All about Tomatoes!
Written by Kristy Burgeson August 17th, 2020.
Tomatoes are my favorite crop. I am in a constant race against the squirrels to harvest this beautiful fruit. At our house we pick tomatoes as soon as they begin to turn color and let them finish ripening near a window. Cherry and grape tomatoes are left on the counter and my kids are constantly eating them as they walk through the kitchen. I enjoy tomatoes on pizza, BLTs, in a wrap with hummus and other veggies, on toast with ricotta or mozzarella cheese, basil, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil, and in eggs. Or simply plain.
And while I enjoy tomatoes fresh, my favorite is enjoying Minnesota tomatoes in the middle of winter, when all the tomatoes at the grocery store have little to no flavor. Tomatoes can be rinsed, put into a freezer bag, and frozen until you are ready to make chili, pasta or pizza sauce, or in any recipe you love them in. Simply rinse them in hot water when they come out of the freezer and the skin falls right off. This is the easiest way to save tomatoes if you have the space. When I have time I also like to make pizza or pasta sauce and slow roasted tomatoes to freeze. These are my favorite recipes:
https://www.kitchentreaty.com/our-very-favorite-homemade-pizza-sauce/
https://smittenkitchen.com/2010/08/fresh-tomato-sauce/
https://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/slow-roasted-tomatoes/
If you don’t have space to freeze, you can also preserve tomatoes by canning in a hot water bath. If you want to can sauces you will need to use a pressure cooker. Or you may can salsa in a hot water bath. Lemon or lime juice may be substituted for some or all of the white vinegar. Just be sure to measure all ingredients when canning, as the pH in the recipe is super important to keeping your food safe.
https://growagoodlife.com/canning-diced-tomatoes/
https://www.daringgourmet.com/restaurant-style-mexican-salsa/
Tomatoes are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as potassium, magnesium, dietary fiber, chromium, folate, thiamine, iron, copper and lycopene. With a little time you can preserve and enjoy Minnesota tomatoes all winter long!
Happy cooking!
- Kristy
