Seeing Red

 Susan Tamoney is a guest blogger from Boston, Massachusetts. Not only is she an avid member of the Boston Oxfam Action Corps,but is also a local food lover.  Read her previous posts on how she makes the most of her CSA here and here.

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By Susan Tamoney

I’m seeing red and it’s not because it’s the color that Valentino just sent down the runway in Paris or because of my frustration with the latest goings on in Washington.

I’m riding an end-of-season wave of tomatoes. And because I’m trying to incorporate the GROW Method into the way we shop and eat, I’m determined not to let a single one of them go to waste!

Trying to reduce food waste is an important part of Oxfam America’s GROW Method initiative in support of the GROW campaign. I was astonished to learn that an estimated 40% of the food that we grow in the US ends up as “waste.”

But back to the tomatoes. As you can see from the picture, this year’s crop, of which this is but a fraction, was especially beautiful - red, lush and plump.

So, after we had eaten our fill of fresh tomatoes, I set out to find a quick and easy way to store the rest for later use.

I considered the “home canning” route, because I love the way that the finished jars of sauce look on the pantry shelf. Fresh Preserving has everything that you need to get started and Food in Jars is a really helpful “How To” blog. But this season I had not planned ahead and time was not on my side. The tomatoes were red and ready to go!

So, I went with the quickest and easiest cooking method. I sliced the tomatoes into ¼” slices and arranged them, single thickness, on a parchment lined baking sheet. Don’t even think of not using parchment paper. Just take my word for it, parchment works better than foil. I coarsely chopped 4 or 5 large cloves of garlic and sprinkled them over the tomatoes. A drizzle of olive oil, some coarse salt and a grind of black pepper finished the job. 

Bake the tomatoes in a 350degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the ones at the edges start to caramelize. Watch them so the garlic doesn’t burn. 

We ate some of them straight from the oven, but they are equally spectacular piled on top of a skinless grilled chicken breast. And if you’re looking for “Meatless Monday” recipe ideas, these roasted tomatoes are wonderful tossed into pasta, on top of pizza dough or, if you prefer, as a “ragu crudo” on spaghetti squash. They’re great in an omelet and add extraordinary savory flavor when layered with slices of grilled eggplant and mozzarella cheese in a quick eggplant Parmesan.

For longer storage, just cool the tomatoes on the tray, then pack them in an airtight container. They last for two or three weeks in the refrigerator, months in the freezer.

And those green tomatoes? Don’t throw them away! Although by the end of the season, you may be tempted to just toss them into the bin, fried green tomatoes really are delicious. Slice the green tomatoes thinly and dip them into a bit of beaten egg. Then coat them with some seasoned breadcrumbs, add a sprinkle of coarse salt and fry them in a bit of olive oil until they’re golden.

Here’s another trick that a wise old gardening neighbor once shared with me:

Wrap each green tomato individually in a bit of newspaper and store them in a cool dry place. Believe it or not, they continue to ripen inside the newspaper. Because they are individually wrapped, if one spoils, it doesn’t affect the others. I have to admit to a bit of skepticism the first time that I gave this trick a try, but weeks after tucking them away, I carefully unwrapped a tiny package and voila! A red tomato! It was magical.

Give some of these ideas a try. I promise that you’ll find that this is one time when it’s great to be “in the red!”

Susan

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What's your favorite fall meal?  What your your tips and tricks to make sure a veggie never goes to waste?  Email them in to actioncorps@oxfamamerica.org