What to Do With Your Share---Week 23

A slight two months ago we were in the middle of as hot a Summer as has been had in these parts, and now the freeze has come and gone. No more tomatoes or peppers on the vine, but cabbages as big as a volleyballs are in the fields awaiting harvest. We are happy to move on to this new season, well stocked and anticipating a little rest.


Tomato plants after a hard frost

I have always been drawn to the Fall harvest. The thought of a warm house with pots of local fare on a hot stove is comforting. And right now I am excited about the green tomatoes. For while I am surrounded by them for a good portion of the year, it is now that they really seem like the thing to cook.

One recipe (that I have not tried) comes from member Heather Gibbons via her Facebook page. She says...I tried something new with green tomatoes and it's crazy good. I roasted wedges with salt and olive oil, then blended them with 2-3 cloves of roasted garlic and a little more olive oil. It's addictively tangy and earthy, salty and sweet. I'm just not sure what to call it. Not sure either but I would recommend it.

A favorite meal of mine is green tomato curry over rice. We put a version of it in our October 17, 2007 newsletter. The thing about this recipe, is that there are lots of options for what you can add, so you can make it with whatever you have on hand. Don't have curry paste, use curry powder. Don't have eggplant, skip it and add more peppers and leeks. Add some diced potatoes or radishes or kohlrabi.

I do suggest though, that you find yourself some coconut milk. It makes for a smooth and creamy curry and adds a nice flavor. Another suggestion for this dish is to cut the veggies all different ways to enhance its texture. Cut long slivers of the onions, mince the peppers, chop the green tomatoes into chunks.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion or 1 large leek
2 to 3 green tomatoes
2 green peppers
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 to 2  tbsp curry powder or green curry sauce
1 cup coconut milk

Method:
- Peel the onion/clean the leeks. Core the green tomatoes.  Core and seed the peppers.

- Chop the onion/leek into slivers, the peppers into dice and the green tomatoes into chunks.
- Heat the sesame oil to a large skillet or pan. Add the curry sauce, onions and peppers.
    Sauté on high heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the green tomatoes and garlic, stir. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Turn heat to medium, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once.
- Add the coconut milk, stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes more, or until tomatoes are tender.