Tomato Recipes - the Vegetable Gardener's Godsend

Tomatoes give a higher yield for space than any other vegetable, so it is in the interest of anyone who has a vegetable garden to have some good tomato recipes in their cookbook. Cooking tomatoes is not only a good way of enjoying the fruits of your labor, but also many recipes are suitable for freezing or canning, allowing you to store the excess you are sure to have.

One of the most popular ways to use tomatoes is in vegetable lasagna. While most references to lasagna make much of the bŽchamel sauce, it is the inclusion of tomato that gives this dish its earthy taste. Many other Italian dishes take advantage of the humble tomato, such as bolognaise or marinara sauce. These are best made with very ripe tomatoes.

Preserving Tomatoes

Whether you are growing greenhouse tomatoes or outdoor varieties, you are sure to have an excess come harvest time. This is when you will be thankful for recipes for conserves, condiments and pickles that use tomato.

One of the simplest ways of using tomatoes is to make a tomato puree – 12 cups of tomatoes will yield around 4 pints of puree, and you can add other vegetables of your choice to enhance the flavor. Simply simmer the ingredients, strain and bottle. Unopened bottles of tomato puree will keep indefinitely in the cupboard if bottled properly. Other options are pickles, both sweet and savory, tomato marmalade, conserve and the traditional favorite tomato catsup.

When cooking with tomatoes, the usual rules for vegetable preparation apply. If you have used chemicals when growing tomatoes, make sure to wash them before use. Cut away any rotten or discolored sections, and make sure that your cooking area is clean. If you are bottling your tomatoes, make sure that everything is sterilized and sealed properly; otherwise your tomatoes will not be preserved properly.

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