One tomato, two tomato
One tomato, two tomato
Tomato season is over for Minneapolis with two nights of hard frosts under out belts (three weeks early, I might add). To celebrate the last of my harvest I made tomato broth and tomato paste from the same batch of tomatoes. Inspired by my recent canning class with master preserver Liz McMann of Food Snobbery is My Hobbery at Kitchen in the Market, I cooked my tomatoes, then separated them into their tomato broth and tomato pulp with a fine mesh jelly bag, producing a lovely clear broth as well as concentrated paste that are perfect for both soup stock and sauce base.
Tomato in Two Acts
9/17/11
A chronicle of my adventures growing, preserving, cooking and eating from my garden and everywhere.
After quartering my tomatoes (I use a mix of heirlooms and paste tomatoes), I simmered them until they released their juices, about 20 minutes. Using a jelly bag strainer, I separated the broth from the pulp. The pulp went into a blender to create a smooth texture. I should have used a food mill, but that handy device is still on my Christmas list. I started with 4 quarts of tomatoes which produced 2 quarts of broth and 1.5 quarts of pulp.
After heating the broth in a pan, I added one tablespoon of lemon juice to each hot pint jar before filling with broth. I also added the paste to a pan and heated it to bubbling. Using 1/2 pint jars, I added 1.5 tsp of lemon juice to each jar, then filled them with tomato paste. I didn’t add salt to either the broth or paste because I don’t want my resulting soup or sauce be be over salted.
I wiped the jar rims well, then topped them with hot ring lids. I followed the USDA’s canning guide for processing tomato juice for the broth at 35 minutes for pints, and processing tomato paste at 45 minutes for 1/2 pints in a boiling water canner. Tomato paste takes longer because it’s so thick.
Known to many for my incredible ability to organize, I tackle gardening and life with equal verve. Obsessive, is that a bad thing?
SUMMER PICKLING & CANNING RECIPES
Pickles
Canning
Jams & Jellies