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Tomato Time

2K views 24 replies 11 participants last post by  teamfat 
#1 ·
Now that Tomatoes are in full abundance in the northern hemisphere, I wanted to find out some great idea's and recipes for them. Right now I have 6 varieties that I'm growing and trying to come up the perfect use for each variety. They are Juliet (they are a Roma tomato), Money Maker, Siletz, Italian Heirloom and a heirloom tomato from Romania that a family friend in Romania has been growing for over 60 years (two generations).

The Juliets will  mainly be canned and preserved for the winter to use in stews and sauces. I will can these ones rather than freeze.

For recipes or idea's throw anything out there. Stuffed, diced, dried, chopped, braised or whatever else you can think of. Also post some pictures of past recipes that you have used tomatoes in.
 
#2 ·
I'd start here:
[thread="76835"]Challenge August 2013 Tomatoes [/thread]
It was a pretty popular challenge. I'm hoping to get enough ripe early girls in the next few days to do some smoked tomatoes. They will go into a risotto, grits and a soup of some sort.

mjb.
 
#4 ·
I just roasted off a big sheet pan of cherry and plums from the garden on Sunday.  Salt, peperoncino, black pepper, garlic chunks and a nice splash of olive oil.  That into a 400 degree oven till melt down starts then cool, peel and into the food mill.  The result is delicious sauce that still needs a little seasoning and will thicken up in a pan.  I'm doing another round tonight with meat balls and penne.
 
#5 ·
I just roasted off a big sheet pan of cherry and plums from the garden on Sunday. Salt, peperoncino, black pepper, garlic chunks and a nice splash of olive oil. That into a 400 degree oven till melt down starts then cool, peel and into the food mill. The result is delicious sauce that still needs a little seasoning and will thicken up in a pan. I'm doing another round tonight with meat balls and penne.
Do you then can of freeze the sauce, or do you use it that night? Sounds awesome, I love roasted Tomato sauce.
 
#6 ·
I just roasted off a big sheet pan of cherry and plums from the garden on Sunday. Salt, peperoncino, black pepper, garlic chunks and a nice splash of olive oil. That into a 400 degree oven till melt down starts then cool, peel and into the food mill. The result is delicious sauce that still needs a little seasoning and will thicken up in a pan. I'm doing another round tonight with meat balls and penne.
It does sound awesome, I've never tried that but that's now on my list. Reminds me of the way I make roasted tomatillo salsa... Next time I make meatballs I'll try your idea! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif
 
#8 ·
I'd start here:
[thread="76835"]Challenge August 2013 Tomatoes [/thread]
It was a pretty popular challenge. I'm hoping to get enough ripe early girls in the next few days to do some smoked tomatoes. They will go into a risotto, grits and a soup of some sort.

mjb.
Not sure how I missed that thread. I have been lurrking here for two years and don't remember that challenge. Must have been an awesome August for me.

There are some amazing recipes that I'm going to have to copy from that thread. I'll post some picks of some of the tomato dishes that I make.

Here is a pick of a dish I made the other day. I copied it from a thread about eggplants. its called Mualle. I used Juliet tomato's from my garden.

Here was the first ripe Juliet tomato that I picked. It was about two weeks ago now. These will mostly be used for canning and sun dried tomatoes. The ones I'm picking now are quite a lot bigger.
 
#9 · (Edited)
"...peel and into the food mill."

Mike 9, what sort of food mill do you use for your toms? The kind you attach to the counter, they're usually plastic, and it has a handle like a meat grinder - they are called a European Tomato Press; or the horizontal "rotary" type? I have one of those, it looks like this:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Metal-Macina-Legumi-Food-Mill-Ricer-Kitchen-3-blades-/251540009348

http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=44040&cat=2,2120 (the Euro Tomato Press).

Just curious. In both cases, you still have a mess to clean up, don't you.
 
#10 ·
"...peel and into the food mill."

Mike 9, what sort of food mill do you use for your toms? The kind you attach to the counter, they're usually plastic, and it has a handle like a meat grinder - they are called a European Tomato Press; or the horizontal "rotary" type? I have one of those, it looks like this:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Metal-Macina-Legumi-Food-Mill-Ricer-Kitchen-3-blades-/251540009348

http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=44040&cat=2,2120 (the Euro Tomato Press).

Just curious. In both cases, you still have a mess to clean up, don't you.
I have an old Foley - all metal.
 
