BakeSpace.com Member Forums

[ddpie]

So many people are asking/talking about what to do with their tomatoes, I thought it would be nice to put our favorite recipes/methods in one thread.
Here are a few of my favorite things to do with tomatoes:

This first one is a tried and true recipe that I developed and have used for years. I include all of the steps for the complete water bath canning method. All of the guys at the fire dept LOVE this stuff.
Canned Spicy Salsa

This next one is a fresh version of the one above. It sounds more like a pica De Gallo, but I usually end up adding more of the wing sauce so to me, it is more "saucy". I do this one when I don't have enough tomatoes at one time to can. This is also an absolute fav at the fire dept:
Fresh Spicy Salsa

This next one is more of a method. I have to give PattiT and Qui props, they helped me out a few years ago by suggesting this when I wanted to freeze tomatoes. (so they've probably written it out for me somewhere on the boards but I couldn't find it, but this is what I had in my recipe file)

Roasted Tomatoes:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, cut the tomatoes in half and place on the sheet pan cut side up... drizzle each with some olive oil, sugar and salt. May also add Italian spices if desired. (I've done this and it's awesome. I used basil, oregano, thyme and garlic salt, along with a little sugar)

Roast them in a 325 degree oven for about an hour.

When cool, slip off the skins and put them into a freezer bag...make certain you get all the juices and oil off the parchment paper, too...and you will have the most delicious tomatoes to use in sauces, pasta, etc. all winter long.

Source: PattiT and Qui, bakespace.com

My notes: What I do is use this method when I don't have enough at one time to break down and make a sauce. So I put them in a freezer bag and just keep adding to it until I have enough for sauce. I must say, the roasting not only adds TONS of flavor, but it's way easier to do it this way than having to remove the skins with the boiling water/ice water method.

I have tried to do this method like a "sundried tomato" by lowering the oven temp down to 170F, removed the seeds and pulp, but the tomatoes still broke down in the process and never did get that "leathery" texture. So, I will try to do some in my food dehydrator this year and I'll post here the results.

Please feel free to share with us YOUR favorite method or recipe....inquiring gardners want to know!!!!

[pattit]

DD, I put my tomatoes on the parchment paper, sliced pretty thin, bake them in the oven until the get leathery at a very low temperature. It takes a long time but it is so worth it. I just made some a couple of day ago. Last year I let them go a little past the leathery stage and they were not good at all. I kept checking them this year. I drizzled them with olive oil (very little) sprinkled with sea salt, pepper, oregano and a pinch of sugar. I am going to use them in that pesto pasta salad that Michele had blogged about a couple of weeks ago.
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[BiscottiQueen]

I do something similar to the roasting... its a reduction...

I skin the tomatoes (cherry or regular) after a blanch bath. I then toss in olive oil salt pepper and any additional italian spices including garlic. I then leave in the over at 200 degree for 6-7 or more hours while the tomatoes condense in size to more then 50% reduction!

Puree these babies into a pasta sauce for an overwhelming amount of flavor. Or I've pureed and strained them into my tomato basil soup.

Endless possibilities!!!!
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[ddpie]

Patti and BQ- when I roasted them in the oven (just as Patti described) maybe I didn't let them go long enough? My oven only goes as low as 170F, and I think I had it on convection. They reduced to about half and like you guys said, they are waaaay more flavorful...but I still didn't get them to a leathery stage. (I think I only went a total of about 1 1/2 hours tho)

Anywho, I'm now (as I speak, or type lol) have some in the food dehydrator. They are starting to look leathery and already taste concentrated and I didn't put anything on them. woooohooooo

But, even still, I think I like roasting them in the oven best of all. I don't blanch them first, I just slip the skins off as soon as they are loosened. Saves a BUNCH of time.

Oh, just FYI, my dehydrator's temp is 165F (ya, I looked it up today LOL) IT's going on 6 1/2 hours now.

[Gigi421]

DD, do you think this recipe can be canned??

http://www.bakespace.com/recipes/detail/Cold-Tomato-Basil-Soup-/27354/
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Karen
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http://www.bakespace.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7307


"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

[ddpie]

Hey Karen!

You can "can" just about anything. (LOL, I said "can can") However, anytime there are meat products or low acid foods you HAVE to use pressure canning, not water bath method. (no probs there, you have one ) So....I looked up "meat broth" on the NCHP (national center for Home Preserving) site and here's what I found:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_05/stock_broth.html

and also read this:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_03/tomato_juice.html

Since you're combining the two...I'd go with the higher processing time to be sure.

Hope that helps! BTW, check out the rest of that site, there is a LOT of helpful info there...on just about preserving methods for every type of food! (reliable info too!!!!)

[Gigi421]

Thanks for the "can can" information. I have a printed copy from the DofA. but it was revised in 1994. I'll print off this newer version. It looks the same, but there might be some slight variations. I have the tomatoes in the oven for dry roasting. Since mine aren't done in the hydrator, should I pack them in olive oil in jars when they are done.
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Karen
http://www.bakespace.com/?gigi[/img]421
http://www.bakespace.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7307


"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

[ddpie]

Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me, I totally forgot to report back on my experiment.....

My dehydrator did an "ok" job, but considering how easy it is to oven roast them, and WAY easier to clean up than the hydrator trays, I'm sticking to the oven method for sure!!!!!

[pattit]

Girls, I don't pack my tomatoes in oil, I freeze them in those vac-seal ziploc bags. Works great. I don't like greasy things. But to each his own.
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[ddpie]

Patti, I freeze mine too!

ETA: even tho I DO like greasy stuff LOL