PRESERVED TOMATOES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 89, 7 March 1941, Page 45

PRESERVED TOMATOES

a luxury and an "acquired taste," have now taken their place as one of the necessities of a proper diet. In America, that sensible, food-conscious country, tomato-juice shares only with orange-juice its position at the head of the daily breakfast menu; and, indeed, the habit of drinking tomato-juice has become so universal that in some parts it is delivered to the homes in bottles, in the same way as milk. once considered Tomatoes Preserved Whole Select firm, just ripe tomatoes. Prick with a sharp fork. Place in rows on a baking dish, without any water, and cock in a moderate oven near the bottom, until just soft, not broken. By cooking at the lower part of the oven they will not brown or change colour. Then lift carefully into hot jars and overflow immediately with boiling water, sealing down at once. If preferred, this boiling water may be slightly salted for flavouring, but the boiling kettle will do just as well. Another Method Pack the tomatoes in jars, first pricking a little with a sharp fork. Grade them so that each jar contains those of practically the same size, for small ones, of course, cook more quickly than large ones, and if they are mixed some will be whole and some mushy. This applies to all fruit preserved whole. Fill up about half way with salted water. Adjust the rubber rings, put lid on jar loosely and sterilise in oven or water bath until cooked and the skin just cracking. Oven about 250 degrees or Regulo 1. Take out jars one by one and overflow with boiling water; screw down immediately. Have the kettle all ready boiling, and work fast. Tomato Pulp for Soup This is for tomato pulp, for using for soup during the winter months. You may use clean, dry golden syrup tins, too, so long as they have not previously been used for anything else except the syrup. Scald and remove the skins of the tomatoes. Butter the bottom of the pan. Slice the tomatoes into the pan and bring slowly to the boil. Boil gently for twenty minutes. Have the tins sterilised and fill to overflowing, being sure to run a spoon-handle around under the top edge to let any air caught under there escape. Then put on the lids and hammer down as tightly as possible. Seal with paraffin, and paste a piece of grease-proof paper over the top when cool, as you would over a pot of jam. Never use the tins a second time.

The secret in bottling tomatoes to keep properly is to have the bottles or tins overflowing with boiling juice or water when screwing down. The bottles or tins must be heated first, and the tomatoes must be ripe but firm. It is useless trying to bottle over-ripe fruit. Tomato Juice The Australian method is to slice the tomatoes, add very little water or none at all, boil for ten minutes, and strain. Fill up the bottles, adding a little salt, sterilise in oven or water bath for a further ten minutes, and screw down immediately. Tomato Juice Cocktail This is made with the preserved tomato juice, or when the tomatoes are in season, without the second sterilising -just put the tomato juice when first boiled and strained into the refrigerator, if you have one, or at any rate, let it get as cold as possible. Then add to one quart of tomato juice, ¥% cup orange juice, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 teaspoons of sugar, %% teaspoon of salt. Mix, chill, and serve ice cold. One teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce may be added if desired. Cold Tomato Appetiser Cut up 2 Ibs. of ripe tomatoes with an onion (or if preferred, a clove of garlic). Sprinkle with salt and pour over 144 pints of boiling water. Set it aside for a couple \of hours. Pass through a very fine sieve, and flavour with pepper, salt, celery salt, sugar, lemon juice, and just two drops of almond essence. Bottle and put on ice. A little hock may be added if desired. Serve as cocktails with crushed ice. If the mixture is too thick a little iced soda water may be added. It is a most refreshing drink. Pure Tomato Puree For this, just cook the tomatoes whole, in shallow tins, in the oven, until very soft. They may be pricked first to let the juice flow freely, and they should be fully ripe and juicy. Then press the soft tomatoes through a sieve into a basin until nothing is left but the skins and seeds. Absolutely pure tomato puree will be in the basin. It should be quite thick. Bring it to the boil again, bottle, and seal. If the tomatoes were extra juicy there may be a little juice on the top of the puree after straining. This can be poured off and used as pure tomato juice. If wanted to keep bring to boil also before bottling. Apple and Tomato Chutney This is an English recipe. One pound of apples, cut small; 1 lb. chopped onions; 1 lb, ripe tomatoes, skinned and

sliced; 4% pint best vinegar; 14 Ib. dark brown sugar; a little pickling spice, tied in muslin, and afterwards taken out, and % Ib. sultanas. Simmer all for about four hours, Tomato Chutney With Lime Juice This is an Australian recipe sent to me from Point Chevalier, Seven pounds of tomatoes, 1 Ib. apples, 1 Ib. onions, 1 Ib. sultanas, 1 Ib. brown sugar, 142 tablespoons salt, 1 oz. ground ginger, 3 ozs. chillies, 14 pint lime juice, 1 pint vinegar. Put all the solids through | the mincer, and then with the liquids, bring slowly to the boil in the preserving pan. Boil slowly for 3 hours, Date and Tomato Chutney Six pounds of ripe tomatoes, 3lbs. of stoned dates, 4 good sized onions, 1 Ib. preserved ginger, 42 oz. cayenne pepper, |

-_ 2 ozs. salt, 1 Ib. brown sugar, 1% oz, garlic, 4 pints vinegar. Scald and peel the tomatoes, cut up the ginger, dates, garlic and onions, and place all together with vinegar in a pan and boil gently for fotir hours, Bright Red Pure Tomato Sauce Twelve pounds of ripe tomatoes, 3 Ibs, brown sugar, 3 ozs. salt, 3 ozs. allspice, 1144 pints of vinegar. Wash and cut up (Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page) the tomatoes, tie the spice in a muslin. Put all into the pan and boil ‘3 hours. Stir frequently. When cooked put through colander, and bottle, Cork down when cold. A great favourite. Mock Raspberry Jam With Tomatoes Eight pounds of ripe tomatoes, 8 Ibs. sugar, 4 lbs. minced apples, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/2 bottle of raspberry essence, Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, skin them, and then put them into a pan and boil to a pulp. Add the apples and vinegar and boil for half an hour, then add the sugar and boil till it will set. When cool add the essence, stir well, and bottle. Bottling Tomato Soup To every 6 Ibs. of ripe firm tomatoes allow 1 pint of water, 2 small onions, 1 tablespoon of salt, 42 teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 4% teaspoon of soda, and 3 teaspoons of cornflour, Put all except the soda-and cornflour into a

pan. Boil gently till the tomatoes are pulped, strain and put the liquid back in the pan. Bring to the boil, Add the soda, then the cornflour mixed with a little cold water. Cook long enough for the cornflour to cook through. Bottle and make airtight as near to boiling point as possible. Tomato and Celery Sauce Thirty ripe tomatoes, 3 large heads of celery, 4 large onidns, 6 breakfast cups of vinegar, 1 lb. sugar, 4 tablespoons salt, 2 or 3 red peppers (chillies). Chop all the ingredients finely, add the vinegar, sugar and salt; boil till thick

-about 2 hours. Tomato Sauce Twelve pounds of tomatoes, 4 Ibs. of white sugar, ¥% lb. salt, % teaspoon cayenne, 5 large onions, peeled and put in whole, 3 pints of vinegar, and tied in a muslin bag..2 ozs. peppercorns, 1 oz. cloves, and 1 oz. whole spice. Skin the tomatoes and cut into quarters in the preserving pan. Put all the spices in a muslin bag, and add with the other ingredients to the pan. Boil 3 hours, then lift the onions out and the bag’ of spice and bottle the sauce. The onions are beautiful to eat while hot and make a good tea dish. (From a lady in Kelburn).