The bulk of this summer’s tomato crop has been hanging from twine in my cellar like strings of green Christmas tree ornaments. They failed to ripen in the dry midwestern weather made worse by a local, season-long ban on outdoor watering. (Yes, I cheated and watered my plants at night, but they still grew very slowly.) Now garlands of green tomatoes dangle in a dark basement limbo surrounded by shelves of dusty cooking equipment which, like the tomatoes, I can’t bear to throw away.
Get ready for the tomato spoiler alert. Late-ripening tomatoes don’t deliver the juicy satisfaction of ripe tomatoes eaten fresh off the vine. They are serviceable at best layered with meat and cheese in sandwiches, cooked down in a tomato sauce and simmered with vegetables. In other words, what's the alternative?
Green tomatoes are ready right now to add interest and variety to our holiday menus as chutney. Their mild sweet-sour flavor is a perfect backdrop for this condiment's raucous blend of fruit, vegetables and spices. The more ingredients the merrier. Chutney is easy to assemble and cook. It’s sugar and vinegar content plus refrigeration protect them from spoilage for weeks.
It's time to move on from red tomato season and let Green Tomato Chutney enliven our holiday tables.
GREEN TOMATO CHUTNEY
4 cups chopped green tomatoes
2 green apples, cored and chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly peeled and grated ginger root
1 red chili pepper, minced or Italian red pepper flakes, to taste
1 lemon, grated zest and juice
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ tsp coriander seed, crushed
2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon each cinnamon, allspice, turmeric
Combine all the ingredients in a 5 quart pot with a coated aluminum surface or stainless steel. Bring contents to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook slowly until the mixture thickens, about 25 minutes.
Pack the chutney in clean jars to within ½ of the lip. Attach a clean lid and tightly seal. Cool jars on a rack and store in the refrigerator.
To store the filled jars at room temperature, submerge and boil them for 15 minutes. Cool on a rack.
