Curses you British summer!
September 18, 2011 2:20 AM Subscribe
My beautiful, leafy tomatoes have blight. My cooker is broken. Help me save as much as I can. I need recipes to preserve green tomatoes that I can do on a one burner camping stove.
I don't really want to make chutney because I'm still finishing off last year's and my sister is bringing over a batch soon.
I also have at my disposal a secondhand bread maker without an instruction manual. I don't think it has a jam setting but I'm not at home to check.
I can freeze things.
I also have a lot of runner beans, courgettes (zucchini) and nastursiums, if you have recipes that include them that would be amazing.
I don't have a microwave.
I have tonight to do this.
I don't really want to make chutney because I'm still finishing off last year's and my sister is bringing over a batch soon.
I also have at my disposal a secondhand bread maker without an instruction manual. I don't think it has a jam setting but I'm not at home to check.
I can freeze things.
I also have a lot of runner beans, courgettes (zucchini) and nastursiums, if you have recipes that include them that would be amazing.
I don't have a microwave.
I have tonight to do this.
Given that your current cooking capacity is limited, you might want to try ripening the green tomatoes indoors for fresh eating and/or processing later. Some tips on how to do that HERE.
posted by sk932 at 6:12 AM on September 18, 2011
posted by sk932 at 6:12 AM on September 18, 2011
Response by poster: The advice I've read on blight says you can eat fruit that's unaffected but don't bother trying to ripen green tomatoes because they'll only get infected.
For those worried about canning I'm in Britain where we're a little less concerned about botulism. I know I'm taking a risk not putting things straight into sterilised jars. But I've never used a water bath and today is not when I plan to start.
posted by Helga-woo at 7:31 AM on September 18, 2011
For those worried about canning I'm in Britain where we're a little less concerned about botulism. I know I'm taking a risk not putting things straight into sterilised jars. But I've never used a water bath and today is not when I plan to start.
posted by Helga-woo at 7:31 AM on September 18, 2011
We did a wild fermentation pickle to preserve our green tomatoes last year, and they were fantastic.
Cut into bite-sized chunks, add garlic cloves and spices, cover with brine (using a jar, plate, or plastic bag full of brine to push the tomatoes below the surface). Allow to ferment at room temperature for a week or two, then store in the fridge.
posted by ottereroticist at 9:21 AM on September 18, 2011
Cut into bite-sized chunks, add garlic cloves and spices, cover with brine (using a jar, plate, or plastic bag full of brine to push the tomatoes below the surface). Allow to ferment at room temperature for a week or two, then store in the fridge.
posted by ottereroticist at 9:21 AM on September 18, 2011
I made a green tomato jam, which was pretty great, though not everyone likes it.
posted by zamboni at 9:38 AM on September 18, 2011
posted by zamboni at 9:38 AM on September 18, 2011
Best answer: The pathogen can raise the pH of tomatoes, so if you are going to can you need to be more vigilant about checking and correcting pH.
The advice I've read on blight says you can eat fruit that's unaffected but don't bother trying to ripen green tomatoes because they'll only get infected.
The fruits either have the pathogen inside or they don't. If they don't have it, you can ripen them and they'll be fine, and if they do, it is still inside them even if there are no visible signs. A healthy looking green tomato from a blight infested plant doesn't indicate the presence (or lack of ) of the pathogen. Again, this is why canners need to pay attention to pH.
There's nothing wrong with slicing them all up and freezing them for a short while until you can come up with other ideas, or trying to let a few ripen if you like. Juste remember that there is invisible damage and a change in acidity of blighted tomatoes that makes them more susceptible to other microorganisms (such as botulism). I personally would not want to eat blight tomatoes that had been canned without extra precaution- rushing into it just to save a harvest is not a good idea. If time was short, a fermentation is probably a safer idea than cannning without a water bath.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:49 AM on September 18, 2011
The advice I've read on blight says you can eat fruit that's unaffected but don't bother trying to ripen green tomatoes because they'll only get infected.
The fruits either have the pathogen inside or they don't. If they don't have it, you can ripen them and they'll be fine, and if they do, it is still inside them even if there are no visible signs. A healthy looking green tomato from a blight infested plant doesn't indicate the presence (or lack of ) of the pathogen. Again, this is why canners need to pay attention to pH.
There's nothing wrong with slicing them all up and freezing them for a short while until you can come up with other ideas, or trying to let a few ripen if you like. Juste remember that there is invisible damage and a change in acidity of blighted tomatoes that makes them more susceptible to other microorganisms (such as botulism). I personally would not want to eat blight tomatoes that had been canned without extra precaution- rushing into it just to save a harvest is not a good idea. If time was short, a fermentation is probably a safer idea than cannning without a water bath.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:49 AM on September 18, 2011
Response by poster: Thank you all. Great suggestions all of them.
oneirodynia gets a best answer for getting technical.
I will freeze as many as I can now, until today tomatoes had always been on my DO NOT FREEZE list, turns out it's ok if you're planning on using them for sauces or fried green tomatoes (just don't defrost them first).
Also turns out that fried green tomatoes is a real dish.
Who knew.
posted by Helga-woo at 2:40 PM on September 18, 2011
oneirodynia gets a best answer for getting technical.
I will freeze as many as I can now, until today tomatoes had always been on my DO NOT FREEZE list, turns out it's ok if you're planning on using them for sauces or fried green tomatoes (just don't defrost them first).
Also turns out that fried green tomatoes is a real dish.
Who knew.
posted by Helga-woo at 2:40 PM on September 18, 2011
Fried green tomatoes are an incredible dish and if you do them right you will never want your tomatoes to ripen again!
posted by SuzySmith at 3:06 PM on September 18, 2011
posted by SuzySmith at 3:06 PM on September 18, 2011
Response by poster: SuzySmith do you have recommendations on how to do them right? Never having had any before I'm not sure I'd know the difference.
posted by Helga-woo at 6:08 AM on September 19, 2011
posted by Helga-woo at 6:08 AM on September 19, 2011
I do them by slicing about a centimeter thick, then dip in flour, then dip in egg beaten with a little milk, then cornmeal mixed with some salt/pepper/few grains of cayenne. You can add any spices you like to the cornmeal. Some people mix cornmeal with half breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs.
Fry in a medium skillet with peanut or other good oil for frying, until brown on both sides. Maybe about five minutes a side, more if frozen.
Hmm, may have to make these now... :)
posted by oneirodynia at 9:02 PM on September 20, 2011
Fry in a medium skillet with peanut or other good oil for frying, until brown on both sides. Maybe about five minutes a side, more if frozen.
Hmm, may have to make these now... :)
posted by oneirodynia at 9:02 PM on September 20, 2011
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It involves: a brine, roughly 50/50 cider vinegar/water with 1.5T salt per pint.
Sterilize pint or quart jars in a water bath. Put in each jar: a clove of garlic, 6-8 peppercorns, 1/2 t whole mustard seed, a dried chili pepper or 1/2 crushed flakes. Fill with cut up tomatoes.
Fill to 1/4" of top with boiling brine. Put on the lid and into the water bath. Quart jars for 20 minutes. Don't have a chart for pint jars handy.
posted by plinth at 4:46 AM on September 18, 2011