My tomatoes had a rough summer and I've come to the conclusion I had better expand my green tomato reportoire beyond breaded and fried. The Sun Golds and Super Sweet 100's decided to make the best of it and ripen nicely but all the other tomato plants in the garden opted to stay green....so I started to research what to do with a pile of green tomatoes.
I figure any plant that puts forth the effort to produce food for us deserves a commitment on my part to use it....even it means under-ripe but perfectly formed little tomatoes. Green tomatoes have a crisp texture and a clean, tangy flavor that make them well-suited for pickling and I was hoping they would keep their crisp texture when they emerged from the water bath (and they did). I minced up a handful of them a few days ago and put them on top of a chicken curry -- perfect use of tomatoes grown in a cold northern town!
Curried and Pickled Green Tomatoes
2 pounds green tomatoes, rinsed and sliced or quartered (depending on the size of your tomatoes)
2 jalapeños, sliced
1/2 onion, peeled and sliced
1 4-inch knob of ginger, peeled and sliced
I lime, zest cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 - 8 cloves of garlic, peeled
Handful of cilantro sprigs
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
1 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek
Preparation
Heat a large stockpot or canner with water and bring to a boil.
Heat the water, vinegar, sugar, curry powder, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. While the water/vinegar mixture is heating up, divide the sliced/quartered green tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, ginger, lime zest, cilantro, garlic, and spices between the prepared (sterilized) canning jars. Pour the water/vinegar mixture into each canning jar, leave about a 1/2-inch headspace at the top, place the lids on, and screw on the rings until just finger-tight.
Carefully transfer the jars to the stockpot/canner. When all the jars are in the canner, there should be at least 1 inch water covering them; if you need more, add water from the kettle until the jars are sufficiently covered. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, and process for 5 minutes. Using canning tongs, gently remove the jars from the stockpot/canner and transfer them to a kitchen towel or cooling rack, keeping them vertical. Leave to cool, undisturbed, for at least 12 hours. Store in a cool/dark place for up to one year.
