I have a huge glut of tomatoes in the garden right now, plenty of ripe ones and even more green ones which are ripening slowly, so am enjoying the chance to try some favourite recipes.

Divas’ Green Tomato chutney
This is my tried and tested (and favourite) recipe.

1 pint vinegar
1lb demerara sugar
1 lb. chopped green tomatoes
1 lb. chopped cooking apples
½ lb. chopped sultanas
¼ lb. chopped onions
½ lb. sugar (granulated is fine)
½ tsp ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1 chilli finely chopped (You can skip this if you want a more traditional recipe)

• Put the vinegar and demerara sugar in a pan and heat gently until sugar melts.
• Add all the other ingredients
• Bring mixture to boil and cook slowly stirring all the time until it thickens. (can take a long time)
• It’s ready when you can pull a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan and the line you make stays clean.

Green Tomato Soup (serves 6)

8oz potatoes
1 oz butter
1 lb green tomatoes
1 medium to large onion, chopped
2 pints stock (I use chicken but you could use vegetable)
1 tin beans – barlotti/kidney/pinto, you choose!
1/4 tsp dried mixed herbs
splash of worcestershire sauce
salt and ground black pepper
tblsp rice
1 fresh chilli finely chopped, seeds removed (You can leave this out if you aren’t a chilli fan)
You can also stir in a spoosh of single cream if you fancy it.

• Chop the tomatoes, peel and chop the potatoes and onions and chilli.
• Throw them all into a pan and fry in butter until softened.
• Add the beans, (I used kidney beans last time as I hadn’t anything else in the cupboard) herbs, stock, rice, worcestershire sauce, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil.
• Simmer for 30 mins or until the veg is tender.
• I like a bit of texture so I blend just over half the soup and return to the pan but you can blend it all if you prefer a smooth soup.
• Stir in the cream now if you are using it and reheat.

Serve with crusty bread and butter and enjoy!!

Oven fried green tomatoes.

You can also use any yellow squash you have grown for this. 

8 tblsp cornmeal/polenta
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
small pinch of cayenne pepper
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
3 med. green tomatoes, cut into 1/4″ slices
small amount of oil or Vegetable spray

• Mix polenta, salt and pepper and cayenne in a shallow dish and set aside.
• Beat egg with water
• Dip tomatoes in egg mixture
• Drop tomato into plate of cornmeal and spoon more mixture over top til covered.
• Grease a baking tray with a little oil or spray if using spray.
• Place tomatoes in a single layer in pan.
• Bake in a hot oven (220 degrees) for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown, turning once.

They will be crispy on the outside and soft and velvety in the interior. I love mine as a snack with some garlic mayo but they are great as an accompaniment also.

Enjoy your cooking!!

Diva.x

Tags: chutney, green tomatoes, soup, tomatoes