a box of tomatoes

When I went fruit and vegetable shopping yesterday our local green grocer had tomatoes for 99c a kilo- so I bought a box.

Whenever I can get tomatoes this cheap or cheaper or even free I make tomato sauce and tomato relish. We love it, last time I did this I made so many that I thought it would last us 6 months, I think it was lucky to last 6 weeks. It tastes so much nicer than store bought and is much more versatile, we use it on many more things than bought sauce.

Here are my recipes: They come from The Commonsense Cookery Book this was originally compiled by the NSW Public School Cookery Teachers Association. My mother had one when she went to school in the 1940's and my sister had one when she went to school in the 60's and mine is from the 80's. I am not sure they even publish them any more. I have had mine since I was about 15 and it has lost its cover and is falling apart. Every time I cook with it now I type the recipe onto the computer with any adjustments that I have made. My notes are in italics.

Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
3kgs ripe tomatoes
250g apples
250g onions
2 cloves garlic
1 C sugar
2 T salt
1 Chilli
½ T cloves
½ T peppercorns
1 T curry powder
2 ½ C vinegar

Method
1. Wash tomatoes and cut up roughly.
2. Peel and slice apples and onions.
3. Cut up garlic finely
4. Place in saucepan; add all other ingredients.
5. Boil gently 2 hours.
6. Strain through a course strainer ( if you let it cool slightly and then put it in the food processor this makes this part easier and less messy, if you like it chunky pour straight into bottles, for a smooth product strain into a jug which makes it easier to pour into the bottles).
7. Bottle in warm jars and seal when cool.

The Finished Product!

Tomato Relish

Ingredients:
1.5kgs tomatoes
500g onions
2 cups sugar
2 ½ C vinegar
1 T flour
1 T curry powder
Pinch cayenne
1 T dry mustard
1 T salt

Method:
1. Cut up tomatoes and pour off 3/4 C of juice.(place in a colander over a bowl and let juice drip into it, you may need to shake or press a little, this does take a little time- see picture above)
2. Cut up onions finely (food processor)
3. Put in a saucepan with tomatoes, sugar, and vinegar.
4. Boil slowly until thickens (this takes about 3/4-1hr)
5. Blend flour, curry powder, cayenne, mustard, and salt with tomato juice.
6. Add to saucepan and stir until boiling
7. Cook gently for 3 minutes.
8. Bottle in warm jars and seal when cool.

This is lovely on Jatz or other savoury crackers with a thin slice of cheese for morning tea.

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