Terrific Tomato Soup and Other Tomato Recipes

Mother Earth News ^ | 1975! | Mother Earth News Editors

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Hillard Green has the right idea. The old adage "Waste not want not" applies for sure in these days of exorbitant food prices. And those of us who grow our own have always known the value of preserving nature's bounty for off-season use.

Since tomatoes are easy to grow and often plentiful, you may find yourself up to your ears in the ripe, scarlet fruit as frost approaches—and a few hints on the preservation of the harvest may be welcome. I've also taken the canning jar shortage into account in preparing this article, and have included some guides to the use of alternative containers (along with directions for a couple of preservation methods which require no jars at all).

Canned Tomatoes

Tomatoes are really a fruit and have always been canned accordingly—by the cold pack method, in a boiling water bath. Until recently, the high acid content of all garden tomatoes made this practice perfectly safe.

Now, however, low-acid varieties of the fruit have been developed, andifyou've heard nasty rumors about the possibility of botulism even in canned tomatoes, these new types are the culprits. If you're putting up such tomatoes, either raise their acidity by adding vinegar or process them in a pressure canner as you would any other low-acid food. The home economist at your county extension office can give you detailed instructions for handling of doubtful cases.

Better still, start with a good old reliable tart variety of tomato and proceed as follows: Prepare the jars for canning according to the manufacturer's instructions; or wash the containers in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and boil or scald them (I simply dip mine in boiling water and set them aside).

Select only firm, ripe tomatoes, place them in a colander or wire basket, and dunk them into boiling water just long enough to loosen the skins (usually half a minute or so). Remove the fruit from the hot bath, let them drain, and pull off the skins with the aid of a knife (try not to injure the flesh). Then slice the tomatoes — I cut them into quarters — and pack as many chunks as possible into each jar, pressing them down with your fist or fingers. Leave about half an inch of clear space at the top of the container. Add 1 teaspoon of salt (or substitute sugar, if you like) per quart. You might want to experiment with various other seasonings: garlic salt, oregano, basil, etc.

Adjust the lids on the jars according to the maker's instructions and process the containers in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes (or for 10 minutes at 5 pounds pressure in a pressure canner). (Many authorities recommend that pint jars of tomatoes be processed in boiling water for 35 minutes, and quart jars for 45 minutes. For more specific details of canning methods, see a reliable guide such as the Kerr Home Canning Book or The Ball Blue Book.—Mother.) Remove the jars from the canning kettle and seal the lids, if necessary, as directed by the manufacturer.

Glass containers of tomato products should be kept in a cool, dark place and wrapped in paper, if need be, to exclude light.

Tomato Juice

Some folks prefer to can tomatoes and then make juice from the preserved fruit during the less frenzied days of winter. If you want to put up juice at harvest time, however, here's a good method:

Wash, scald and peel ripe tomatoes. Remove their cores and cut the fruit into eighths, simmer the sections to softness, and put the pulp through a fine sieve. Collect the juice andpour it into hot jars to within a quarter inch of their tops. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt per quart and process the containers for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for handling lids.

A possible alternative is suggested by Helen Nearing, who puts up tomato, rose hip and raspberry juices in 1- and 2-quart commercial orange juice bottles (the kind with the spongy plastic ring in the cap (also used to hold prune and cranberry beverages). Her procedure — described in a letter to Organic Gardening and Farming magazine — is to fill the hot, sterilized containers to the top with boiling juice, screw the covers on tight, let the contents cool, and store the bottles without processing them at all. (See"How to Beat the CanningJar Shortage (And Come Out Ahead!), below,for further details on using recycled jars.)

Sauces

Many delicious tomato mixtures such as chili, taco, or vegetarian spaghetti sauce may be canned if you have sufficient jars. (Some of these products may also be frozen.)

To put up a favorite sauce, just prepare the food as you would for immediate use—but cook it a little more briefly than usual to allow for the heat of processing. Pour the hot mixture into hot jars and process the containers for 45 minutes in a boiling water bath, or for 10 minutes at 5 pounds of pressure in a pressure canner.

Many sauce recipes call for not only tomatoes and spices but onions, celery, and peppers—all low-acid vegetables. Until recently, most cooks canned such combinations by the boiling water bath method and served them with confidence, knowing that the finely chopped or ground additional ingredients had been thoroughly penetrated by the acid tomato juice. These days, if you're not sure of your 'maters' acidity, processing in a pressure canner is the wisest course. If you plan to include any vegetables other than those I've mentioned, it's best to follow a good canning guide's recommendations on method and timing.

