As the growing season draws to a close, and the atmosphere is no longer warm enough to ripen the many tomatoes still on the vine, green tomatoes are one of the last products our gardens have to give.
I chose the simplest method. I sterilized the bottles, and then packed them with herbs and alternately, the tomatoes or habeneros. I salted the tomatoes which I had sliced into wedges, and let them weep their water out for a few hours. I dried them and put them in the jars. I had enough babies for only one jar, and these I put in whole with just the stem removed. I put one slice of habenero into each jar of tomatoes. I cut the tops off of the peppers. Some I sliced, some I used whole. I made a brine and poured it just boiling into the jars and sealed them.
PICKLING BRINE:
1 CUP WATER/ 1/2 CUP RICE WINE VINEGAR/ 2 1/4 CUPS SUGAR/ 1 TBSP KOSHER SALT/ 1 CLOVE/ 1 TSP MUSTARD SEED/ 1 TSP BLACK PEPPER CORNS/ 1 TSP CHOPPED FRESH GINGER/ 1 FRESH THAI CHILI ( OR ANY KIND ). YOU CAN USE CRUSHED RED PEPPER AS WELL ( 1/2 TO 1 TSP DEPENDING ON HOW SPICY YOU LIKE THINGS TO BE ).
Bring the above ingredients to the boil, stirring occasionally to dissolove the sugar. You can put almost anything you fancy into a pickle brine which you feel will make the objects to be pickled taste good/interesting. I strain the brine when using sliced items like the above green tomatoes because the peppercorns and seeds get stuck in them, and some people do not find that to be delicious. When the brine is to be strained I let it sit for a couple of hours or overnight and then bring the strained brine to the boil to be poured into the jars.
PICKLING BRINE:
1 CUP WATER/ 1/2 CUP RICE WINE VINEGAR/ 2 1/4 CUPS SUGAR/ 1 TBSP KOSHER SALT/ 1 CLOVE/ 1 TSP MUSTARD SEED/ 1 TSP BLACK PEPPER CORNS/ 1 TSP CHOPPED FRESH GINGER/ 1 FRESH THAI CHILI ( OR ANY KIND ). YOU CAN USE CRUSHED RED PEPPER AS WELL ( 1/2 TO 1 TSP DEPENDING ON HOW SPICY YOU LIKE THINGS TO BE ).
Bring the above ingredients to the boil, stirring occasionally to dissolove the sugar. You can put almost anything you fancy into a pickle brine which you feel will make the objects to be pickled taste good/interesting. I strain the brine when using sliced items like the above green tomatoes because the peppercorns and seeds get stuck in them, and some people do not find that to be delicious. When the brine is to be strained I let it sit for a couple of hours or overnight and then bring the strained brine to the boil to be poured into the jars.
Many times when doing a project, there are only a few pictures good enough to use. This time, the opposite was true and I spent over an hour picking out the ones you see here. Maybe it was my new 500 watt, sunlight counteracting photography bulb.
I make the green tomato pie almost exactly like making an apple pie, and they are wonderful. I put sugar on the tomatoes and let them weep their liquid, then I squeeze out most of the liquid. I then put more sugar and corn starch, and just the barest hint of cinnamon. Most of the time I resist the temptation to add brown sugar, more cinnamon or other spices, raisins etc. The taste of the green tomatoes is unique, and oddly compelling, and seems to resist complication. Like apple pie, the tomatoes can be sauteed first, but a true, classic American apple pie starts with raw fruit - and that is how I like my green tomato pie.
I make the green tomato pie almost exactly like making an apple pie, and they are wonderful. I put sugar on the tomatoes and let them weep their liquid, then I squeeze out most of the liquid. I then put more sugar and corn starch, and just the barest hint of cinnamon. Most of the time I resist the temptation to add brown sugar, more cinnamon or other spices, raisins etc. The taste of the green tomatoes is unique, and oddly compelling, and seems to resist complication. Like apple pie, the tomatoes can be sauteed first, but a true, classic American apple pie starts with raw fruit - and that is how I like my green tomato pie.