It’s been a challenging year for veg growers this year. A lot of veg has been late to harvest and that includes many tomato varieties.  If your tomatoes are still a stubborn shade of green, it’s time to celebrate.  After a client gave me the following recipe a few years ago, I have been just as happy with a glut of green tomatoes as the red ones. 

I also feel smugly ‘relevant’ as I share Gerald’s Green Tomato Jam recipe in the wake of, and amid the write ups of Abergavenny Food Festival.  It is, by his admission, a fusion of several recipes and is, as the name suggests, much more of a jam than the more familiar ‘green tomato go to’ – chutney. It is delicious and can be used in a myriad of mouth-watering ways, including an accompaniment for meats, as you would use a chutney. The recipe below is exactly as I received it from Gerald, and as he concludes, it is indeed ‘easy peasy!’.

Do try it, and if you haven’t got green tomatoes of your own, I guarantee you won’t have to look far for a grower that has. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

1kg green tomatoes, cored and sliced (2-3mm) with seeds

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

600g jam sugar or ordinary granulated sugar (I usually use ordinary)

20 g candied peel

Crystalised ginger

Put tomatoes, lemon zest and juice, and sugar in a large pan.  Cover and leave overnight at room temperature.  You’ll find it produces a lot of liquid.

Bring to a “rolling” boil, stirring frequently.  Takes about 45-60 minutes: goes transparent green>amber, and bubbles “crack”.

When ready, add candied peel and/or crystalised ginger (happened to have some CG, so just cut a few cubes into bits and added – lovely subtle gingeryness!)

Jar up.  I always put lids on while jam still hot – gives vacuum seal and no mould, however long you keep them (not long, we find!)  Many jam recipes advise letting it cool before lidding, but never say why.  Doing so, we’ve often found mould on surface of jam after storage.

!!EASY PEASY!!

If you are already planning your seed purchases for next year’s veggies, then have a look at the new ‘Golden Lettuce’, which has been genetically engineered by Spanish boffins to contain 30 times more nutrients than our traditional varieties.  Apparently the ‘golden gem’ has enhanced levels of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps the body produce vitamin A. This is crucial for healthy vision, immune function and cell growth, and is also thought to protect against Alzheimer’s, heart disease and some forms of cancer. Beta-carotene is more commonly found in orange veggies such as carrots and sweet potatoes – but although in this case, the future may ‘not’ be orange, it seems the yellow lettuce may well have a golden future.

I have a quick plea from one of my favourite charities, Tools For Self Reliance, (TFSR Cymru) in Crickhowell. The volunteers carry out outstanding work refurbishing old tools, which are just the best to use in the garden, and raise essential funds for numerous projects.     

They are currently asking, “Are you a retired engineer, mechanic, tool maker or similar?  Do you have a couple of hours a week to help a tool charity sort through donated tools and collectibles looking for valuable items to put on eBay (and sell from the shop) to raise funds to help artisans in Tanzania.  Or could you contribute by joining the Board of Trustees?” 

If you can help, please contact them through www.tfsrcymru.org.uk or call 0330 355 0122.