Cooking With Tomatoes

How do we count the ways to use tomatoes? A partial list:

Make chili sauce mixed with onions, hot peppers, and any number of spices.

Simmer them with other veggies such as carrots, spinach, summer squash, or broccoli to make a great sauce for eggs or potatoes.

Make a Ratatouille (stew) from tomatoes, eggplant, sweet peppers, and zucchini; season with garlic, basil, and other spices to taste.

Use cherry tomatoes in pizza sauce and salads.

Stew your extra tomatoes with celery, onion, and sweet peppers.

Use them as a base for soups such as gazpacho or cream of tomato.

Serve cold or warm on toast with other veggies, spices, cheese, and olive oil.

Broil fat slices sprinkled with garlic and olive oil.

Stuff and bake them with whatever you like--rice, diced vegetables or, cheese.

Serve them with other fillings in pita bread sandwiches.

Oven Dried Tomatoes

Oven processing of tomatoes evaporates the fruits acidic liquids and concentrates the natural sweetness.

Preheat oven to 195°.

Wash tomatoes (plum tomatoes seem to work best) and slice lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet with the cut side up. If desired, sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt and sugar. Bake for 12-16 hours until desired texture.

Use immediately in relishes or pasta dishes. Can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week if coated lightly with olive oil.

How About Tomato Wine???

No, tomato wine does not taste like vinegar or weak tomato juice.  Properly processed and fermented it tastes like a grape or elderberry wine.  Google "Making Tomato Wine" for a number of articles describing how you can make this very inexpensive but tasty wine.

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