TOMATO PRESERVES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIV, Issue 20984, 12 March 1938, Page 9

TOMATO PRESERVES

USE IN WINTER DIET Next to citrus fruits, tomatoes are known to be a very rich source of vitamin C, and this important substance is not greatly affected by heat. Tomatoes can be bottled with so little trouble, and can later be put to so many uses, that the storage of a good supply should be arranged during the preserving season. Tomatoes are acid vegetables, and therefore may be preserved satisfactorily without the addition of salt. Tills simplifies the matter still further. All one has to do is to choose firm, sound ripe tomatoes of an even size, wipe them, and pack into sterilised jars, the quart size being most useful. The method followed is precisely the same

Tomatoes are acid vegetables, and therefore may be preserved satisfactorily without the addition of salt. Tills simplifies the matter still further. All one has to do is to choose firm, sound ripe tomatoes of an even size, wipe them, and pack into sterilised jars, the quart size being most useful. The method followed is precisely the same as for bottling fruit, plain boiling water being used to fill the jars to overflowing. The average time to heat the jars in the cooking process is 20 to 30 minutes. When completed, and after removing jars from the water bath, fill up with boiling water if necessary before screwing the tops down tightly. Leave Inverted until next day, then tighten the lids again. When preserving quantities for soups and similar purposes it is more economical to stew the tomatoes first, bottling the puree. Put four pounds of ripe tomatoes, two onions, one teaspoon each of salt, sugar, peppercorns, into a pan with two quarts of water, and boil fist for half an hour. Then rub through the colander. Return to the saucepan, bring to the boil, and then pohr into hot sterilised jars, making air-tight as usual. The onion may be omitted, and the sliced tomatoes simply seasoned with salt and pepper, and stewed; then pour into jars, the tops lightly screwed on, and bring to the boll in a pan of water, and then seal. Tomato Cream Soup.—Make a sauce by heating two cups of milk, put in a pi-ie of butter, and thicken with one and a-half tablespoons of flour mixed with cold milk or water, stirring until smooth. When using tomato puree preserved as described above, simply heat the required amount and add to the sauce, a pinch of baking soda will prevent any curdling. Tomato Relish—Twelve large tomatoes, four large onions, one tablespoon curry powder, one and a half teaspoons mustard, one pound brown sugar, quarter teaspoon cayenne pepper. Peel and cut up the tomatoes and onions into small pieces, put in separate basins, and sprinkle with salt; stand 12 hours. Then drain off the water and put together in a saucepan with enough vinegar to cover. Boil five minutes, then add the sugar, curry powder and mustard mixed with vinegar. Then boil for one hour, stirring all the time. Thicken with two ounces of flour mixed with vinegar. Tomato and Apple Chutney.—Take G large tomatoes. 3 cupfuls brown sugar, i cupful mixed spice, 1 green pepper, 6 apples, 1 quart vinegar, 3 teaspoonfuls salt, 1 cupful stoned raisins, 4 small onions. Skin the tomatoes. Peel and core the apples. Chop the tomatoes, apples, raisins and green pepper finely. Add remainder of ingredients, tying the spice in a muslin bag. 801 l for one and a-half hours. Remove the spice bag. Turn th? pickle into sterilised jars and seal. Tomato Jam.—Take 81b tomatoes, 6 lemons, 71b sugar. Cut the fruit into slices, peel the lemons as thin as possible, and cut the peel into shreds. Squeeze the juice, and add, with the sugar, to the tomatoes. Boil all together till sufficiently thick. Green tomatoes may be used, and oranges substituted for the lemons, using an orange to every pound of tomatoes. Pot in the usual way and store in a dry place.