Sauces and other tomato specialties are often reduced to the desired thickness by "cooking down." If done over direct heat, this process requires constant watching and stirring to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the kettle. An easier method is to pour the juice or pulp into shallow pans, skillets, roasters, etc., place the containers in a 350° oven, and stir the liquid every 15 or 20 minutes until it reaches the consistency you want— which should take 1 to 3 hours.

The oven cooking-down method takes much of the bother out of recipes such as the following, which makes a spicy product that can be used as a catsup, steak sauce, flavoring for baked beans, etc.

Mary JeanColby's Chili Sauce

Enough ground ripe tomatoes to fill a large mixing bowl 1 or 2 medium-sized green peppers, ground 1 or more medium-sized onions, ground 1 cup vinegar 1 1/2 cups sugar, honey, or molasses 2 tablespoons cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (red) pepper 1/4 teaspoon cloves Salt to taste

Cook down all ingredients to the desired thickness (this recipe makes a sauce, remember, not a paste). Pour the product into clean, hot jars, process the containers 10 minutes in a boiling water bath, and seal them — if necessary — according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Soup

The following recipe produces a concentrate, which is diluted before serving to make — as Ruby says — "a creamy, flavor-filled soup."

RUBY HOOPS' REGAL TOMATO SOUP (Yield: 10-11 pints)

6 medium onions 1 bunch celery 8 quarts cut-up tomatoes 3/4 cup sugar (or honey) 1/4 cup salt 1 cup butter or margarine 1 cup flour

Chop the onions and celery and put them into a large kettle with just enough water to start a good boil and prevent scorching. Add the tomato pieces and cook the vegetables until they're tender. Then put them through a food mill to remove seeds and chunks, and return the pulp to the kettle along with the sugar and salt. Cream together the butter and flour, add the well-blended mixture to the boiling purée, stir thoroughly, and continue to simmer the combination until it thickens slightly (to about the consistency of thin gravy). Pour the product into hot jars and process them in a boiling water bath for 45 minutes, or in a pressure canner for 10 minutes at 5 pounds. At serving time, empty the concentrate into a saucepan, add 2 pinches of, soda per pint, warm the tomato mix slightly, and dilute it with an equal amount of milk or water. Then heat the soup to eating temperature.

Continues at link...

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“There’s always next year to hope for.”

That’s the Gardener’s Creed, that’s for sure! :)

[metmom]

Although I’m glad that we don’t have to survive on what I grow, it certainly is nice to know that I can put up what’s possible and know that it’s sitting in the basement waiting to be eaten.

[metmom]

Sauces and other tomato specialties are often reduced to the desired thickness by "cooking down." If done over direct heat, this process requires constant watching and stirring to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the kettle. An easier method is to pour the juice or pulp into shallow pans, skillets, roasters, etc., place the containers in a 350° oven, and stir the liquid every 15 or 20 minutes until it reaches the consistency you want— which should take 1 to 3 hours.

What I did last year was ladle off all the liquid I could, then take a large, fine mesh strainer and pour the the remaining sauce through that and let it sit and drain into a pot. That way, you'd get as much liquid off as possible and then I'd put the puree into a large pot and put it aside for canning later.

That way, what I canned was pretty thick already and I didn't waste any heat or time boiling it down.

[BIGLOOK]

My tomatoes make huge vines but little fruit.

This is a common problem with novices. You're using too much Nitrogen in the initial stage of growth which promotes vegatative growth but hinders fruit production.

Plant your tomato starts in a prepped bed with higher Phosphorous and Potassium ratios in the initial fert.....something like a 0:4:3 ratio (I use a 0-45-10 starter ratio). Tomato plants are scavengers and they'll do fine without the higher N number and they're survivors so they'll put out flower clusters on the lower nodes sooner.

Another little tip is to tap the flower umbrels daily at midday for pollen distribution that will give you nice round fruits instead of relying on the breezes to shake 'em. Once you get fruit sets, pinch off some to get a cluster of three or four.

After you've got fruit sets on the lower umbrels go ahead and pump the vines with a higher N fert but keeping the ratio (a 1:3:3 ratio is good) of Phosphorous and Potassium the same for flower production (P) and (K) for sugar and color while the vine or bush goes wild.

[RVN Airplane Driver]

ping

[annalex]

Shopska Salad

4 tomatoes; cut the tomatoes in 1/6 or 1/8 wedges removing the stems.

1 cucumber; peel the cucumbers and cut in two lengthwise, then in slices.

1 bell pepper (any color); cut in 8 lengthwise, remove the soft tissue and seeds, cut in slices.

