Farmers
markets are a preserver's dream right now.
The market aisles are lined with bushels of tomatoes, boxes of peppers
and crates of cucumbers all waiting to be turned into pickles, roasted red
peppers and a variety of tomato products. Canning, freezing, and drying are all
fantastic ways to preserve the fresh tastes and colors of summer well into the
winter months.
This year, I decided to try my hand at
preserving more foods for winter, so I went on the hunt for tomatoes. At first,
I visited Mill City, but mostly found heirlooms which
are better for sandwiches and salads. No big bushels of tomatoes there. So, I
drove down to Lakeville's market, which is a part of the St. Paul Farmers
Market, and scored big. Multiple farmers were selling bushels of roma tomatoes,
which are great for preserving. I purchased 1/2 bushel, about 25 pounds, for
$10. Not bad, huh?
I
have not done much canning, but after successfully making strawberry jam
earlier this year, I thought I would try canning salsa, but needed some
help. I went to the library and borrowed
the ultimate source in canning,
Ball Complete Book of Canning and Preserving
to make sure I got each step right as I would like to avoid getting sick from
botulism through improper canning.
I went into this project being wide-eyed and
energetic, but came out of it tired and exhausted. It is hard work making salsa! When all was said and done, I had eight pint
jars of salsa to enjoy over the next year.
But, I did not stop there. I had plenty more tomatoes to process and my
next project was to make sun-dried tomatoes.
If you have extra tomatoes, I urge you to try this either in an oven as
directed below or in a food dehydrator.
1.) Preheat oven to 160° (or 200° if it will not
go as low as 160°)
2.) Quarter
roma tomatoes and place on a rimmed cookie sheet
3.) Sprinkle with salt and various herbs (I used
thyme and basil)
4.) Place in
oven for 10-12 hours without disturbing
When finished, the tomatoes should be dry and
shriveled without excess liquid within.
They might be done in stages, so remove tomatoes when dried. Store in a plastic bag or jar in your
cupboard, refrigerator, or freezer, depending on how fast they will be used
up. Add to sandwiches, dips, and
dinners.
Another easy way to preserve tomatoes is to slow
roast in the oven. This takes a little
more work in the preparation, but it's no fuss after that.
1.) Peel 10-15
roma tomatoes (place in boiling water for 1 minute, then plunge in ice cold
water and peel the skins when cooled).
2.) Cut tomatoes in half widthwise through the
equator of the tomato and push out the seeds.
3.) Place tomato halves on a rimmed cookie sheet
and drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil.
4.) Add 10 cloves of smashed garlic and sprigs of
herbs (I used thyme)
5.) Roast
at 200° for 12 hours or until tomatoes have lost their water and are dense.
6.) Let cool and place in a freezer bag or jar
and freeze for later use.
These kind of tomatoes are great to toss with
pasta, top a pizza, or puree into a sauce.
I still have
tomatoes left over, so I will have to think of a few more things to make, but
in the meantime, I need to rest! All
that preserving is tiring, but I know come February, I will thank myself for
putting in the extra effort.
