Heirloom Tomatoes

[tenunda]

Heirlooms are in, at least for us at Gardener's Gourmet (the greens lady). they went pretty fast at Eastern Market today, and will be at Dupont tomorrow. I have a 'mater salad of 10 big ones stewing in the refrigerator, which will be delicious even if it is made of the ones you customers insist on squeezing and poking until we can no longer sell them...

[V.H.]

The Falls Church farmer's market at huge boxes of tomatoes today marked "Canners" and selling for $10. I bought one and am now the proud owner of about 20-30 pounds of tomatoes. Ummm... what's the best way to process for canning? I've canned jams and such but never tomato sauce.

[Heather]

The Falls Church farmer's market at huge boxes of tomatoes today marked "Canners" and selling for $10. I bought one and am now the proud owner of about 20-30 pounds of tomatoes. Ummm... what's the best way to process for canning? I've canned jams and such but never tomato sauce.

Do you have a Ball Blue book? I think tomatoes are acidic enough that a water bath is all that's neccessary but look it up just to be on the safe side. You could do some ketchup & salsa too.

[monavano]

The Falls Church farmer's market at huge boxes of tomatoes today marked "Canners" and selling for $10. I bought one and am now the proud owner of about 20-30 pounds of tomatoes. Ummm... what's the best way to process for canning? I've canned jams and such but never tomato sauce.

Wow, that's a great deal! You could also just make pomodoro sauce and freeze it in zip-loc baggies.

*looks longingly at her tomato-less tomato plants*

[V.H.]

Do I need to run my tomatoes through a food mill to remove the skins and seeds? Or, can I get away with a quick boiling water bath to remove the skins and squeezing out the seeds by hand? The instructions I've googled online say to use a sieve or a food mill but I wasn't sure how critical the food mill is.

I just weighed the box of tomatoes. 34.6 pounds.

[monavano]

For me, I'd make a nice sauce by cutting the fruit in half and squeeze out the seeds, then dice and saute with whatever looked good at the time. Frankly, I like a simple onion, garlic, basil sauce. With S & P to taste.

If you want to use the mill, heat quartered tomatoes to boiling, while crushing as they get soft. When soft, run through the mill. It is definitely the most efficient and effective way to get rid of skin and seeds.

eta: btw, how do they taste plain? I see a nice caprese salad if they're good raw.

[V.H.]

For me, I'd make a nice sauce by cutting the fruit in half and squeeze out the seeds, then dice and saute with whatever looked good at the time. Frankly, I like a simple onion, garlic, basil sauce. With S & P to taste.

If you want to use the mill, heat quartered tomatoes to boiling, while crushing as they get soft. When soft, run through the mill. It is definitely the most efficient and effective way to get rid of skin and seeds.

eta: btw, how do they taste plain? I see a nice caprese salad if they're good raw.

They are phenomal plain. I've been cutting them up and doing Quality Assurance on each tomato. I'll definitely have to set aside some of them for gazpacho and salads.

[monavano]

They are phenomal plain. I've been cutting them up and doing Quality Assurance on each tomato. I'll definitely have to set aside some of them for gazpacho and salads.

THAT is an amazing deal you got there. Way to go!

*sends tree hugging vibes to her tomato-less tomato plants*

**not that I'm bitter or anything

[Barbara]

Do I need to run my tomatoes through a food mill to remove the skins and seeds? Or, can I get away with a quick boiling water bath to remove the skins and squeezing out the seeds by hand? The instructions I've googled online say to use a sieve or a food mill but I wasn't sure how critical the food mill is.

If you want to puree them, then I would just core them and cut them into big chunks and wizz them up in a food processor. Then, run them through a food mill with the finest blade. That's the fastest way I know of to get rid of the skin and the seeds, while keeping the "glutinous" stuff around the seeds.

[V.H.]

Tomato update:

I'm now the proud owner of a food mill, a case of quart jars, and a big simmering pot of tomato sauce.