Wednesday 7 September 2011

Roasted Tomato Ketchup

As I've had so many green tomatoes to use lately, I made this ketchup with a mixture of green, red and yellow tomatoes.  It really is delicious, I don't think I'm ever going to buy ketchup again and I will certainly make it every autumn forever more.  I now cannot eat sausages without it and if I can keep some for the barbecue season next year I will be in heaven.  Maybe an autumn barbecue will be in order.


Ingredients:

1kg tomatoes (Halved)
200g shallots (peeled and chopped)
4 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped)
Some rosemary
Teaspoon salt
Teaspoon ground black pepper
Teaspoon sugar
50ml rapeseed oil
100ml balsamic vinegar
50ml lemon juice
100g Teaspoon of mustard seeds

Method:

1.  Put the halved tomatoes cut side up into a large oven proof dish and sprinkle the chopped shallots, garlic cloves, rosemary, teaspoon salt, teaspoon ground black pepper, tea spoon sugar and the oil over the tomatoes.
2.  Roast for an hour at 180 degrees centigrade.
3.  After an hour take them out of the oven and push the tomatoes through a sieve.
4.  Put the tomato puree into a large pan and add the vinegar, lemon juice and the mustard seeds
5.  Simmer until the ketchup is at your preferred consistancy (I simmer for about 30 minutes)

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Green Tomato Chutney

I've been inundated with green tomatoes lately, with people begging me to take them from recent tomato blight attacks.

So what better time to dig out the cook books and cook up some tomato preserves.

Wanting to do something with the generously given free food I had to do something with them quick before they spoiled, so tomato chutney it is.


 Ingredients:

3kg green tomatoes (peeled and chopped in small pieces)
500g apples (peeled and chopped in small pieces)
500g onions (peeled and chopped in small pieces)
500g sugar
600ml white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons chilli powder
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 teaspoons ground bay leaf

Method:

1.  Chop the tomatoes, apples and onions.  The smaller the pieces the better.  When you've finished chopping add all the ingredients to a large pan.  (Use a wooden spoon for stirring)
2.  Bring to the boil, stirring gently and then simmer the mixture.
3.  Simmer for 3 - 4 hours, checking on it occasionally to make sure it is not sticking to the base of the pan.
4.  The chutney is ready when it looks rich and thick but you can still see the shape of the vegetable/fruit pieces.  The true test is when you can drag the wooden spoon across the base and you can see the bottom of the pan momentarily.