Canning vs. Freezing

 This years unusual rain has been amazing for the garden.  Even more noticeably than the vigorous plants is that the harvest has been staggered.  What a relief!  Last year we had tomatoes & cucumbers simultaneously.  Though we still have cucumbers, the bulk of the cucumber eating and processing is done.  I think one last farm box with cucumbers will be distributed if the recipients aren't burnt out on them :)

Now this weekend, we have consistent tomatoes ripening (those too should be in this weeks box).  Because of last years onslaught, we peeled and froze most of our tomatoes so that we could take our time and make sauces etc. as we needed them.  Yes, we used them up, but it wasn't as convenient as I would have liked.  On busy school nights, I don't want to think about making something from scratch.  I want to reach for something healthy that won't sap what's left of my waning energy.  So we are making a very conscious and calculated effort to can quarts of tomato sauce and pints of salsa.  We started as soon as we had several ripening at once and I'm happy to report, we're staying on top of things nicely so far!

I guess since we started canning so early this summer, it's become a bit of a habit and I don't see it as so much of a chore or inconvenience.  We've also discovered some recipes and techniques that make delicious healthy food and aren't horribly labor intensive.  Don't get me wrong, the deep freezer is virtually full (yet another reason to can, I'm out of space)!  Since we're in a tomato kind of mindset, I thought I'd share our two newest recipes...

Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

5# ripe heirloom tomatoes

1 sweet yellow onion

8 lg. unpeeled garlic cloves

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons sugar, to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 475.  Cut tomatoes in quarters and seed (we used our Roma's and only needed to cut them in half).  Put them in a large bowl.  Peel onion, cut into wedges and add to bowl along with the garlic cloves.  Drizzle with olive oil, toss and transfer to a broiler pan.  Place in oven for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to 425. Cook for 40-50 minutes.  Let cool.  Remove tomato skins and squeeze garlic cloves and discard skins.  Transfer to a pot, add basil, sugar, salt and pepper.  Use an immersion blender and puree to desired consistency. 

Ladle into prepared canning jars and process in a water bath.

**for appropriate storage acidity, you need to be sure you've put 2 Tbsp of lemon juice in the bottom of a quart container or 1 Tbsp for a pint container.  Makes 4 Quarts.

Sweet Pepper and Tomato Salsa

3# cherry tomatoes, quartered and left to drain

2# baby bell peppers

2 onions

1 head garlic

1/4 C. apple cider vinegar

1 C. cilantro, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp. Cumin

1 Tbsp. Coriander

Roast all vegetables in a 425 oven until slightly caramelized and onion soft.  Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop peppers and onions and squeeze  caramelized garlic cloves from head.  Place in a pot, add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Place in prepared jars, and process (10 minutes for pints).  Makes 9 pints.

** remember to use the lemon juice in the bottom of jars!

Don't get rid of the 'tomato water' that has drained from your tomatoes!  It can be used to make wonderful cocktails, both of the alcoholic and the non-alcoholic varieties!

Enjoy!