Pickled Green Tomatoes and Green Tomato Marmalade
Last week I received a bag of green tomatoes from a friend, so I rolled up my sleeves and went to town making pickled green tomatoes and green tomato marmalade.
My favorite ways to use green tomatoes (aka unripe tomatoes) are as quick pickles for salad, served with BBQ, and on sandwiches. Tomato marmalade is a zesty combination of acidic and sweet and tastes fabulous on toast or paired with dessert cheeses.
Quick Pickled Green Tomatoes
· 2 Pounds of Green Tomatoes, sliced
· 1 cup distilled vinegar
· 1 ½ cups water
· 1 cup sugar
· ½ tbsp pickling salt
· 1 inch ginger (optional)
· 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
· 2 tbsp fresh dill, minced
Start by washing hands and disinfecting mason jars. Disinfect the jars by washing them with warm water and soap and placing jars and lids in an oven on the lowest heat for 10 minutes or until the jars are hot.
Bring a saucepan of water, sugar, salt, and vinegar to a boil. Stir often to dissolve the sugar. Once boiling, remove from heat.
Slice tomatoes and ginger.
Carefully remove jars from the oven. Layer sliced tomatoes, mustard seeds, dill, and ginger in the jars. Pour the warm pickling liquid over tomatoes until filled to the top. Screw the lids on immediately. Set aside to cool and keep in the fridge. Will last for about a month.
Green Tomato Marmalade
· 1 pound of green tomatoes, diced
· ½ lemon
· 2 cups sugar
· ½ cup water
· 1 Star anise (optional)
Bring sugar, diced tomatoes, water, and anise (if using) to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes or until marmalade has thickened and coats the spoon.
While the marmalade is cooking, disinfect mason jars and lids by washing them with soap and water. Heat them in the oven on low heat.
After the marmalade has thickened, add grated lemon peel and the juice of ½ a lemon. Stir well.
Remove the warm jars and lids from the oven and pour marmalade into them. Screw lids on immediately. Be careful—the jars will be extremely hot to the touch!
Leave the jars to cool completely. They will last for six months unopened in a cool, dark place. Store in the fridge after opening.
Here are more ideas, tips and recipes for using green tomatoes
Here is the recipe I used for making fried green tomatoes
We grow lots of tomatoes and most of the are ripe and here you can read what we do with our ripe tomato harvest.
