Although we're still having warm weather, it's getting cooler each evening. I still have lots of blossoms and green tomatoes on our plants but I know many of them will not have time to ripen on the vine. Recently I found a recipe for canning green tomatoes (to become fried green tomatoes in the future), that was so simple, I figured could do this while Handsome and I baked bread. Yes, we finally got around to baking bread.
There are only three ingredients: green tomatoes, lemon juice, and boiling water. The tomatoes are cleaned and sliced and then placed in wide mouth canning jars (that of course, were clean and hot). Add a teaspoon of bottled lemon juice to each jar, and fill with boiling water, leaving a 1/2" headspace. Clean rims with vinegar, top with a prepared canning lid and ring. Place into a water bath for 40 minutes (45 minutes at our altitude), and then let sit 24 hours. You can see that raw packing (not precooking the contents) frequently causes the contents to float, rather than sit top-to-bottom in the jar...
but by bedtime, the tomato slices had mostly settled in the jars. I'll likely do more as the season winds down, but I'm hoping some of the 'maters will still ripen so I can process them for other things. Even so, it will be lovely tasting summer in the depths of our Wisconsin winter. All the work now will certainly be worth it come those blustery days.
As I said, we also made bread and rolls, but I figure you're probably getting sick of seeing bread photographs, so I thought I'd spare you this time. No promises in the future, though. lol
This afternoon I'll be taking another class with Clara. This is for her koi brooch class. I probably already have this technique down, but I do so enjoy her classes, and well...I'm sure there's more than a little I don't know. I mostly take notes, so I can't promise I'll have anything to show you of our first session. If I do, it will be on Monday. In the meantime, I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Hi Donna. I enjoy seeing all your canned produce. I’m not very good in the kitchen, so I admire your cooking talent. Enjoy your class with Clara!
ReplyDeleteMary in NYC
Hi Mary:
DeleteThanks for letting me know! I bet you're better in the kitchen than you admit, my dear. I'm glad you're here, and commenting. I'm happy to share any information with you. Clara's class is another fun one. I'll be sharing my progress soon.
xoxo
Donna
The jars are all so pretty!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
Have fun at your class.
Take care.
Marilyn
Hi Marilyn:
DeleteThanks! There's nothing quite like the fragrance of fresh tomatoes this time of year. I haven't tried fried green tomatoes until this summer, so I'm anxious to see how these turn out when we're ready to use them. I'll let you know. The class was really fun. I'll look forward to sharing my progress this week.
Big Hugs,
xoxo
Donna
Such a good idea.
ReplyDeleteHi Sandi:
DeleteThanks! This is a first for me, so I'll let you know how they hold up for frying when it's time.
xoxo
Donna
I've never eaten fried green tomatoes and so I'll be interested in hearing how they turn out over the winter. Can't wait to see what your class project will turn out like!
ReplyDeleteHi MA:
DeleteI hadn't tried them until this summer, and I have to admit they're really tasty. They have the texture of tomatoes, but they're slightly tangy and lemony. I really enjoyed them. I hope you and Resident Chef get a chance to try them. I prepared ours by dredging them in egg wash first, and then in a mixture of panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. After pan frying, I sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper. Yum! I'll share my own classwork later this week, but am sharing a photograph of Clara's class piece tomorrow. More soon.
xoxo
Donna
I've never had fried green tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing the Koi.
Enjoy the class.
Shirley
Hi Shirley:
DeleteAs I told MA, they have a slightly tangy and lemony taste to them. If you read my reply above, you can see how I prepared them. If you can get your hands on a few green ones, you might be surprised at how good they are. I'll share my project soon, but am posting a photo of Clara's class piece tomorrow. They're meant to be brooches, but she's looking for other finishing ideas (besides framing). Any ideas?
xoxo
Donna