Delicious recipe ideas to cook at home

Fresh fruit or dried pieces?

Fresh tomatoes are used for pickled tomatoes and the taste is refined with all sorts of other ingredients. But the aroma of dried tomatoes is also enhanced by pickling them. These two varieties of pickled tomatoes are two different culinary worlds, even if the tomato taste unites them. You decide for yourself which variant suits you best, or simply choose both.

Quality of the tomato fruits

Varieties of tomatoes with lots of pulp and few seeds, such as Roma and beefsteak tomatoes, are ideal for pickling. Cherry tomatoes and cocktail tomatoes are also made for the glass due to their small size. All tomato varieties should be ripe so that the taste intensity is right. Soft fruits are less suitable and should be consumed promptly. Damaged and rotten tomatoes should also not be processed.

You can make sundried tomatoes yourself from fresh fruits or buy them in the supermarket. Make sure that the output quality is good, which you can recognize by the following characteristics:

• the fruits have dried in the sun
• the red color is intense
• there are no stems and only a few pips
• they are not salty

Clean mason jars

Mason jars with rubber sealing rings or preserving jars with twist-off lids are used for pickled tomatoes. While the glasses are used again and again, the rubber sealing rings should always be replaced, as they usually do not close well the second time. Twist-off lids can be reused if they are not rusted or bent.

In order to reduce the risk of mold formation, the glasses should not only be cleaned in the dishwasher, but also sterilized afterwards. To do this, they are either boiled in water or placed in the oven at 140 degrees Celsius. For both methods, 10 minutes is enough to kill harmful germs.

Bathing in vinegar and olive oil

Most recipes for pickled tomatoes are based on a good olive oil, which optimally accompanies the taste of the fruit, or vinegar as an aromatic, natural preservative.

You shouldn't skimp on olive oil, as the ripe tomato taste benefits from a good olive oil. Ideally, a native variety accompanies the tomatoes in the glass.

Hot vinegar is often used for the small cocktail tomatoes, as well as for cherry tomatoes. Wine vinegar is a particularly mild and fine variety. It is diluted with the same amount of water and only needs a little salt as an addition. But other ingredients such as chillies, herbs and spices can also give the pickled tomatoes a piece of their flavor.

Prepare tomatoes

Germs stick not only to glasses, but also to tomatoes and should be killed before picking them. This creates boiling water, so the tomatoes need to take a hot bath for a few minutes. Then they are cleaned, dried and pierced several times with a toothpick so that the brew can better penetrate the inside of the tomato.

The further procedure depends on the recipe used.

Recipe: tomatoes in olive oil

Soaking tomatoes in oil does not require exactly weighed amounts for success. So many tomatoes are simply provided that there are enough to fill the prepared jars. This also applies to the oil. In addition to tomatoes, the following ingredients can provide an aromatic taste:

• Chili peppers
• Basil leaves
• Rosemary needles
• Sprigs of thyme
• garlic
• u. A.

The more intense the herb, the less has to be added per glass. Herbs are still a matter of taste and are dosed individually. Garlic in particular is an ingredient that not everyone likes in large quantities.

preparation

1. Layer the tomatoes in the glass and add a few herbs in between. Do not fill the glass all the way to the brim.
2. Fill the jar with olive oil but leave about 15mm free. The tomatoes should completely float in the oil.
3. Seal the jar tightly and put it in a dark and cool place.
4. Let the pickled tomatoes steep for about two weeks before you put them on the menu.

durability

The shelf life of pickled tomatoes can vary depending on the recipe and tomato. Therefore, please note the relevant information. Dried tomatoes can be stored for up to a year. Tomatoes in oil should be used up within weeks. Opened glasses should always be stored in a cool place and used as soon as possible.

If the oil goes rancid or the tomatoes have an unpleasant taste, it would be better not to eat them and dispose of the tomatoes.

Conclusion for quick readers:

• Suitable varieties: Fresh tomatoes with a lot of pulp and few seeds, such as Roma and beefsteak tomatoes
• Suitable varieties: Even small cocktail tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are best suited for the glass
• Quality: Use ripe tomatoes with an intense taste, but not too soft or damaged specimens
• Dried tomatoes: they are also suitable for pickling; can be dried by yourself or bought
• Quality features: sun-ripened; intense red; no stem ends and few pips; without salt
• Preserving jars: cleaned mason jars or twist-off jars, with new sealing rings or flawless lids
• Sterilize: Put jars in the oven or in boiling water for 10 minutes at 140 degrees
• Sud: Tomato recipes are based on oil or vinegar and the addition of herbs and spices
• Olive oil: choose good quality; Virgin olive oil best emphasizes the tomato taste
• Vinegar: Wine vinegar is ideal for hot brew; is diluted with water and refined with other ingredients
• Preparation: put fruits in boiling water for a few minutes; then clean, dry and prick
• Recipe with oil: no exact quantities required; only enough tomatoes and olive oil for the glasses provided
• Herbs: Depending on your preference: thyme, rosemary needles, basil leaves, chilies or garlic
• Step 1: Layer all ingredients in the glass and cover with oil
• Step 2: Let tightly closed jar soak in a cool, dry place for 2 weeks.
• Tip: the temperature of the fridge allows the olive oil to set; prefer to choose another cool place
• Shelf life: Depending on the recipe; sun-dried tomatoes in oil up to 1 year; Consume fresh tomatoes faster