Due to an abnormally hot summer and relatively dry conditions, the Northeast is seeing an abundance of tomatoes, and much earlier than we are used to.
So...aside from packing your surplus Green Zebras and Purple Cherokees up in plain paper bags, driving around the neighborhood, and leaving these bags on your unsuspecting friends' neighbors porches...as you do the Green-Grocer version of "ding-dong-dash", what are you to do with all of these freaking tomatoes? (In northern New Hampshire we save the ding-dong-dash technique for zucchini!!!)
I would suggest saving some of the seeds from your choicest of fruits; vintageveggies.com has tips for seed saving for all kinds of different fruits and vegetables. As for the rest of the tomatoes, I have included three recipes/techniques that are all super quick, easy (really easy...not "I've been a professional chef for 15 years" easy), delicious and low fat!
I don't include quantities because these are all technique based recipes, and this way you are able to completely adapt the recipes and flavor profiles to your liking, (and not mine!)
TOMATO WATER
An intensely flavored clear water, awesome frozen into ice cubes for a Bloody Mary or other vegetal cocktail! or use in place of stock to cook risotto or soup. It has a short shelf life, so whatever you do not plan on using in a day or two should be frozen.
Fresh tomatoes, stems removed, washed and quartered
Kosher salt
-Line a fine mesh strainer with coffee filters, and set in a larger container to catch the water as it drains.
-Place prepared tomatoes in a blender or food processor with a pinch of salt; pulse until almost pureed. Pour pureed tomatoes into prepared strainer; cover and refrigerate overnight.
-Discard solids collected in strainer and pour collected tomato water into a container with a tight fitting lid and store in the refrigerator/freeze.
CHARRED TOMATO SAUCE
This has been a go-to sauce for years: super easy to execute, and works as a killer sauce for grilled chicken, pork, or fish; (it's also a great way to use up the imperfect/blemished tomatoes from the garden.) Can also be reheated over low heat and used as sauce for pasta, or served chilled as a sauce for grilled veggies. This sauce is based on the technique, and you should adjust quantity and flavor as you prefer.
Fresh tomatoes, stems removed, washed
Garlic cloves, skin and root removed
Balsamic vinegar
Brown Sugar
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Place tomatoes on pre-heated grill and cook, turning occasionally, until skin is completely charred. Place charred tomatoes, while still hot, in a food processor or blender; add garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Blitz on high speed until smooth; drizzle in olive oil in a slow-steady stream.
-Adjust seasoning with garlic/sugar/vinegar/salt/pepper as you like. Blitz on high again to combine. Adjust seasoning, reserve warm.
The consistency can be adjusted by adding more oil while the machine is running to thicken the sauce, or adding more vinegar, water, or tomato water to thin the sauce.
TOMATOES CONFIT
Traditionally a confit is meat cooked slowly in, and preserved by completely submerging it in, its own rendered fat, the most famous being duck confit. In a modern kitchen, "confit" has come to mean any food cooked slowly while submerged in any fat, like this tomato preparation. This is a great technique: it uses up as many tomatoes as you need it to, it is a great way to use up an excess of fresh herbs as well, you will end up with roasted garlic, tomato-garlic-herb oil, and some super intense tomato syrup (if you are feeling adventurous). I like to use a large recyclable aluminum roasting pan for this task.
Fresh tomatoes, stems removed, washed; cut into even sized wedges, cut through blossom/stem ends
Garlic cloves, skin and root removed
Fresh Herbs, (Basil/Thyme/Rosemary/Cilantro), washed
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Vegetable oil, we use a 10% olive oil blend
-Combine tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs in a roasting pan, filling the roasting pan halfway. Adjust seasoning, add enough oil to completely cover contents of roasting pan.
-Cover roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Turn oven to 300 F for 30 minutes.
-FOR GAS OVEN: turn oven off, and let tomatoes cook in oven for 24-hours over pilot light.
-FOR ELECTRIC OVEN: turn oven to lowest setting and cook for 12 hours.
-Remove pan from oven; remove tomatoes with garlic and herbs from oil and place in sanitized resealable jars. Strain oil through fine mesh strainer and cover tomatoes with oil; cover and refrigerate tomatoes for up to 3 months, (they can be stored in plastic and frozen for up to 6 months).
For the adventurous, take the strained tomato oil and place in a clear container and refrigerate for 3 days. You will notice tomato juice that has collected on the bottom of the container, the object is to remove as much of the oil, (save in the refrigerator for any other cooking applications), and save as much of the juice as possible. After you have removed as much of the oil as possible reduce to tomato juice over low heat, (if you see bubbles you need to reduce the heat...yes THAT low), until thick and syrupy; use like you would ketchup.