A handful of basil leaves, chopped

A handful of parsley leaves, chopped

A handful of chopped onion, chopped or quartered and sliced; spread the onions on the chopping board, pour salt on top and press hard with a heavy knife crushing salt into the onion to reduce bite.

Put all that in a bowl, add black pepper (you already have salt on the onion), pour half a cup to a cup olive oil, mix.

Sprinkle a handful of crumbled Feta on top, serve.

This is an excellent side dish for meats, or a chase for Ouzo or grape brandy, or wine.

Experiment with roasting the bell pepper first. Those without a busy life may wish to peel the roasted pepper, too. That would be called Macedonian salad.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Here's another one for ya. Extremely simple, and good.

Green Tomato Hushpuppies

3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch baking soda
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 green pepper, chopped
(hot if you like hot, sweet if you like sweet)
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 c. diced onion
3/4 cup diced green tomato
2 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled, WITH grease

Combine dry ingredients and mix well. Combine onions, tomatoes, peppers, bacon WITH grease, eggs and buttermilk, and mix well. Add wet to dry (should form a dense, thick batter) mix, and refrigerate for an hour or so. Deep fry one inch balls (not too big) at 300 degrees (not too terribly hot) ---it should take about 6 minutes, or until golden brown.

For the first 5 ingredients, you can substitute 1 1/2 cups of any standard cornbread mix (I've used Hot Rize.)

Could also be baked as muffins.

[annalex]

Shopska Salad illustrated

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Dinner plan have changed! I have all of those ingredients on hand; all of the veggies from the garden, of course. ;)

As soon as Husband clears off the kitchen table, I’ll get right on that. (He’s repairing a laptop on it right now...)

Thanks! :)

[annalex]

Gazpacho Soup Recipe

Ingredients: 2 lb. ripe field grown tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, 2 shallots, chopped, 1 tsp. chopped cilantro, 2 limes, juiced, 2 tablespoon EV olive oil, 1 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded, 1 green pepper, chopped, 1 red bell pepper, 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp. chilli flakes, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup ice water, salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe: Core the tomatoes and dip them in boiling water for 1 minute to blanch them, then transfer them in iced water, so the skin can be removed easily. Dice the tomatoes and put them in a food prosessor. Set aside 1/3 of the peppers and cucumber. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Chop the peppers and cucumber and stir them in the soup. Serve the Gazpacho soup with fresh garlic-herb croutons on top.

[annalex]

Enjoy. Don’t overdo oil, overdo basil and parsley all you want. Some add vinegar, but I’d go for a sweet confident taste of pure oil, and pungent smell of the herbs. Mop it up with French bread.

[tubebender]

There’s nothing like tomato soup and grilled cheese WITH A SLICE OF SPAM.

and Grizzleda the Wicked Witch of the West is on the food channel...

[kosta50]

Shopska Salad...Experiment with roasting the bell pepper first. Those without a busy life may wish to peel the roasted pepper, too. That would be called Macedonian salad.

"Real" Serbian housewives always peal roaster peppers, and they call it шопска салата (shopska salata), meaning of course it is Serbian! :) (just like that black mud-like coffee)

But in that part of the world, everyone steals from everyone else and claims it's their cousine.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The salad was terrific. Even my picky 22 y.o. ‘kid’ liked it; fresh herbs and all. I added torn Italian bread to it, as well and will have the leftovers for lunch today. I used a Danish Blue cheese in oil, so the flavor wasn’t exactly the same, and some Balsamic vinegar, but it was what was at hand and it worked out beautifully, though it was quite international, LOL!

Thanks again! :)

[chickpundit]

Thanks.

[OldMissileer]

With a meal like that I would wonder what junk the rich were having! (an old saying from my Mom when the meal was fit for a King)

[Kolokotronis]

Horiatiki Salata

[annalex]

My Bulgarian friend Atanas visited us a month ago and corrected my salads. He’s lived in the epicenter of Shoplyk, Sofia, for 30 years now, and that was his point about Macedonian being roasted, but not Shopska.

The purpose of the sweet peppers beign fresh is to create small explosions of juice as the teeth crush the pepper rings. It also augments the texture being the hardest component.

Roasting peppers is in itself an experience. Open flame works best, or unfattened skillet. The pepper should receive a third degree burn, and then what remains of the skin peels easily. The musty smell is a subliminal signal to the neighbors that they, too, can take time out of their busy lives doing little things like that just right.

Serve them with Feta and black pickled olives, and that’s where your Balsamic vinegar should go, Diana.

[annalex]

I don't see tomatoes in this, and is the yellow form on top right a hot pepper?

[antceecee]

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