How often do we reach into the refrigerator’s drawer only to be met with a soggy, mouldy aftermath of what was a perfectly ripe tomato just the other day? Now that it’s tomato plants’ growing season, you’ll find your garden flourishing with the fruit, and grocery stores will have an abundance of them on display.
Catch-22
The warmer weather means tomatoes ripen in a heartbeat… In the same breath, however, the rising temperatures also hasten the process of the fruit going bad, which often means that many end up in the bin.
It can be quite an overwhelming task trying to figure out what to do with your garden’s overabundance of produce or the excess tomatoes thanks to your splurge at the store. The good news is that it can be used in so many dishes – whether it’s raw, diced, pickled or in liquid form. And what a bonus that the fruit is jam-packed with health benefits such as containing antioxidants and lycopene, which aids in heart health!
Some of our favourite ways to make use of those extra tomatoes in our fridge is to make sun-dried tomatoes and salsa with them – it is so versatile and can be used in various recipes (think pastas, pizza, bread…).
How to make sun-dried tomatoes
- Tomatoes (any variety and quantity)
- Salt (¼ tsp per 5 cups tomatoes)
- Olive oil (1 tbsp per 5 cups tomatoes)
- Seasoning of your choice (examples: garlic, rosemary, pepper flakes, paprika)
PREHEAT the oven to 120°C.
SLICE the tomatoes (smaller tomatoes in half and bigger ones in chunks) and remove the seeds.
COMBINE the tomatoes with salt, olive oil, and other seasoning. Place them, cut-side up, on an oven tray. Slow-roast the tomatoes in the oven until it reaches the desired dryness. Let it cool. Enjoy immediately or store in a jar with olive oil.
ALSO SEE: Tomato pizza base sauce
How to make salsa
- 3–5 cups tomatoes, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 tsp jalapeños or green chillies, chopped (deseed if you want it less spicy)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1–2 limes, juiced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Ground cumin, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
COMBINE the tomatoes, coriander, onion, chillies and garlic together in a bowl. Add the olive oil and juice of one lime and mix together. Season to taste with cumin, salt and pepper. Add more lime juice, if you like.
ALSO SEE: Fiesta of flying tomatoes: A look at Spain’s La Tomatina festival
Fiesta of flying tomatoes: A look at Spain’s La Tomatina festival
Written by Bianca Muller for Food&Home’s Summer 2022 Issue.
Feature image: Pexels
