WHAT to DO with too many tomatoes...

[Cucina]

Help! I hauled back a flat of gorgeous ripe tomatoes from a farmer's market in Georgia all the way to D.C. They are those big beautiful ones that one slice covers an entire sandwich. Plus, they only cost $1/pound so how could I not?!

Alas, my eyes are bigger than my stomach...there's only so many tomato sandwiches and salads a gal can eat, I've given away some to the neighbors but I'm still staring at a shelf full of tomatoes in the fridge.

Any ideas for what to do with them and how to properly put them up? i.e. - I'm not going to learn how to can them but if you have ideas for making a sauce or something that could be stored in a ziplock freezer bag - or anything else for that matter, much appreciated.

[C_Ruark]

Roasted tomato infused oils are always nice.

Keep a back of diced and seeded tomatoes in the freezer.

To make the oil, grill or saute 1/2 cup of tomatoes in very little oil to pan roast them. Toss in a blender with two Tspn of olive oil, puree, with the blender on, add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of oil in a thin stream. Emulsify.

When you're finished, you have the start of a lovely salad dressing, or a quick way to add color to cream-based sauces.

Just a thought.

~C

Edited November 23, 2006 by C_Ruark (log)

[saskanuck]

Any cooked salsa recipe will freeze well in ziploc bags. Don't try to freeze fresh uncooked salsa though because it won't be good.

Just make sure that you cook your salsa until it's fairly thick, because it will become a little more watery once thawed.

I have tons of bags of salsa in my freezer right now, because my husband brought home about 30 pounds of farm-fresh tomatoes this summer from someone who works with him.

Any kind of cooked tomato sauce will freeze well, also.

[Marlene]

Well, tomato sauce comes immediately to mind. It freezes well in ziplock bags and then you've got a base to make spaghetti, lazagna, penne ala vodka etc.

[kitwilliams]

Send them to me! I'll make tomato marmalade. Promise to send a jar back to you!

[jess mebane]

Darlin', get your big chief tablet and a pencil:

Tomato Soup

6-8 of your fresh tomatos, blanched, peeled and seeded

1/2 of a red onion, small dice

2 cans tomato juice only, no V8 or somesuch

one can chicken stock or fresh equivalent (turkey stock might be nice 'bout now)

2T butter

1 1/2 stick butter

1 c. cream

basil chiffonade

S&P

In a small pan, sweat your onion in the 2T of butter 'till clear and soft. Take your Time.

In a soup pot, throw in your peeled tomatoes, juice and stock, simmer on lo-lo about 30 mins. Add S&P as desired.

After 30 mins, carefully process the soup in a blender in batches, or with an immersion blender, choose your weapon.

Add your butter in pats, stir in your cream and soft onions 'till all is well. Add the basil at the end.

Serve with parm or sour cream dollops, and fresh bread. Puts up well in the fridge, but a person should share this soup on such a lovely weekend.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Marlene]

That sounds wonderful. What size cans of tomato juice? We get them in varying sizes here.

[jess mebane]

Looks like a soda can, so....12oz?

[Marlene]

Excellent, thanks! I think parmesan crisps would work wonderfully well on top of this soup! (It also made me look up basil chiffonade)

Edited November 24, 2006 by Marlene (log)

[Tweety69bird]

You could quarter them up, or mabye eigths, since they're so big, and put them in a roasting pan with some garlic, basil, onions and olive oil and roast them in the oven at about 325º for a few hours and let them cook down and caramelize. They come out really wonderful. Great to top baguette rounds with, or add into a sandwich, or just have as a side to your meal.

[mkayahara]

How about making your own tomato paste?

[tamiam]

Put up some Tomato Chutney!! Mmmmmm.

[TheFoodTutor]

Oven-roasted tomatoes keep well, either in the freezer, or in a jar with some good olive oil. Use them as you would sun-dried tomatoes.