A tomato relish

Press, 9 April 1980, Page 12

A tomato relish

Over the years I have tried many different tomato relish recipes. I have decided that my' favourite is a quick simple recipe with a low proportion of sugar, and no extra spices.

The quantities given in this recipe can be boiled up in a large saucepan and make about four jars of relish. If you double the recipe you should use a jam pan, otherwise the mixture will take too long to thicken.

If you boil the mixture longer than I have specified, or use more sugar, you will finish up with a thicker darker (sweeter) mixture which is more like chutney than mustard pickle.

Don’t make tomato relish unless you have fleshy, bright red tomatoes. I don’t think it is l worth wasting the other ingredients on under-ripe, seedy tomatoes.

I priced ths relish out of interest.

Using tomatoes bought at a roadside stall at 80c for 6kg and onions from a sack, my relish cost about 25c per jam jar. If I had replaced the vinegar with

a 5 per cent acetic acid solution it would have cost less than 15c per jar. I did not make this substitution, however, since I like the malt vinegar flavour in this relish. Ingredients: 1 kg red tomatoes 2 tablespoons salt 500 g onions cups (375 ml) malt vinegar 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon curry powder 2 tablespoons salt 500 g onions Ij cups (375 ml) malt vinegar

1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 tablespoon mustard powder 1 tablespoon cornflour. Chop medium sized mmatoes into eighths, removing the cores. Sprinkle tomatoes with salt, mix gently and leave to stand for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile peel onions. This is easier if onions stand in hot water for a

few minutes before skins ar removed. Chop onions. Drain tomatoes thoroughly, then boil drained tomatoes, onions and vinegar for about 10 minutes, until onions are tender. Mix remaining ingredients thoroughly, and add to boiling vegetables. Stirring frequently, boil for about 10 minutes. Pour into clean heated jars — seal with plastic screw tops or with melted wax and cellophane tops.

ALISON HOLST KITCHEN DIARY