My initial year into gardening has produced a jungle of tomato plants. Unfortunately, a chipmunk and squirrels have gotten about half of the ripened tomatoes off the vines, but I have a ton of green tomatoes that have yet to be attacked.
Since I’m in Pennsylvania, and we’re already halfway through September, the nights are getting cooler and the days are following. These tomatoes (of which there are a LOT and several different types) are never going to ripen in the amount of semi-warm days remaining this season.
I’ve done online searches to figure out what to do with green tomatoes, but most reference fried green tomatoes. First, I’ve never fried a green tomato, so I have no clue what it tastes like. Second, my cholesterol (and the rest of my body) doesn’t need fried anything.
I understand I can probably make a green relish out of some of them, but since we’re not big relish-type folks, it’s likely that I’d eventually end up pitching the relish (that’s if I canned it correctly in the first place–something which I’m not very good at doing).
What the heck do green tomatoes taste like? How are they on the digestive tract? If I do okay eating red tomatoes, should I do okay eating a green tomato? How do I tell a “good” green tomato from a not so good green tomato?
Oh, and what other ways are there for eating green tomatoes other than fried and in relish/chow-chow???
I was going to say garlic dill pickles. Basically follow any “Kosher dill” recipe. I remember when I was a kid, my grandpa would buy this jar that was a mix of saurkraut, cucumber pickles, and green tomatoes, all done in the same brine.
I came in to suggest this. I’ve never had it (or even seen it), but it’s mentioned in the Nero Wolfe novel Champagne for One.
And it’s not even one of Wolfe’s gourmet oddities – it’s something Archie eats while waiting for someone he’s tailing, while sitting in a restaurant. I get the impression that, at one time, this was seen as a common dish.
Green tomatoes stuffed with basil and goat cheese and baked. I’ve never eaten it or heard of a recipe for it. It just sound very tasty. I, too, have green tomatoes that may not make it. I’ma google and see if a professional has made this dish.
The tomatoes you buy in a grocery store are picked green and ripened artificially. If you’ve got a cool, dark spot where you can keep the green guys, I’d try to put some in storage to enjoy later.
To ripen a green tomato, place in a windowsill where it can get direct sunlight. Check frequently!
It’s not going to have the same, full flavor that a vine-ripened tomato has, but it’s better than paying grocery store prices!
~VOW
I’m in the same boat, loads of Green Tomatoes. Which got me brainstorming.
I just bought a seedless watermelon tonight, and some feta, I have a peach… Cold Green Tomato, Watermelon, and Peach Gazpacho/Soup with a feta (and maybe ham or bacon garnish) garnish?
Maybe try to devise a Cocktail with the Green Tomatoes, If you can devise the right spicy, green tomato, mixer, I could see it being as popular as a Bloody Mary… If you got a juicer, you can add it for tang and flavor just like citrus.
For some reason, I think plums and Green Tomatoes would get along fabulously.
Yeah - what VOW said. Put your greenies in a sunny, south-facing window, and they’ll ripen up eventually. I mean, do enjoy some green tomatoes, but you don’t have to enjoy all of them that way, if you don’t want to.
I came in to mention that my mom (when we lived in PA and she kept a big garden) used to make green tomato relish. I’m not at home with the recipe but will be happy to share it later, if you like.
We made a fantastic green tomato marmalade. I’ve got the recipe somewhere. When done, it doesn’t taste anything like tomatoes, but is instead redolent of honey. Fantastic stuff.
The other day I had a green tomato mostarda on a cheese plate with some funky goat cheeses. I won’t begin to suggest how to make it; I suspect Google would be your friend here. I suppose it would fall under the larger category of “preserved fruits”. It certainly seemed of a class with a chutney or relish.
I think some kind of spicy or sour preserve like this would be a good way to go.
Being an adopted northern-boy of questionable heritage, I was introduced to fried green tomatoes a few years ago.
I loved them, and now you are saying there is an actual green tomato PIE?
It’s not Southern. I was an assistant cook at a b&b in Wisconsin where we made it all season long. Except for the vinegar, it’s made just like apple pie: cinnamon, mace, etc.
Apple pie itself is made with as many pear slices as apple, and with a jigger or two of brandy, or rum, or Cointreau, or Pernod, etc. (as I said, I’m not Southern, so I’ll let those poor Baptist make do with vanilla extract)
A restaurant I used to work at did a “green tomato fest” every summer. The main entries were fried (duh), green tomato salsa, and pie. I think the chef also tossed them on a club sandwich or two.
The fried tomatoes were fine (not the best I’ve had, but, hey, still good). The salsa was tasty, basically similar to then-trendy mango salsa but subbing the tomatoes for mangos. The pie was…interesting. I liked it, but it was a bit hit or miss and most people tried it as a novelty. The flavor is similar to sour apple pie but with less texture – the filling is pretty much just a sweet, tart glop. Definitely unique and worth trying.