Monday, August 30, 2010

Full Disclosure

In the interests of full disclosure (this is for you, Friko,) most of the tomatoes I showed yesterday came from Justin's and Claui's amazing garden.  They have around 200 plants and were happy for me to come pick. (My thirty-some plants have been hard hit by blight and wild turkeys.)

And continuing in the disclosure mode -- when I process tomatoes, whether to can or to cook into sauce that will go into the freezer -- I don't blanch and peel my tomatoes.

If I were entering a competition at the county fair, I would.  But this is food for my family and none of us are put off by bits of tomato peel from our unsprayed tomatoes.  And I save enormous chunks of time and energy.
 
The way I prepare eggplant for the freezer is simplicity itself. Wash, slice, put on baking sheets with olive oil and seasoned salt, bake at 350 F till softened. I put these slices into freezer bags to resurrect for a moussaka or eggplant parmesan.  I can also chop them and add to pasta sauce. Or blend up with garlic and tahini into baba ganoush. Yum!
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19 comments:

Marilyn & Jeff said...

This all looks fabulous to me.

Unknown said...

You make me want to get planting veges in my tiny garden. I feel healthy just looking at them.

jennyfreckles said...

Mm, bet those simmering tomaties smell divine. I've never seen white eggplant before... maybe that's why they're called EGG plant? We call them aubergines and they're purple.

Martin said...

Yum, indeed!

Pat in east TN said...

I'm like you Vicki ... tomatoes to into the pot, cut up, skins and all. I've never seen white eggplant either. Is the taste any different?

My summer garden is about done, but my little fall garden is doing extremely well. I picked my first zucchini last night!

Brian Miller said...

i like saving time as well...i have only rarely had egg plant...perhaps i need to give it another try...

Louise said...

Mmmmm, that sauce looks delicious.

Vicki Lane said...

The normal supermarket eggplant is the big purple one. I chose to grow these. I suspect that the white variety is the reason for the name -- they DO look like eggs hanging on the plant.

They all taste pretty much the same, as far as I can tell.

I love eggplant slices rolled in olive oil and grilled. Just a little salt is all that's needed.

Fried eggplant is delicious but not exactly health food. Ditto fried okra.

Jill said...

I made baba ganoush yesterday! Love that stuff.

Miss_Yves said...

"Eggplant"is somehing absolutly new for me !(the word And the vegetable)
Thank you for the explanation given to Jennyfreckles
Very appetizing post !

Vicki Lane said...

But surely you know aubergines, Miss Yves...

Michele said...

Your pot of tomatoes simmering looks so good on a grey, cool, damp day. I wish they were simmering in my kitchen, sigh. Maybe next week :) And I'm going to buy some eggplant at the next market and try them like that.
Oh, and I don't peel tomatoes either.

NCmountainwoman said...

Hey...you never indicated that they were YOUR homegrown tomatoes. I used to can tomatoes and like you, I never peeled them either. I've never frozen eggplant, but I think I'll give it a try.

Merisi said...

Oh, your eggplants, such good lookers!
I bet they are as sweet as anything.
I love eggplants!

Elora said...

Vicki,
Do you put your okra "by?" The only way we've been able to save a little for winter is by using the dehydrator...do you freeze or can okra?

Lovely--all of it,
Elora

Tess Kincaid said...

I'm so with you. Blanching and peeling takes SO much time. The skins are good for you!

Vicki Lane said...

Oh my goodness -- I don't feel so sluttish now that I know I'm not alone in skipping the blanching and peeling step!

I do blanch the okra -- and cut it up and put the rounds into a freezer bag. This okra will be added to soup and gumbo in the coming months.

Deanna said...

I've done tomatoes both ways - blanching and not. It is all good. We planted 24 plants and after canning til I am weary, we started giving them away. Everyone else around us were plagued with the blight you talked about. I don't understand it.

Those egg plants look really good and you'll enjoy them this winter, won't you...

Friko said...

ha, I knew it! You were cheating!
Now I simply will have to take a photo of my two or maybe by now, three ripe tomatoes. Haven't looked today.