Homemakers going back to the 18th century were putting up tomatoes in syrup, then serving them on their own with custard or as a condiment for desserts like sago pudding, a tapiocalike dish. Later came tomato jelly and jam . The tomato recipes, which appear in many cookbooks.. often contained lemon or ginger, and the preserves in syrup were sometimes made with yellow tomatoes. “NY Times Recipe Redux“
Old Fashion Spicy Tomato Preserves
Ingredients
- 3 cups prepared tomatoes (2 1/4 lb.)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 4.5 cups sugar
- 1 box Fruit Jell Pectin
- 1.5 tsp. grated lemon rind
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. allspice
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. Ginger
Instruction
- To Prepare Tomatoes Scald, peel and chop them, preferably in that order. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Measure 3 cups into a 6 or 8 quart sauce pot. Add lemon juice, grated lemon rind, allspice, cinnamon and ground cloves to tomatoes.
- Measure sugar and set aside. Stir sure-jell fruit pectin into prepared tomatoes. Sauce-pot must be no more than 1/3 full to allow for a full rolling boil.
- With a damp cloth, wipe the jar rims and threads clean. Immediately cover jars with hot lids. Screw bands on firmly. Let stand to cool.
- Check seals.
- Bring it to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly. All at once stir in the sugar. Stirring and maintaining a full rolling boil. When the mix is completely dissolved boil hard for another minute or thereabouts, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat. Skim off any foam with a large metal spoon. Immediately ladle into hot sterilized jars, Leave 1/4 inch head space at top.
Yellow Tomato Preserves
Ingredients
- 3 quarts yellow tomatoes
- 5 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 pieces crushed ginger root about 1 inch long each
- 8 lemons, sliced paper thin
Instruction
- Wash tomatoes, hold in boiling water 1/2 minute or until the skin loosens easily.
- Cool and slip off skins. Place in bowl in alternate layers with sugar and let stand overnight or at least 4 hours.
Spicy Tomato-Cranberry Preserves
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 1 can whole tomatoes in juice, including juice {Aprox. 16 Oz.}
- 1 cup fresh or frozen chopped cranberries.
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 (4- by 1-inch) strips fresh 1 orange zest*
- 1 (4- by 1-inch) strip fresh 1 lemon zest*
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
Instruction
- Boil all ingredients in a 2-quart heavy nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up tomatoes as they boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until thick, approximately 25 minutes.
- Cool preserves, then chill, covered, at least 8 hours for flavors to completely develop.
- *Note – Zest : Orange, Lemon, Lime Zest is the outer most skin of an Orange/Lime/Lemon. Just the colored part only. The white part of the skin is called the pith and is bitter. To get the zest, use a Zester, or a very sharp small knife that can cut off just the ver
- Turn the tomatoes gently once in the juice which has formed.
- Drain off juice, about 3 1/2 cups and boil until the syrup gives the jelly test.
- Simmer lemon slices in one cup of water for 5 minutes, or until soft.
- Add lemon slices, water, ginger root and tomatoes to syrup and simmer until tomatoes are transparent, at least 5 minutes.
- Pour into hot sterilized jars. Seal appropriately.