Posted under General Participaction News & Recipes & Sunflower Competition
According to the Met Office this August is in the Top 10 Wettest Months since the 1920s. As a result, plants that like rain are growing very nicely and we have plenty of spinach, onions, beans and courgettes ready, sweetcorn and celeriac on their way and in the poly tunnel there are still lots of tomatoes, the odd cucumber and peppers still to come. Sunflowers are growing tall and being measured (height and diameter) and the giant pumpkins are beginning to spread out.
The tomato glut has produced one or two new recipes. Pauline has taken some to make chutney (She will be busy because she has also picked blackcurrants and promised to bring jam!) I tried this idea for oven dried tomatoes.
- Cut the tomatoes into quarters or halves, depending on their size
- Roughly remove most of the pips and throw them away (this stops the tomatoes being too wet)
- Drain the tomatoes in a colander, if you have time, for the same reason.
- Toss the tomatoes in a little olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar and salt, and oregano if you like. I guess a little garlic added here might be nice.
- Place tomatoes skin side down on a baking tray and place in cool oven (Gas mark2, 150C ) for as long as it takes. This could be between two and three hours if the tomatoes are quite big.
- You will know when they are done because they will look and smell scrummy!
These tomatoes would then be delicious added to a tomato sauce, in risotto or any way that you might use sun dried tomatoes.
I used mine in a salad with couscous, mint feta cheese and a little squeeze of lemon, and it was very good
