Pickled Tomatoes (1)

Last fall I tried my hand at pickling to-ma-toes.

By now all I have left is one jar of my jalapeño pickled yellow cherry tomatoes. These were the least popular with the various guests I served them for. The basic principle worked as intended: the tomatoes really took up the hotness of the jalapeño. Personally I like them, but I am not surprised the other two went faster. If I try to to pickle yellow cherry tomatoes again I shall be careful to boil them less.

The cinnamon pickled red cherry tomatoes were quite popular with some of my guests. The cinnamon flavour, acidity and sweetness made for a delicious whole. When I do this again, I shall a larger batch - and also for these try less boiling than the first time around.

As previously mentioned the vanilla pickled green tomatoes turned out pretty nicely. Unlike the other two kinds these were certainly not overcooked - rather the opposite (if anything). I think I might try using vanilla bean instead of vanilla sugar, just to see if it makes a difference.

Pickled Red Tomatoes 1

I decided to complete my (first) 'traffic light series' of pickled tomatoes with some red cherry tomatoes pickled with cinnamon - another experiment the outcome of which I am looking forward to learning.

Ingredients:
- 450 g (1 lb) red cherry tomatoes
- 220 g (8 oz) sugar
- 1.5 dL (²/₃ cup) vinegar
- 1.5 dL (²/₃ cup) water
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 2 + 2 tsp Atamon
for storing:
- 1-L (quart-sized) glass jar

In a pot the sugar, cinnamon, vinegar and water was brought to a boil before adding the rinsed tomatoes. The pot was brought back to boiling and the tomatoes were boiled for 3 minutes, causing the skin to come off of most of them.

Meanwhile the jar was prepared by filling it with boiling water, letting it stand for a few minutes to warm up the glass, then discarding the water. Immediately before filling 2 tsp Atamon was swirled around in the glass and then discarded.

The tomatoes were transferred to the jar using a slotted spoon.

The liquid in the pot was added 2 tsp Atamon and brought back to a boil before pouring it over the tomatoes in the jar and closing the jar tightly.

As can be seen the jar isn't all the full - I think I could have fit another 300 g of tomatoes in that jar (although maybe I should have reduced the volume of the liquid then).

I'm not sure how long these should stand before they're ready, but I guess I'll give them a couple of week for good measure.

Pickled Yellow Tomatoes 1

When I recently pickled my first own batch of green tomatoes, I started thinking about pickling other tomatoes and using other spices.

First up are some yellow cherry tomatoes, which I decided to try out with jalapeño.

Ingredients:
- 450 g (1 lb) yellow cherry tomatoes
- 200 g (7 oz) sugar
- 1.5 dL (²/₃ cup) vinegar
- 1.5 dL (²/₃ cup) water
- 1 jalapeño chilli, halved
- 1 + 1 + 2 tsp Atamon^[1]
for storing:
- 2 ¹/₂ L (pint-sized) glass jars

The jalapeño was rinsed, halved but not de-seeded. The two jalapeño halves were put in the pot together with sugar, water and vinegar. After bringing to a boil, the rinsed tomatoes were added. The pot was brought back to boiling and allowed to boil for 2 minutes. This caused the skins to come off of the tomatoes and I decided they had probably had enough.

Meanwhile the glass jars were prepared by filling them with boiling water, letting them stand for a couple of minutes, and then discarding the water before swirling a tsp of Atamon around in each of them (Atamon discarded afterwards).

Using a slotted spoon the tomatoes were transferred to the warm glass jars, making sure to put one half of the jalapeño in each jar.

The liquid in the pot was added 2 tsp Atamon and brought back to a boil before being removed from the heat and poured over the tomatoes in the jars. The jars were then closed tight.

It looked like I could have used another 100-200 g of tomatoes and still have them fit in the jars I used - although it might have required concentrating the juices a little after boiling the tomatoes.

I'm not sure how long these should stand before opening and tasting them. According to my little pickling book, pickled chillies need some 4 weeks before they're ready...

^[1] Brand-name aqueous solution of sodium benzoate used as preservative.

Pickled Green Tomatoes 1

Here is something I've been wanting to do for a while - ever since I had pickled green tomatoes as a side at a steak house I went to 2 years ago. I had a reminder last year when a friend served me green tomato jam, but somehow it got postponed again. Lately I started thinking about it, and have been on the look-out for some nice green tomatoes. This morning I found some lovely green tomatoes at the local market - pretty small too, which is the best kind for pickled tomatoes.

Ingredients:
- ~ 500 g (1 lb) small green tomatoes
- 1.5 dL (²/₃ cup) vinegar
- 1.5 dL (²/₃ cup) water
- 200 g (7 oz) sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla-infused sugar^[1]
- 4 tsp Atamon^[2]
For storing:
- 2 ¹/₂ L (pint-sized) glass jars

The tomatoes were rinsed, and deep holes were punched in them with a small fork. In a pot, the water, vinegar and sugar was brought to a boil and the tomatoes were added - I used a pot large enough to hold all the tomatoes in a single layer, but if this isn't possible it might be a good idea to do them in batches. The heat was reduced and the tomatoes were boiled for 7-8 minutes.

While boiling the tomatoes, the jars were prepared: to warm them up they were filled with boiling water, allowed to stand a little before pouring out the water. Each jar was then added 1 tsp Atamon which was swirled around in the jar and discarded.

After boiling, the tomatoes were immediately moved to the jars with a slotted spoon. The liquid in the pot was brought back to a boil, then removed from the heat before adding 2 tsp Atamon and the vanilla. The liquid was poured over the tomatoes in the jars, and the jars were closed tight.

