KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – LATE SEASON TOMATO HARVEST

KATHY’S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – LATE SEASON TOMATO HARVEST

The weather around Chicago this week has really turned cold with freeze warnings. The growing season this year had such a late start with a cooler than normal spring and early summer. We went out to the garden when we heard the freeze warnings and picked everything we could. So I ended up with a couple dozen ripe and even more green tomatoes. Here are a couple of things you can make that are very tasty and easy.

Fresh tomato sauce- this is great on any delicate pasta like Angel Hair.

Ingredients:

6-8 fresh ripe tomatoes peeled cored and chopped (I leave the seeds in. You can remove if you like)

3 tbsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic finely chopped

¾ cup finely chopped onion (I use sweet onion)

Two good pinches of freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt to taste

1 tsp dried oregano

1 small jalapeno finely chopped or 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Sauté the onion and the jalapeno in the olive oil till soft. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the tomatoes and cook over medium heat till tomatoes break down. Add pepper salt and oregano. Simmer for another 10 minutes. If you like it chunky you’re done. I use a potato masher for a more even consistency. Serve over hot pasta with freshly grated parmesan. It’s delicious. It’s best eaten fresh and even tastes better the next day.

Fried green tomatoes:

Slice green tomatoes ¼ inch thick. Rinse and dredge in your favorite flavored bread crumbs. I used Cajun. You need a bread crumb with a punch of flavor as the tomatoes are very bland.

Heat canola oil till piping hot. Fry till brown on both sides. Place on paper towels and sprinkle on a little kosher salt while still hot. I can eat an entire plate of these.

There you go. Two recipes to go through some of those late season tomatoes.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO