Homespun
FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
END-OF-GARDEN RELISH
GREEN TOMATO PICKLE
Homespun
August 29, 2001
Green Tomatoes Still on the Vine?
Tomatoes are one of summer's most versatile vegetables. We have enjoyed them now for several weeks in their juicy, red and ripened state. But there are many ways to enjoy them at the end of the season when we have a few that will not have a chance to ripen or those that you choose to use green.
Fried green tomatoes may be the most popular way to enjoy them but there are also relishes that preserve the flavor of green tomatoes for year-round enjoyment. FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
4 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
1 teaspoon onion salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup cornmeal
½ cup bacon drippings
Sprinkle tomatoes with onion salt and pepper; dredge in cornmeal. Fry tomato slices in hot bacon drippings until browned, turning once. Drain well on paper towels. Serve hot. Yield: 6 to 8 servings. END-OF-GARDEN RELISH
8 quarts (about ¼ bushel) green tomatoes, thinly sliced
12 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 cup salt
3 quarts cider vinegar
4 (1 pound) packages brown sugar
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons whole cloves
2 (3½-inch) cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon celery seeds
4 medium-size green peppers, coarsely chopped
8 medium-size red sweet peppers, coarsely chopped
Sprinkle tomatoes and onion with salt; let stand overnight. Drain well, and rinse with cold water; set aside.
Combine vinegar and sugar in a large, deep kettle, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Tie mustard, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and celery seeds in a cheesecloth bag; add to vinegar mixture, and bring to a boil. Add tomato-onion mixture and peppers; cook over low heat about 1 hour or until the tomato slices are transparent.
Fill hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Cover with metal lids, and screw metal bands tight; process 10 minutes in boiling-water bath. Yield: about 18 quarts. GREEN TOMATO PICKLE
7 pounds very green tomatoes (about 5 quarts)
1 (11½ gram) bottle slacked lime
12 cups sugar
3 pints vinegar
1 tablespoon whole allspice
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon whole mace
1 tablespoon mustard seed
Slice tomatoes 1/8 to ¼-inch thick into crock or large glass container. Dissolve slacked lime in enough water to cover tomatoes. Soak 24 hours. Drain and soak in cold water for 4 hours, changing water each hour. Transfer tomatoes to a large appropriate pot, made either from glass or enamel. In a separate pot, make syrup of sugar and vinegar and heat to boiling. Pour hot syrup over tomatoes and let stand overnight. Tie spices in bag and add to tomato syrup mixture and heat to simmer for 45 minutes. Remove spice bag. Pack hot, into hot sterilized jars. Adjust lids and process 5 minutes in boiling water bath.
This page created by Margie Yarnell, Extension Secretary/Webmaster.
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