Tag Archives: freezing

Preserving San Marzano Tomatoes

Preserving San Marzano Tomatoes

Fresh San Marzano Tomatoes

At the local farmer’s market I bought San Marzano Tomatoes.  I had not seen them before and took the opportunity to try them and preserving some.  They are similar to a Roma tomato, long shaped and meaty, with small core and few seeds.

I washed them, poured boiling water over for 3-4 minutes, then put into ice water bath. The skin peeled off easily.  They were cut in half and laid out on a pan lined with parchment paper.

San Marzano tomatoes ready for oven drying.

San Marzano tomatoes ready for oven drying.

Fresh thyme was put on the paper, then topped with the tomato halves.  I sprinkled olive oil and Kosher salt on tomatoes and baked at 450°F for 15 minutes.  The oven was turned off and the pan of tomatoes were left in the oven for 2 hours to dry.

Oven Dried San Marzano Tomatoes

Oven Dried San Marzano Tomatoes

Preserving San Marzano Tomatoes

Julia Ann
This is an easy recipe for fixing home oven-dried tomatoes as a means of preserving for later use.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours
Course Oven Dried Tomatoes
Cuisine American
Servings 3 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds of San Marzano tomatoes

Instructions
 

  • Wash and remove tomato skins by pouring boiling water on them for 3-4 minutes.
  • Drain, put into an ice water bath.
  • Peel tomatoes, skins come off easily.
  • Cut tomatoes in half, remove core and seeds.
  • Drain on toweling or a towel.
  • Put parchment paper on cookie sheet, spread thyme sprigs on paper.
  • Place the tomatoes on top of thyme.
  • Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and season with Kosher salt.
  • Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat, let tomatoes dry out for 2-3 hours.
  • Put into jelly jars and cover with olive oil.
  • Refrigerate. Olive will become solid, but will melt when setting out to use.

Notes

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I put the tomatoes into jelly jars and partially covered with olive oil and stored in the refrigerator. They were soon used in salad, soup and sauce and soon were gone.  They were softer than the commercial dried tomatoes and much better flavor.  I could be partial.

I prepared the next 2 lbs of San Marzano Tomatoes as for drying, except I put them in freezer bag in one layer and froze them.  I haven’t cooked with those yet.

Frozen San Marzano Tomatoes

Frozen San Marzano Tomatoes

There were about 1 1/2 pounds of the tomatoes left, so decided to make a puree. The preparation was removing skins, cutting in half, removing core and the seeds.  I put them into blender, pureed until smooth.  I had 1 1/4 cup of puree which was cooked in small kettle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar.  I cooked to reduce it to one-half.

Preparing San Marzano Tomatoes to make puree.

Preparing San Marzano Tomatoes to make puree.

I poured it into a 1/2 pint jar which was hot from boiling and covered with lid and ring.  I sat it into a pot of hot water which covered the jar letting it come to rolling boil and let boil for 20 minutes.  Then removed the can from the hot water to cool for 24 hours and also to seal the lid.

1 cup of seasoned Canned San Marzano Puree.

Preserving  seasoned  San Marzano Puree.

I hope this will give you incentive to try San Marzano Tomatoes and to give drying, freezing and canning a try.  When doing it in small amounts, it is more manageable in time and space to work and for storage.

Have you done canning, freezing or drying?  Please let me know what you have preserved.

cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

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Savory Baked Sweet Corn Recipe

Netta Belle’s Choice Savory Baked Sweet Corn

Julia Ann - Summertime Corn

Slected fresh corn from a local farmer’s market. The husks will be removed to prepare the ears of corn for parboiling.

Indiana sweet corn is at its peak; the yellow and/or white kernels are full and crisp with sweet milky juice. Corn on the cob, or roasting ears are the summertime treat, to be eaten and preserved by canning or freezing. Corn is a versatile vegetable used in soups, salads, side dishes, cornbreads, and entrees.  There are multiple uses of corn from corn syrup, snack foods, pet foods and ethanol.

The nutrients in corn are fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B 3, manganese and vitamin B 5 and antioxidant benefits. There are 143 calories in 1 cup of corn, not counting added butter when eating corn on the cob.  Fresh picked corn is best used the same day, or kept cool or refrigerated or has been in the shade at the farmer’s market.  Heat causes natural sugars of corn  turn to starch losing some of its sweet taste. Select corn with full kernels, when punctured the juice is white.  Fresh corn will have green husks tightly around it and not dried out.

Corn can be steamed, cooked in boiling water, grilled in the husk, microwaved or put in the oven to bake in the husks. Whole corn is cutting the kernel off the cob; fixing  cream corn is cutting the  kernels off the cob, then scraping sides to get the sweet milky juice.

Savory Baked Sweet Corn Recipe

I purchased the corn for  Savory Baked Sweet Corn  soon after the corn had been brought in from the field at a local farmer’s market.  It was a yellow and white variety with plump firm kernels, rows complete to the very top of the ear. The husks and silk were removed. The water was heated in a kettle until boiling, corn was added to come to boil again for 7 minutes. When done, the corn was put in ice water to cool before cutting. This is also prepares corn for freezing. Four large ears of corn were used to get the 2 cups of corn.  The kernels were cut off, the cobs were scraped to get the sweet milky juice. The corn was set in the refrigerator until ready for use.

Savory Baked Sweet Corn Recipe

Julia Ann
Summer fresh corn is just right for a Savory Baked Sweet Corn Casserole. A dish for family or a pot luck dinner.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Casserole
Cuisine American
Servings 6 -8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 teaspoon butter to grease a 1-quart casserole dish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter casserole dish.
  • Combine flour, sugar, seasonings in large bowl.
  • Melt butter to cook onion until softened.
  • Add the milk, beaten eggs, cream corn, buttered cooked onion, cheese, parsley and crumbs to the dry ingredients.
  • Stir to blend well.
  • Pour into the buttered casserole.
  • Sprinkle top with paprika.
  • Bake 45 minutes or until set.
  • Test for doneness by inserting knife in center and it comes out clean.

Notes

cookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice® bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.
©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com. All rights reserved.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

* Turmeric is a medicinal root with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties grown in South Asia of India and Pakistan.  The rhizomes are boiled, dried and ground into a powder for use as spice for cooking and in curries.  The orange-yellow color spice has a slightly hot peppery flavor and will color the food yellow when cooked.

Granulated Black Peppecookbookinabox® in partnership with Netta Belle’s Choice®  bring you great recipes for your cooking experience.

Netta Belle's Choice cookbookinabox©2007-2018 Netta Belle’s Choice® cookbookinabox® “Reg. U.S. Pat. & Trdmk.Off.” Reg. “Trade-marks Canadian Intellectual Property Office.” nettabelleschoice.com and cookbookinabox.com.  All rights reserved.