tomatoes!
(the can of bug spray is a necessity back at the garden. egads!
the mosquitoes are terrible!)
first on the agenda was something new - tomato paste. i've never made it before but i do love it. sometimes when i'm cooking with tomato paste and i only need a blop or two i finish off the rest of the can with a spoon. mmmm!
anyways, tomato paste. it's a lot of work and a lot of time but it's also a lot of delicious!
first up - wash, core and chop the tomatoes.
next up, cook the chopped 'maters in a little olive oil until tender and bubbly.
then put your cooked tomatoes through the finest plate of your food mill and spread it all out on a big baking sheet.
this baked in a 300 degree oven for like 5 hours or something. i'd fold it and spread it around with a rubber spatula every 30 minutes or so. then once all the water had evaporated and it was a deep red color it was ready to go.
look at that paste! beautiful and very, very tasty!
next up - crushed tomatoes. i use tons of crushed tomatoes - soups, sauces, indian dishes. mmm....palak paneer.....
anyways, these tomatoes gave me 6 pints of crushed which will go to good use.
and for fun - some ground cherry chutney. i am thinking this will be delicious with a pork loin. when all was said and done i had 8 or 9 four ounce jelly jars of chutney. mmm!
and one of my very favorite summer staples - pickled peppers! i just hot packed these hot blocks with a vinegar/water/salt brine and some garlic and dill from the garden. mmm!
