This summer our tomato plants have yielded kilos of produce, so this slow cooked tomato base was a great way to preserve those we couldn’t eat. Growing tomatoes is an immensely satisfying past time. The plants are relatively easy to grow and maintain through out the season; and they always provide an enormous volume of produce. We regularly gift friends and family produce that can’t be eaten. This season we’ve grown two plants; a cherry tomato and a beef steak plant. What started off relatively small had turned into two monstrous beasts, out growing their stakes.
This tomato base is a delicious way to ensure you have that summer goodness throughout the year. While canned tomatoes are cheap at the supermarket, I do wonder what else is really in them? This tomato base, when made with homegrown produce, is nearly free. It also provides a wonderful replacement for the canned options at the supermarket. I make this recipe a few times over summer, and freeze them for use later in the year.
For those of you who don’t have the freezer space, I truly sympathise. So I recommend putting these into preserving jars with a little lemon juice. The acid in the lemon juice helps keep the bacteria out. This is a step that’s needed when freezing though. There are many differing methods of sterilising jars for preserving. Have a look online and find something that fits with you.
Ingredients
- 2 kg vine-ripened tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 tbsp salt
Instructions
Roughly chop the tomatoes and place into a large pot over a medium heat. Add the olive oil and salt. Slowly bring to the boil and once bubbly away furiously, bring back to a simmer. Leave on the stove top, bubbling away until the liquid has reduced considerably and the tomatoes are thick and luscious. Stir every so often to ensure they're not sticking to the bottom. If they are sticking to the bottom regularly, the temperature is too hot and needs to be reduced.
Leave to cool and then decide how you'll store them as the method varies depending on storage.
Storing in the pantry: Fill sterilised jars and add a teaspoon of lemon juice on top of the tomato base. Add the lid and store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 12 months.
Storing in the freezer: Fill containers with tomato base, leaving a little room in case of expansion. Put the lid on and label before storing in the freezer. Simply defrost overnight the day before you'll need it.
Once opened, please store in the fridge and use within the week.
