Recent Posts
-
Admin
Sep
19
Green Tomatoes – two ways
September 19, 2007 | 61 Comments
A world devoid of tomato soup, tomato sauce, tomato ketchup and tomato paste is hard to visualize. Could the tin and processed food industries have got where they have without the benefit of the tomato compounds which colour, flavour, thicken and conceal so many deficiencies? How did the Italians eat spaghetti before the advent of the tomato? Was there such a thing as tomato-less Neapolitan pizza?
- Elizabeth David in An Omelette and a Glass of Wine
Too much of a good thing – that’s the case right now, with all five of our tomato plants bursting in profusion before succumbing to the cold.
Most of the tomatoes ripen before we get to them.
The varieties we have are Cherry tomato, Husky (the larger variety of cherry tomato), Beefsteak (the green one), and two Roma tomato plants.
Recognise that beautiful plate? It’s a precious gift from the friend who created it. Thank you. We’re honoured to receive it.
Dealing with mountains of ripe tomatoes
1. Fill a five-liter pressure cooker three-quarters to the top with chopped tomatoes. Cover, put the weight on and cook on medium-low for 30 minutes. Do not add any water as the tomatoes will release enough liquid on their own. Take a big bowl, place a strainer over it, and put the whole tomato mixture into it. Let the juices drain into the bowl. Set it aside for atleast four hours or overnight. If it has cooled sufficiently, place it in the refrigerator.
Three quarters of a 5-litre pressure cooker usually gives us about 4 cups of liquid and 3.5 cups of tomato pulp.
Use the liquid to cook lentils/chickpeas/rice. (For 1 cup toor dal, use 2 cups water and 2 cups tomato liquid). Just cook the lentils/dal, rice for a few minutes extra, since the tomatoes may slow down the cooking time. Or just spice up the tomato liquid with some cumin and black pepper, chill and drink for a vitamin boost. Or add it to soups.
As for the concentrated tomato pulp, puree it. Use it in regular cooking, or convert it into chutneys or salsas.
2. Halve or quarter the tomatoes depending on their size. Prehat the oven to 400 degrees F. Layer the tomatoes on the tray, drizzen with a dash of olive oil, sprinke with salt, cover loosely with foil, pierce the foil in a couple of places, and bake 45 minutes to an hour. You can also cut the top third off a head of garlic, put a tsp of oilve oil on it, wrap it in foil, and place it next to the tomatoes to roast.
After the tomatoes are cooked and cooled, puree the whole thing in the food processor (optional additions: olives/chipotle sauce/herbs/nuts/parmesan). This is a great pasta sauce and also a good pizza base.
ROASTED GREEN TOMATO, POBLANO AND AVOCADO SALSA
Green tomatoes have a tart-sweet flavour, and are a perfect substitute for tomatillos in a green Mexican salsa (salsa verde).
Spread 2.5 cups chopped green tomatoes and 1 halved poblano pepper (or chilli of your choice) on a baking sheet, drizzle 2 tsps olive oil and sprinkle some salt.
Broil the tomatoes and peppers on high for 4 minutes or until you see dark spots on the tomatoes, and the pepper skin looks charred. Take the baking sheet out of the oven, let the mixture cool. Skin the pepper, and chop half the mixture into bits. Puree the other half with 1 clove of garlic to a fine paste. Add it to the chopped mixture.
Add 1/4 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 cup skinned and cubed Hass avocado, salt and 1 tsp lime juice (or more depending on the tartness of the tomatoes) and mix. Check the seasonings, refrigerate covered for 30 minutes, and serve.
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
Cut green tomatoes into rings about 1/2 inch thick. Dip into a mixture of cornmeal (or semolina), chilli powder (cayenne) and salt. Shallow fry in a cast iron pan with 2 tsps oil for a few minutes on both sides until the coating is crisp and the tomato has begun to soften.
This can also be done under the broiler.
Filed Under: Avocado, Chillies/Peppers, Cilantro/Coriander Leaves, Cornmeal, fried-green-tomatoes, GARDENING, green-tomato-salsa, poblano-pepper, Tomato, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes
|
61 Comments
I’ve had salsa on my mind since I saw Mark Bittman’s papaya one on NYT this week, must try yours too :angel: I love the sliced tomato pic…ever try sev tameta nu shaak with green tomatoes?
i’ve been planning to try that dish for a while. will do it when i get hold of some sev. – b.
I’ll try the green tomatoes phodiyo, looks good!
The first picture is just breath-taking – love it. The fried tomatoes look pretty and tempting.
the tomatoes are looking heavenly
fry tomatoes looks delicious piece !
Lovely pictures… :yes: esp the sliced tomato pic… :love:
wow gorgeous photos!and loved that 2nd fried tomatoes recipe. I didn’t know any recipe except a chutney with green tomatoes.thanks, will try this one.thanks
The fried green tomatoe pic looks jus out of an elite food magazine….big clap for the photographer.
jai and bee….the pictures are breathtaking…..beautiful and full of the energy that goes into this wonderful little destination in cyberspace…..wow!! :yes: :horn:
btw…the ideas are fabulous too….(err so obvious isnt it??)
