TOMATOES, TOMATOES, TOMATOES!

Who knew that planting four Cherry Tomato plants would produce so many and how come they decided to finish the season by maturing all at once! I was left with the question of how can I preserve these lil ball of red heaven? I knew eventually I would google and find my answers, but before that happened I had visions of me trying to peel the skins off of these lil buggers. 

I imagined me at the kitchen sink with steam pouring out of my pot of hot water as the bath to rid the red monsters of their skin, with my fingers wrinkled and pruned. Gobs of juice and seed bits all over the walls and counters, in my hair on my clothes... thinking that in the end I would only end up with a cup of some red globby tomato substance that I could can. It wasn't looking very promising.

That's when I googled. I found two ideas that fit my idea of easy and yummy.  Dehydrating looked super simple. And I had a drying feature on my Jennaire oven.  That works.  And Pickled Cherry tomatoes.  Simple recipe and when I read that it was a nice garnish for Martinis I WAS SOLD!!!  I also had a small bucket of Big Boy & Roma tomatoes that produced very little in comparison to the Cherries. 

In the end I would have three tomato projects to do.

1. Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
2. Dehydrated Cherry Tomatoes
3. Good ole fashioned Canning of the Big Boy & Roma Tomatoes

Bowl on left for dehydrating, glass on right for pickling

So ripe and juicy when cut.
I believe I was about a day away from overripe!

This was the most time consuming,
middle back needs a rub down right between the shoulder blades,
part of the process!!
Placing the buggers on the foil lined pan.

Lined up like soldiers. You MUST placed
these guys shoulder to shoulder.
They lose about 25% or more of their size
in the drying process. 
Top them off with salt.

200° oven for about 2-3 hrs
I've read it can take longer.
Mine took about 3 hours.
Keep an eye on these. Pull them when they are like leather.
Keep them in if they still are juicy.
You'll end up picking through and pulling some and leaving others.

First look, pretty good... still a bit juicy but the ends are shrinking!

OOOOOH, THEY ARE DONE!! YUMMY :)
I put them in a baggie and threw them in the fridge to add to
salads, soups, pizza at a later date.

Pickled Cherry Tomatoes (Tomates-Cerises a l'Aigre-Doux)

(Source: GardenWeb's Harvest Forum)
Makes 1 quart

1 quart water
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1 pound FIRM (almost under-ripe) cherry tomatoes (round and plum varieties of all colors can be used)
2 cups cider vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar or more (to taste)
2 sprigs fresh summer savory or tarragon (or fresh herb of your choosing)
12 black peppercorns

In a large bowl, combine the water and salt, and stir to dissolve the salt. Prick the bottom of each tomato once with a clean needle. Place the tomatoes in the salt brine, cover and marinate for 24 hours at room temperature.

In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring just to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and cool thoroughly.

Remove the tomatoes from the salt brine and drain thoroughly. Discard the salt brine.

Carefully place the tomatoes in a 1-quart canning jar. Arrange the herbs and peppercorns around the edges of the jar. Pour the vinegar-sugar mixture over the tomatoes. Secure the jar tightly. Let sit in the refrigerator for 3 weeks before tasting.

Serve as a pickle, or as an appetizer, with toothpicks to spear.

My bowl of tomatoes swimming in their brine bath.

Completed!

Pickled Cherry Tomatoes

Finalized Canned & Dehydrated