TomatoI wonder if a day goes by without tomato in one of it’s many guises passing my lips? There are few food stuffs more versatile than the tomato, eaten dehydrated, cooked and raw, drunk or eaten whole.
The tomato arrived in Europe from South America in the early 16th Century, back then it was yellow and was known as the pomo d’oro, the ‘golden apple’. The name has stuck in Italy but the colour has changed to the red we are all familiar with today.
The tomato is packed full of Vitamin C and Lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant which has been linked to reduced levels of cancer. It is curious that in Europe tomatoes were originally treated with suspicion and were considered to be poisonous!
Tomatoes are one of the most popular fruit and vegetables grown in our gardens at home and inevitably we can have a glut of ripe ones. With this in mind I thought I would share a recipe for a delicious chutney that goes very well with cheese, particularly a sharp cheddar.
Tomato
Tomato & Apple Chutney
- 450g ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced
- 450g apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 300ml white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
- 1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 125g light, soft brown sugar
Place everything in a large, wide saucepan and bring to a boil whilst stirring.
Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1 ½ -2hrs or until the mixture has thickened.
Place in sterilised jars and leave to cool. This chutney is best left to mature fro six weeks before it is consumed.
Tip
Do not keep your tomatoes in the fridge, the cold impairs their flavour and texture.
Quick ways with Tomatoes
If you are feeling really overwhelmed by your tomato glut, you can freeze them whole for use in pasta sauces.
To make you own oven-dried tomatoes slice cherry tomatoes in half and drizzle with olive oil, sliced garlic and herbs – rosemary and /or oregano work well. Place in the oven preheated to 140C fro 2hrs. If using large tomatoes, remove the seeds first and increase the cooking time by approx 1 hour. The tomatoes can be stored in sterilised jars topped up with olive oil.