tomato – Tia Maria's Blog

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Side Dish

September 21, 2016

Fried Green Tomatoes

It’s September, and I still have tomatoes in my garden. They won’t be growing anymore and are slowly ripening on the vines. I decided to harvest them all and just let them ripen in my kitchen.

I made fried green tomatoes for the first time and my family loved them. Not sure if you’ve ever tried them, but they taste a little bit like sour pickles. So if you like fried pickles. you’ll love these.

They are really meaty with very little seeds.

Ingredients:

4 green tomatoes (cut into 1/2 inch slices)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

2 eggs (beaten)

1/2 cup milk

1 cup flour

1/2 cup flavored bread crumbs

1/2 cup corn meal (finely ground)

oil for frying

Preparation:

Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and paprika, dredge in flour and set aside. Beat the egg and milk in a small bowl. Mix the corn mean with the bread crumbs in a separate bowl.

Coat the slices in the egg and milk mix, and then dredge in the breadcrumbs.

Heat oil and test by dipping a tip of one tomato slice into oil. If the oil sizzles, the oil is ready. Fry tomatoes turning over on each side as they cook to a golden brown.

Place on paper towels to absorb grease.

What a beautiful color!

Appetizers / Photo Gallery / Recipes / Sauces and Jams

September 6, 2016

Sun Dried Tomatoes in Portuguese Olive Oil

I had a very bountiful tomato harvest this year so I had to use the tomatoes in many different recipes. These sun dried tomatoes came out perfect! This was the first time I made the recipe and I was pleasantly surprised at the results. These tomatoes last up to 1 – 2 months in the refrigerator and are great on pizza, bruschetta, served on toast or crackers as appetizers, as a garnish or as an add on to sauces and soups!

Ingredients:

Ripe tomatoes (3 pounds or more)

(small red tomatoes sliced in half and seeded, or thin sliced larger tomatoes mostly seeds removed)

Sea Salt

Portuguese Virgin Olive Oil (2 cups or more)

Garlic (about 8 cloves or more)

Basil (optional)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Place the tomatoes slices and haves on lightly greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little drizzle of olive oil and salt.

Cook for about 6-10 hours depending on how much moisture your tomatoes have. Check after the 6 hours to see it they are dried.

While the tomatoes dry, mix 1 cup olive oil with the garlic and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the oil is infused with the garlic and let cool. Chop basil if desired and add to the olive oil and garlic blend.

When tomatoes are done, let cool and mix in the olive oil blend. Place the tomatoes into very clean mason jars or clean lidded jars. Add more olive oil to cover and store in the refrigerator.

They’ll stay edible for up 1 month in the oil. Check for signs of mold or a rancid smell before using them. If you find mold discard them.

If you find the oil has thickened and turned a whitish color, just remove your desired amount of tomatoes and let the oil reach room temperature for about 30 minutes. It will thin out.

Try my brushcetta recipe:

Photo Gallery / Recipes / Sauces and Jams

September 3, 2015

Doce de Tomate – Tomato Jam

I love my Gallo de Barcelos sticker

I had a big tomato harvest this year so I decided to make tomato jam for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to make and how delicious it turned out! I made some fresh home biscuits to serve with the jam and it was divine!

Recycle some of your old jelly jars. I wash and save them in my cupboard for later uses such as; spice mixes, jams, and to make salad dressings.

In case you’re not sure how to use the jam, here is a good reference below.

12 ways to use Tomato Jam

by Barbara Lynch
from Fine Cooking #130, p. 56

This Summer Tomato Jam is so good that I’ll eat it with a spoon right out of the jar while waiting for my bread to toast in the morning. It’s great on burgers in place of ketchup or served alongside grilled lamb or salmon. It also pairs exceptionally well with cheeses and cured meats. My spicy version complements sweeter flavors, such as corn (mix some into grilled corn stripped o the cob for a spectacular side) or caramelized onions (dab some on pizza, top with the onions and some blue cheese, and be wowed). For even more ways to use the jam, see the list below. If nothing there strikes your fancy, there’s always the spoon.

Slather on a grilled cheese sandwich.
Stir into a lentil or coconut curry soup.
Dollop on a bowl of white beans.
Serve with fried eggs and bacon.
Garnish a crab cake.
Use as the T in a BLT.
Toss with avocado for a quick relish.
Substitute for some of the molasses in baked beans.
Smear on a biscuit or bruschetta with a creamy cheese.
Whisk into a vinaigrette.
Add red pepper flakes for a spicy jam and mix some into grilled corn stripped off the cob.
Dab the spicy jam on a pizza, top with caramelized onions and some blue cheese.

Ingredients:

3 pounds of very ripe tomatoes (weight after peeled and seeded)

3 1/4 cups of granulated sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 stick cinnamon

What a beautiful color

How to peel tomatoes: Click on this site for a great tutorial

Preparation:

Place the tomatoes in a colander for about 30 minutes to drain any excess water. Don’t worry if you have a few seeds some people leave the seeds to make the jam. Place all ingredients into a large heavy saucepan or dutch oven, bring to a boil stirring often and reduce heat to simmer.

Let’s start the cooking process!

Let the tomatoes cook for at least 2 – 2 and 1/2 hours or until they thicken while stirring often. You should be able to make a clear line forming when you separate the jam in the bottom of the pan. This process time will depend on the water content of the tomatoes so be aware that it could take less than or more than the 2 hours to complete the cooking time.

It’s getting a great color!

Let cool slightly and remove the cinnamon stick. Puree the jam with an immersion blender to dissolve the bigger pieces of tomato to your desired consistency.

Let the jam cool down and place into jam jars. The jam will thicken more as it cools down. Store in refrigerator for 2 weeks. You can also freeze the jam in plastic containers and let them defrost in the refrigerator for later use.

It tasted divine! Enjoy everyone!