Tomato Fever and More
There is not a lot left of 85 pounds of local tomatoes from the corner produce market, mainly because I discovered making juice was easier than making tomato sauce and I am drinking it; what sauce I did make is in the freezer, but most of the juice was consumed for its terrific flavor, vitamins, and natural goodness without anything being added to it. Very simple. Very inexpensive. had noticed the tomatoes for sale were really getting ripe, so, wearing one of my hats that give me a lot of extra confidence, I approached the owner and offered to buy the overripe tomatoes for a lesser cost. Yes. $.29 a pound, irresistible.
The oddest part of the process happened when I loaded a big pot with tomatoes, added some water, then went off for an hour or so at the computer and completely forgot the tomatoes. Going back into the kitchen, the scorched smell was evident, but all was not lost. The burning caramelized the tomatoes and left a rich taste in the final product - a very amazing juice, accomplished after running the tomatoes and liquid through a food mill, then a strainer.
If you make the juice, you can always make other things with it. One of my favorite soup-starter combinations is equal parts beet juice, tomato juice and homemade chicken broth. Wonderful without anything else added.
Here is a quick chicken broth, after a roast chicken buying trip to Costco: Save all the "good", skin, and bones from 2 Costco roast chickens, freeze all until you are ready. Place everything in a good sized pot, cover with water, just. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 - 40 minutes. Let cool, strain broth *and put in refrigerator until fat solidifies on the top, which you can then remove with a slotted spoon, and go about pouring broth into containers for the freezer, and please, take the time to label and date. in San Francisco the Packaging Store has a 3M freezer tape that is wonderful.
*Don't forget to look for some choice chicken morsels among the bones.
Coming soon, using extra milk and cream.
There is not a lot left of 85 pounds of local tomatoes from the corner produce market, mainly because I discovered making juice was easier than making tomato sauce and I am drinking it; what sauce I did make is in the freezer, but most of the juice was consumed for its terrific flavor, vitamins, and natural goodness without anything being added to it. Very simple. Very inexpensive. had noticed the tomatoes for sale were really getting ripe, so, wearing one of my hats that give me a lot of extra confidence, I approached the owner and offered to buy the overripe tomatoes for a lesser cost. Yes. $.29 a pound, irresistible.
The oddest part of the process happened when I loaded a big pot with tomatoes, added some water, then went off for an hour or so at the computer and completely forgot the tomatoes. Going back into the kitchen, the scorched smell was evident, but all was not lost. The burning caramelized the tomatoes and left a rich taste in the final product - a very amazing juice, accomplished after running the tomatoes and liquid through a food mill, then a strainer.
If you make the juice, you can always make other things with it. One of my favorite soup-starter combinations is equal parts beet juice, tomato juice and homemade chicken broth. Wonderful without anything else added.
Here is a quick chicken broth, after a roast chicken buying trip to Costco: Save all the "good", skin, and bones from 2 Costco roast chickens, freeze all until you are ready. Place everything in a good sized pot, cover with water, just. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 - 40 minutes. Let cool, strain broth *and put in refrigerator until fat solidifies on the top, which you can then remove with a slotted spoon, and go about pouring broth into containers for the freezer, and please, take the time to label and date. in San Francisco the Packaging Store has a 3M freezer tape that is wonderful.
*Don't forget to look for some choice chicken morsels among the bones.
Coming soon, using extra milk and cream.
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