomatoes from my boyfriend's grandmother (leaving me with 12+ pounds of tomatoes, not including the cherry variety). So, of course, I decided to sweat it out in the kitchen and can tomato sauce. Literally, it was like re-living my internship all over again. Not going to lie, I regretted the project almost as soon as I started. But, the end result (tons of tomato sauce) was well worth it, even if I was up all night, elbow-deep in tomatoes. Nonetheless, tomatoes are at their peak - sweet and delicious - making it the perfect time to preserve them for the long cold winter ahead (even though it's hard to even fathom cold right now with the 90+ degree weather). I'd call that passion, culinary determination, and edible craziness.The recipe for the Tomato Basil Sauce is fairly simple, involving fewer ingredients than most supermarket tomato sauces, and resulting in a much better flavor. Be sure to buy local organic tomatoes, otherwise it sort of defeats the purpose. But, as someone with many food allergies/intolerance, homemade (local, organic, or not) is always preferred over jarred any day.
As if 12 pounds of tomatoes weren't enough to handle in one night, I also got the bright idea that I would pickle some okra to top it off. Of course- Pickled Okra! Obviously I wasn't hot, sweaty and tired enough. Hey, the canning water was already boiling! (Yes, I know that I am deranged and a crazy seasonal fanatic. My poor boyfriend had to sweat it out for over 4 hours last night) The recipe is pretty standard as pickling recipes go. But, I'm pickling them for the dinner I plan to make tomorrow night. It's the end result that I'm going for! That whole "bigger picture" thing.
Tomato Basil Sauce: Yields 4 Pints (maybe a little more if yours doesn't reduce as much as mine)
8 lbs tomatoes
2 cups onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t salt
1/2 t cracked black pepper
2 T brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped basil
3 T balsamic vinegar
4 T lemon juice (or 1 T for each jar you end up canning)
1. Cut an X on the bottom of each tomato. Blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds and then shock in an ice water bath. Peel, seed and chop the tomatoes. Place in a large stainless steel pot.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar and basil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. Meanwhile, wash and sterilize jars. Reserve water bath for processing later.
4. Remove sauce from heat. Process through a food mill to puree sauce and remove any missed tomato seeds (honestly, I skipped this step and canned chunky tomato sauce instead). Return to pot, add vinegar, and boil for 5 minutes.
5. Remove hot jars and place on a towel. Place 1 T of lemon juice into the bottom of each jar. Carefully, ladle the sauce into the jars. Wipe rims, top with lids, and screw on rings.
6. Place in water bath. Bring to a boil and process for 35 minutes. Remove jars and let cool to room temperature before tightening rings and labeling.
Pickled Okra: Yields 2 Pints
1 1/2 lbs okra
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 T sugar
1 T salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
4 large sprigs of fresh dill
1. Clean okra and trim off the ends.
2. Combine vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil.
3. Wash and sterilize jars. Reserve water bath for processing later.
4. Remove hot jars and place on a towel. Place 1 clove of garlic and half of both the crushed red pepper flake and dill in each jar. Pack in okra tightly, point end down. Pour in vinegar/water solution. Wipe rims, top with lids, and screw on rings.
5. Place in water bath. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and let cool to room temperature before tightening rings and labeling.
Hope you enjoy these yummy canning recipes! The wonderful advice that I was given after starting the project was "You should have done this in the winter!" But, that's why I'm a foodie. A locavore. Even when it's hot and sticky, produce can still be preserved at it's peak freshness. It might cause you to grumble and groan during the process, but it will pay off in the long run.
Making a simple dinner tonight (if I have the energy). Not sure yet if it will be blog-worthy. Tomorrow night, however, I'm going at it again with Cornmeal-Crusted Eggplant, Black-Eyed Pea and Pickled Okra Relish, Sauteed Collard Greens and Grilled Tomatoes. Also (as if that wasn't enough), I'll be making Trail Mix Bars to bring as a gift to my boyfriend's family over the weekend. Woah. I'm winded just thinking about it :) Should be a fun night of cooking.
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