Who can resist sun-warmed tomatoes fresh from the garden? A gift brought by Spaniards from the New World to the Old, tomatoes were once thought to have been a favourite of Venus and were used as an aphrodisiac.
But what about all those green tomatoes, also known as love apples? In fact, in the right recipe, they’re just as tasty as the ripe ones.
GREEN TOMATO SALSA
30 green tomatoes, chopped
6 large onions, sliced
125 ml (1/2 cup) pickling salt
16 russet apples, peeled and diced
1 L (4 cups) white sugar
50 ml (l/4 cup) mixed pickling spices (in a muslin bag)
Vinegar
Put tomatoes and onions in a glass bowl in layers. Add salt and let stand overnight. Drain well. Place in an enamelled pan with the apples and sugar. Add enough vinegar to cover 3/4 of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour and 30 minutes. Put in sterilized jars and seal.
GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY
2 cloves garlic, minced
1.25 L (5 cups) chopped green tomatoes
550 ml (2 l/4) cups sugar
375 ml (l l/2 cups) raisins
85 g (3 oz) crystallized ginger, minced
7 ml (l l/2 tsp) salt
5 ml (l tsp) Tabasco sauce
500 ml (2 cups) apples cider vinegar
Simmer all ingredients in an enamelled pan until a dark colour. Put in sterilized jars and seal.
GREEN TOMATO MINCEMEAT
3 kg (7 lbs) green tomatoes, washed and trimmed
1.12 L (4 l/2 cups) white sugar
15 ml (l tbsp) cinnamon
15 ml (l tbsp) ground cloves
2 ml (l/2 tsp) nutmeg
125 ml (l/2 cup) vinegar
2 ml (l/2 tsp) salt
125 ml (l/2 cup) butter or ground beef suet
250 ml (l cup) raisins
Grated rind and juice of half an orange
20 ml (l l/2 tbsp) lemon juice
Chop tomatoes and drain off liquid. Cover with cold water. Drain again and cover with boiling water. Drain well and put in a large kettle with rest of ingredients. Bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered until thick, about 25 or 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Pour into hot sterilized jars. To use for pies, put about 750 ml (3 cups) into a pastry shell and bake with a top crust in a hot oven. Refrigerated mincemeat will keep for up to five months
Susan Hallett is an award-winning writer and editor who has written for The Beaver, The Globe & Mail, Wine Tidings and Doctor’s Review among many others. Email: hallett_susan@hotmail.com
