Abundance of Tomatoes

When we had an allotment we used to have masses.

So tomato sauces of different flavours and bagged.

I used to freeze them whole, or stewed.

Any idea really. Google and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

I just have sufficient to last through the season, although the last trusses ripened during a January last year so the season was extended?

I never ever bought tinned tomatoes.

I roast them in the oven - oil, garlic, and a bit of basil.
I then bottle them, but you can freeze them in small batches.
Fabulous flavour to add to anything tomato-y
I do small batches to boost the flavour of tinned tomatoes / passata.

I make tomato soup. A tray of toms cut in half, a red pepper cut up a couple of pieces of garlic, drizzle with OOil and roast. When soft i put the whole lot in the liquidizer and blitz. A veggie stock cube made up and put in to thin down, do this a bit at a time depending on how thick or thin you want it. A small sprinkle of sugar or sweetner and about a dessert spoon of milk. Blend until smooth then strain through a sieve. This when cool can be frozen into portion sizes. Mine rarely gets to the freezer as so tasty with some nice bread. I dont add salt as the stock cubes are quite salty enough for me but you may need to.

I made some soup a couple days ago, in the freezer ready for colder weather. Just chopped up an onion, couple carrots and an orange pepper that needed using, a couple cloves of garlic and put all into saucepan with a bit of oil and cooked down until soft. Then add loads of chopped up tomatoes, a bit of water and a veggie stock cube. Cooked it for about half an hour. Whizzed up with stick blender, season and added a splash of cream. Strained and into freezer tub.

Should of added that I also make some into pasta sauce and freeze portions. Onion, garlic, tomatoes and herbs from the garden. Cooked down and freeze.

I make ratatouille because we always have a glut of courgettes as well as tomatoes. Passata also freezes really well.

Freezing them whole is great because there's no work involved and you can do lots with them.

Freeze them whole. (They look and sound like billiard balls.) When needed I plunge them in hot water to slough off the skins. Perfect for cooking.

Tomatoes, tomato purée, onions, garlic, basil, black pepper, olive oil.
Skin tomatoes, chop, put all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook overnight on low setting.
Fill clean flora tubs, or similar.
Freeze.
A tub is just the right amount for a lasagne or spaghetti bolognese.

I do the same as rockgran then you have choice In what you end up Doing with them.

I grow them in a polytunnel and a greenhouse. 15 varieties this year.I have not bought tomatoes for ages (but if I have to then San Marzano italian plums are the ones to go for). I roast, then freeze. Or freeze raw. Sauces and soups. Lindsay Bareham's Big Red Book of Tomatoes is brilliant. Buy a vacu pak machine and they last for ever. Tamasin Day-Lewis's recipe for tomato chilli jam is a winner and wonderful to give as presents.

Granarchist you pipped me to the post re Tamasin Day-Lewis's recipe for Tomato Chilli Jam. Its such a favourite in our family, absolutely delicious. That page in the recipe book opens of its own accord because its so spattered. Always the hallmark of a great recipe I think.

Granarchist am very envious, I usually only grow about five.

After giving tomatoes away to family and friends ( and we use loads ourselves) I never have any over to freeze.
Sliced with peppers and jumbo spring onions they are great roasted.

Make tomato sauce alla Nona Gina.

youtu.be/4RwuSZDl_do

I love homemade roast tomato soup, so easy when the soup maker does all the work. But we rarely get that far as I can eat fresh tomatoes by the bucketload just as they are. If I’m feeling a little more particular I add a side of sugar and salt.

You'll probably end up with some which don't ripen before the cold weather sets in. Google recipes for "Green Tomato Chutney". I usually have jars of it over the winter months and it beats any shop-bought chutney hands down.

Smoked bacon and tomato soup is heavenly. And it freezes wells too.

Veggie pasta sauce for the freezer. I always add celery after an Italian told me it was essential! - as well as onion, garlic, and any peppers or mushrooms I happen to have, and preferably some fresh basil. All finely chopped.
I dare say it’s not an authentic recipe but we like it.
I usually make it with tinned toms and some purée though.

MiniMoon I just watched Nona Gina, what a star. That's what you'd call a glut of tomatoes ???
She reminds me of some of the old Italian and Croatian ladies we know who are so eager to fill us with food!