Green tomatoes go well with dal too. Those tiny ones look like gooseberries. Pretty looking!
I absolutely love the first pic ! simply superb…and I would surely like a few slices of the fried green tomatoes along side some salsa :love:
*Drool*. Another wonderful post of yours!!!
An array of beautiful produce. I would not mind being your neighbor – I’d be begging you for some of the stuff you grow or for the dishes you cook LOL! In return I’d make you many desserts with all my love.
This post has brought a lots of good old memories. During childhood days in our little garden we used to have tomato plants. Everyday morning my sis would do an inventory audit and let my mom know how many ripe tomatoes are ready for that day. My mom makes a fabulous kootu with green tomatoes. These fried ones are absolutely adorable. Great pics as usual
lovely pix and nice post as usual!
Beautiful pictures!…that sliced tomato looks so inviting..
Hello, you two at the Whistle-Stop Cafe (brought to mind by the Fried Green Tomatoes!). I hope to have such a bounty next year, and in recognition of that hope, I’ve bookmarked this post already
I only have the one cherry tomato plant this year…
MMmm The tomatoes look so fresh and yummy.
wow…this is one one of my fav posts on jugalbandi… i love tomatoes any way… and loved all the pics here and the two recipes… avo salsa and green tomatoes saute….yummmmmmmm…. bee jay ..you guys are the best!
Wonderful yeild!! Enjoy it.
Lovely, lovely, lovely pics…..esp the sliced green tomato.
what a beautiful shots!!! who took these pictures? these r the best green tomato pic i have ever seen…
thanks, sia. j took four, i took two. – b.
:no: – some of those tomatoes are as big as a baby’s head, i have heard that veggies are significantly larger in the US but never imagined such gigantic tomatoes – i get pumpkins of that size in Chennai!!! loved the sliced tomato pic.
wow!!..this is an excellent blog-world…great work!!!
The pics are so breathtakingly beautiful. esp the black against green. really awesome. i had posted a green tomato thoran some days back. its a favourite back home cuz of the tangy taste
wonderful..love the way ur salsa pic was taken..the reflection of the tomatoes on the surface..lovely..guys..i am so jealous of that loot..last year my tomato plants were a big flop ..will try next yr
Wonderful pictures…Never seen tomatoes this beautiful n appealing…Fried Green slices look awesome ;;)
like ‘em both – salsa n avo, combining the two is a lovely idea
lovely pics. I recognized the plate. waw lovely gift.
Absolutely fabulous pics
Nice pictures! Especially the cherry tomatoes are great!
Lovely pictures….n fried tomatoes sound so tasty.
Cool pic with sliced tomoatoes
I am so not want to see anymore Tomatoes,specially the Cherry ones!:P
Beef steak is so yummy with Burgers, you had a good crop of those.I planted last year,it took over the patch and gave me just 4!!
Fried Green tomatoes looks great, yum!:))
Have you ever seen the movie Fried Green Tomatoes? Its an excellent movie. I saw that and started craving the taste, glad to see your recipe here. Also green tomato salsa looks delicious.
Kanchana
First time here, lovely blog. What a coincidence, I prepared a dal recently with green tomatoes.
Lovely plate!
The salsa pic is divine!
And, that Slashfood-style green tomato is way cool!
(I am saving adjectives for my next post. I can’t use lovely, divine, and cool again.)
Beautiful tomatoes! I got some green tomatoes from the farmers’ market the other day, and i generally make a bhaaji with goda masala, and a chutney.Your fried tomatoes idea looks awesome!
Excellent photography! And recipes, of course!
Love the way you’ve written the post!! great to know about a new kind of pepper!
I have another recipe for green tomatoes coming up in my post
and looks like you had lots n lots of it. I am curious about the taste of tomatillos, do they resembles pretty much in taste n texture?
yes, one is a great substitute for the other. – b.
I meant you had a great harvest this summer!
Great pics! As usual
Bee and Jai,
Truly outstanding pictures – would you consider doing a post on photography in general and food photography in particular with tips on lighting, background etc?
Wow! beautiful pics. Before posting, will you make any editing? If it is, which software r u using? Pls let me know…thanks in advance.
These photographs are spectular! :yes:
I made fried green tomatoes to use up our stock. I usually use
rava to coat it. Great pics as usual.
That pic of the sliced green tomato is way cool- very dramatically arch-y-tectural! Great post with some tasty-looking recipes BTW; wish I saw that salsa recipe last year when I too had a mountain or two to deal with.
That was a fabulous post with equally gorgeous photos to go with it! I can’t wait to try the fried green tomatoes!
I am visting your blog for few days now and this is my first comment. All i can say is you have an awesome blog going… I am very impressed by the way you write- very clear writing, beautiful pics and a pinch of humor to finish it off.
Like everyone else said, i can definitely learn a few tips from you regarding photography.
Madhavi.
Dear Bee,
Thank you for dropping by and commenting on my Wazwan post, as you can see it is a topic close to my heart, and you are right ,more needs to be written about it, I think you have good knowledge about it too and it was great to know that haak is a regular at your place.
Jugalbandi is a wonderful place ,loved the salsa and the pics ,now I understand why it is so much talked about!Great fried green tomatoes too!