TOOOOO Many Tomatoes, Help Please

Nelski

couldnt read and run.......heres a hug :grouphug:

ChocClare

Bung the ones you can`t use in the freezer before they go off - just as they are in a plastic tub.

When you`ve next got some time, take them out of the freezer. The skins will just slide off as they defrost. Let them defrost and then drizzle a bit of olive oil in a pan, bung in tomatoes, sprinkle with oregano or mixed herbs and roast in the oven for a while - dries them out a bit and intensifies the flavour. When they`re done, put in a saucepan with a glug of olive oil, a chopped onion, a grated or chopped carrot, some herbs, a spoonful of sugar and some pepper and salt and maybe some more oregano or some basil. Bring up to boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Zhuzh up with a stick mixer thing and you`ll have the best passata-tomato sauce you`ve ever tasted.

If you can`t be bothered to roast them, you can just make the tomato sauce without, but it does really intensify the flavour. And if you can`t be bothered to make the sauce, then the roasted tomatoes on their own are pretty good!

Otherwise you can cut them in half, sprinkle with herbs and drizzle with oil and put in a slow oven overnight (or at least 6 hours) to make your own "sun-dried" tomatoes. Obviously that`s INSTEAD of freezing them

Butterfly_Brain

Make a Tomato sauce with the red and chutney with the green you can even make a green tomato cake would you believe?
See these threads for useful recipes
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1114793&highlight=green+tomato+recipes&page=2

http://www.betterfood.co.uk/r_green_tomato_cake.html

slummymummyof3

My tomatoes have been a total wash out - what did you do to yours?

vivamartin

conserve, and keep for the winter

Penelope_Penguin

I make chilli relish and freeze the rest to use in sauces and soups

As this has fallen from the front page of OS, I'll add it to the exisiting thread to give you more ideas.

Penny. x

mary-op

Not had time to read through the whole of this thread but we've got a glut of tomatos this year too........never had so many and can't work out why !

I'm the worlds words in the kitchen so recipes have to be 'idiot proof' - thanks for some of the ideas on here.

Penelope Penguin - be interested in your recipe for chille relish

becky_sleaf

I got them very cheap in Sainsburys...reduced from £1.50 a pack to just 15p. Now I just need to use them...Lol! Any suggestions? I love cooking so open to all ideas. Thanks ladies.

greenbee

Freeze as they are and use them for cooking instead of tinned tomatoes as and when you need them

Or make a tomato tart (freezes well, looks & tastes impressive):

Roll out puff pastry to the size/shape of a baking tray (check that this size will fit in your freeze whole - you can make it round in a flan tin if you prefer). Grease/line tin as appropriate. Fold over the edges to make a ridge to hold the ingredients in.

Mix mascarpone or ricotta with chopped basil, grated parmesan & pepper. Spread thinly over the pastry.

Slice tomatoes thinly (cut out cores) and lay out on the pastry in overlapping rows till it's covered. Use the 'ends' of the tomatoes to support the ends of the rows.

Now... I'm at work, so I can't remember temperatures, but basically you cook this on high for about 15 mins, then turn the temperature down low and cook for another 40 mins. At one point it'll look as if it is swimming in juice and going to be really soggy, but keep it in there and it will crisp up beautifully.

Either eat from the oven, or cool on the tray. Remove from tray, wrap in clingfilm and then put it in the freeze, ideally on the tray so it freezes flat. Can be reheated from frozen.

You might find similar recipes with instructions(!) if you search for 'tarte fine aux tomates'

Nordictat2

Pasta sauce!
Chop finely (or blend) the tomatoes and dump into a pot with some crushed garlic, olive oil, 2 tsp sugar (takes the acidy taste away from the tomato), basil, parsley and a good squirt of ketchup or tomato puree and chopped onion (if you like you can use onion powder) cook on simmer for 25-60 mins..I personally think the longer it cooks the better it tastes