We’re coming to the end of our tomato season, as our plants aren’t producing any new fruits and those on the plants are having trouble turning red with this colder weather. Instead of letting them go to waste, we’re including them in our VegBoxes this week, along with a host of interesting recipe ideas on how to use them beyond the default-chutney.
Green tomatoes are firmer and more acidic than the red fellows that they eventually turn into, meaning they’re ideal for slicing, frying and even stewing. You can enjoy their tangy flavour in soups, hot-pots, fry ups and even cakes. A versatile veg (we mean fruit) indeed!
Here are a few killer recipes on how to use up this seasonal late comers:
Fried Green Tomatoes
Green Tomato Cake
Green Tomato Soup
Fried Green Tomato Pie
Green Tomato and Lentil Stew
If you’re not a fan of green tomatoes, then there are plenty of ways to ripen these green gremlins at home. Try storing them the wrong way up (blossom side down) in a room that’s 50 – 60 degrees, such as a basement, garage or windowsill. We’ve also heard keeping them with an already ripened tomato hurries them along, or even a banana. For the patient among you, you could try wrapping each tomato individually in newspaper and storing them in a cool, dry place to ripen over 2-4 weeks.
Image: Flickr member headspacej licensed under Creative Commons