Green tomato glut?

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FRIED GREEN TOMATOES WITH GARLIC MAYONNAISE

This recipe is good with any under-ripe tomatoes. Just squirt a little lemon juice on each one as you slice.

Serves two.

4 medium to large green tomatoes (or equivalent)
2 eggs
a little milk
90g plain flour
3 tablespoons fine ground polenta (cornmeal). Those whose larder doesn’t stretch to polenta, might like to use flour, breadcrumbs or a thin, tempura like batter instead. 

2 sprigs thyme
oil for frying

Slice the tomatoes thickly. Break the eggs into a small, shallow bowl and beat them lightly. Stir in a tablespoon or two of milk.  Mix the flour and ground polenta, season with salt and black pepper and the leaves pulled from the thyme branches. Tip onto a large shallow plate.

Press a slice of tomato into the flour and polenta mixture then into the beaten egg then back into the polenta again. Shake off any excess. Don’t worry if bits of tomato show through here and there, you want a light, crisp coat, not armour-plating. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes.

Warm the oil in a frying pan. Lower some the tomatoes into the pan, one at a time – otherwise they will stick together- then let them colour lightly on both sides. Turn after a minute or two. Cornmeal burns quickly, so  keep a watchful eye on the tomatoes as they cook. They should be ready in four or five minutes.  Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with garlic mayonnaise.

Garlic mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 egg yolks
a clove of garlic
100mls groundnut or sunflower oil
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 spring onion or 1 small onion

Whisk together the yogurt and the olive oil.  then finely chopped the onions and add them. Set aside for half a hour or so for the flavours to infuse.

Put the lemon juice, the mustard and the egg yolks in a mixing bowl and stir to mix with a small whisk. Peel and crush the garlic, stir into the egg yolks then season lightly with salt and little fine black pepper. Slowly add the groundnut or sunflower oil, beating continuously. Lastly beat in the olive oil.

You can always of course use mayonnaise out of the jar and add your own onion and garlic. it’s ok, even Delia cheats these days!!!

SPICED GREEN TOMATO SAUCE

good with sausages or fleshy fish such as mackerel
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 green pepper chopped
1/2 fresh green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 lb ( 450 g ) green tomatoes finely chopped with skins on
1 clove garlic crushed
1/2 tsp ground cummin
salt and pepper

Fry onion, pepper and chilli in the oil over low heat for 10 minutes. Add rest of ingredients, bring to simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, then uncover and let the sauce thicken over the heat for 10 minutes.

GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY

2 pounds or about a kilo green tomatoes
2 medium size apples
500g soft brown sugar
500ml malt vinegar (or about 3/4 of a pint)
2cm of root ginger
3 red chilis (you can use more if you like things hot!)
125g raisins
300g shallots
1 tsp salt

Wash the green tomatoes well.  If you see any with blossom end rot (like a nasty bruise), or any yukky bits then chuck them out.  

Prepare the chilis (carefully!) and set aside. 

Peel the ginger using a sharp knife.  Give the ginger a light bash with a rolling pin.  You want to squash it a bit without breaking it into pieces.  Set aside

Take the green tomatoes, shallots, and apples and bung them in a food processor and nicely chop but not mushy.   In a large, deep cooking pot place the chopped items along with the vinegar, sugar, raisins (I like to leave them whole for this recipe), and salt.  Give it all a mix with a wooden spoon.

Add the chilis and ginger and stir again.  Put the heat on and bring the chutney to the boil.  You will need to keep stirring to make sure the sugar dissolves and the bottom of the pot doesn’t catch.  When stirring make sure you don’t break the chilis or you will have chili seeds all over the chutney!  If you have one of those tea cage things you can use that to put the chili and ginger in if you wish.

Once at a good boiling stage turn right down to a simmer and leave simmering for at least an hour, if not more, stirring from time to time.  Whilst waiting for the chutney prepare the chutney jars.  Use old coffee, jam, or pickle jars.  You MUST clean the jars and lids until scrupulously clean in very hot water.  Whilst the jars are still wet microwave them for 2 minutes on high.

Once the chutney has attained a jam like consistency it is done.  Take out the chilis and ginger (or just remove the tea cage thing) and discard.

Carefully spoon the chutney into the sterilized jars.  It is a good idea to make sure the jars are warmed too so as not to crack when the hot chutney goes in!  You want to pack the chutney in so there are no air bubbles.  Create a seal over the surface of the chutney with a bit of folded clingfilm. Put the lids on tightly.   Leave the jars to cool thoroughly.  Once opened keep the chutney in the fridge.

Serve in a nice cheese sandwich.  If you have enough and can bear to give it away you can impress your friends and give them a jar for Christmas.