#12 ·
"...peel and into the food mill."

Mike 9, what sort of food mill do you use for your toms? The kind you attach to the counter, they're usually plastic, and it has a handle like a meat grinder - they are called a European Tomato Press; or the horizontal "rotary" type? I have one of those, it looks like this:

http://www.ebay.ie/itm/Metal-Macina-Legumi-Food-Mill-Ricer-Kitchen-3-blades-/251540009348

http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=44040&cat=2,2120 (the Euro Tomato Press).

Just curious. In both cases, you still have a mess to clean up, don't you.
I use one of the horizontal screw presses. I put a towel down under everything first, then clamp it down. Works well, not that hard to clean considering. I usually will only use it for large batches of tomatoes where I fill a dozen pints with sauce.
 
#16 ·
Next Saturday is the Tomato Sandwich Party at the community garden around the corner. I plan to be there slicing away. I may take a small bit of hand whisked mayo with me for my sandwich. They provide fresh pesto for those who want it. They just harvested 32 *pounds* of basil - that is a LOT of greenery!

mjb.
 
#17 ·
.
Next Saturday is the Tomato Sandwich Party at the community garden around the corner. I plan to be there slicing away. I may take a small bit of hand whisked mayo with me for my sandwich. They provide fresh pesto for those who want it. They just harvested 32 *pounds* of basil - that is a LOT of greenery!

mjb.
Also some nice early press olive oil to drizzle on top can't be beat with fresh tomatoes.
 
#19 ·
One of my most favorite things to make with fresh tomatoes is Dakos, but it also goes by the name of Koukouvagia (yes that's how I chose my screename)

Basically it's a a dried wheat rusk, wet it to make it soft, topped with fresh tomato, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Make it fancy by adding feta cheese.  
 
#20 ·
I am currently making homemade spaghetti sauce with some Better boys, Roma's, & a few Beefsteak, they leave an interesting flavor. When you add fresh Basil from your garden as well, it ups the flavor along with a few other spices of course, not to mention letting the sauce cook all day! Fresh tomatoes and fresh Jalapenos makes for a good salsa.
 
#21 ·
@MHatter-1 Funny you mention salsa, I just picked up a canning salsa recipe and was going to be making a few jars with the next batch of tomatoes. Should I stick with just Roma's for the salsa? I was also hoping to pick up 6-10 lbs of peaches and try two more different salsa's. One peach and tomatoes as the other one strictly peach.

@CuocoMichele I just picked up the Oxo good grips food fill and from the looks of it I'm pretty happy with it. Hopefully can to crank it up this week for some tomato sauce. Found the mill brand new on craigslist for $25.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Damn - time to do another batch . . . oh the drudgery!! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif

Thought I'd snap this before I got in too deep. Cut around any bad spots, X'd the bottoms onto the sheet pan with rock salt, peperoncino, EVOO, sliced garlic, a little sugar & a little dried basil. Baked at 400 for @ 45 minutes then turned off the oven for another 30-40. Peeled then into the Foley and this pan yielded @ 2/3+ gallon of sauce that tastes amazing. Mix of plums, Jersey Devils and another heirloom variety. I highly suggest trying this you will not be disappointed. I almost forgot - scrape the bottom of that pan - the fond is delicious - put it right in the sauce. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/thumb.gif


Next year I'm planting a private patch of San Marzanos.
 
#23 ·
@ Mike9 Looks awesome. Have been doing the exact same thing for tomato soup too. Have you tried putting down a few red peppers too for roasting? Adds a nice flavour to the soup (that I make) or sauce that you are making.

@ teamfat and @ Pete for smoking do you aim for 400F on indirect heat for 1 hour on the smoked tomatoes?
 
#24 ·
I don't remember the model, I have had it for 30 years and it was originally my moms. Probably something cheap because fit on it is not good but it works. Leaks tomato juice from a few spots and drips so I lay paper towels on the floor under it and on the counter. Looks a lot like that one though.
 
#25 ·
@ teamfat and @ Pete for smoking do you aim for 400F on indirect heat for 1 hour on the smoked tomatoes?
Usually I smoke tomatoes in conjunction with ribs or butt or some such. So they get about 225 - 250 for maybe an hour or so. 400 seems a bit high, you could end up with tomato jerky. Of course, that might not be a bad thing.

mjb.
 
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