Now comes the waiting time - I understand they should stand for at least a couple of weeks before trying to enjoy them.


Update: It turns out they are pretty close to what I was going for. They are a little firmer than I expected and perhaps the vanilla flavour is a bit too much. For uses see here.

^[1] I'm really not sure if I should have used vanilla pod or simply vanilla seeds. Crossing my fingers here.
^[2] Brand-name aqueous solution of sodium benzoate used as the preservative here.

Rosehip Jam (less chunky)

I hadn't been living in Stockholm for a long time before I started noticing that rosehip bushes were by no means scarce around here - I saw them on my way to work, I saw them when I went jogging and at various other places around town. As I passed them daily it was easy to follow their progress: By September there were lots of ripe berries on the bushes and I decided to make an excursion (it's no coincidence that the Swedish word for 'autumn' is 'höst' which also translates as 'harvest').

Not wanting to ingest more exhaust fumes than I have to I wanted rosehip bushes not standing next to major streets. I knew two good spots off of the top of my head: one which I usually pass jogging and one which I pass on my way to work - the latter was further from my home and so lost out. So, at the end of a quiet street that ends into the park next to it I was able to quickly pick 1.25 kg (2.75 lbs) of suitably ripe rosehips.



At the time I was a little afraid that I would end up being sorry I didn't pick any more (there were plenty more to be picked).

Now, looking back, I'm glad I didn't pick any more than I did - I literally spent hours on rinsing them. Fortunately, after being rinsed they can be stored in the fridge overnight before proceeding.

After rinsing them, I was left with some 800 g (1.75 lbs) of rosehip shells, and given the results last time, I cut them in smaller pieces this time (quarter shells or smaller).

I also decided to change the taste a little by adding vanilla.





Ingredients:
- 800 g (1.75 lbs) cleaned rosehip shells
- 5 dL (2 cups) water
- juice of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lime
- 500 g (1.1 lb) + 66 g (2.3 oz) sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 2.5 tsp red label Melatin^[1]
- 4 times 2 tsp Atamon^[1]
Storage:
- Three 0.5 L (2 cup) glass jars









The rosehip pieces were put in a large pot together with the water, the lemon juice and the lime juice and brought to a boil. As another tool towards reducing the chunkiness of my previous batch, I let them boil for 35 minutes under a lid before adding the larger portion of sugar. Simultaneously, I added the seeds from a vanilla pod and let it boil for another 15 minutes (no lid this time, and keeping an eye on it that it didn't foam too much). A pre-stirred mixture of the red label Melatin and the smaller portion of sugar was added along with 2 tsp Atamon. After boiling an additional 2 minutes the pot was removed from the heat.


Each jar was shaken with 2 tsp Atamon - excess liquid was poured out (but the walls of the jars should be moist with Atamon for preservation of the jam) before filling the jars while the jam was still warm.

I am happy to report that this batch is indeed less chunky than the previous one - and that I quite like the added taste of vanilla. A success.

^[1] Fortunately, the brand that sells both Atamon and Melatin in Denmark also operates in Sweden - both products were easily found at the supermarket. See previous post for more details.

Chunky Rosehip Jam

Rose hip is a quite common plant in Denmark: It grows wild along roads and in the sandy dunes along the coast and it's also widely used for hedges. It seems particularly suited for the latter purpose (if the idea is to deter intruders): Like all roses it is profusely thorny, and moreover the ripe berries are very mushy, leading them to readily release their payload of fine itchy hairs.

When I was in Denmark this past summer it was during the rose hip season (the length of which I'm thoroughly unknowing of), and I decided to pick me a bucket of rose hips and try to recreate the rose hip jam I have so found memories of both my mother and her mother making years ago.


Ingredients:
- 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) whole rose hips, halved and cleaned (800 g / 1.75 lbs when cleaned)
- 5 dL (2 cups) water
- juice of 1 lemon
- 450 g + 75 g (1 lbs + 2.5 oz) sugar
- 2 tsp red label Melatin [1]
- 1 + 2 + 2 tsp Atamon [1]
- 2 glass jars with tightly fitting lids, about 750 mL (3 cups) each


The rose hips were halved with a small knife, the seeds and itchy hairs scraped out with a teaspoon and collected in a colander. They were rinsed well with cold water and let stand to dry a little. It's highly recommended to wash the hands thoroughly after cleaning rose hips.


The cleaned rose hips were put in a large pot together with the water and the lemon juice, covered and brought to a boil. After boiling for 25 minutes, the larger portion of sugar was stirred in before boiling uncovered (at this point it can foam a lot) for an additional 12 minutes.
At this point 1 tsp Atamon, the smaller portion of sugar and the red label Melatin was added. The whole was brought back to a boil and boiled for 2 minutes before removing from the heat. While the hot jam cools down a bit the glass jars were each swirled with 2 tsp of Atamon. Still warm (but not boiling) the jam was poured into the glasses and the lids were fitted on tightly.

Once cool the jam can be eaten. Of course it can be saved for quite for some time. The jam I made here was very chunky - so much that I would consider cutting the rose hips in smaller pieces next time. I particularly like it on white bread, such as our home-made buns.

[1] Melatin and Atamon are Danish brand names. They are gelling and preserving agents, respectively. Melatin contains carrageenan, locust bean gum, and sugar - one could surely substitute with pectin and/or agar, although I'd have to experient with the amounts. Atamon is an aqueous solution of sodium benzoate, lactic acid, caramel coloring, and rum aroma - the label is positively oldschool (to the point where one suspects they couldn't introduce it on the market today), and I honestly have no idea what alternative products one can buy outside of Denmark, but I'm guessing one could try sterilizing the jars in boiling water.