Tag Archives: Cook

Green Tomato Relish

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In one of our poly-tunnels at Springvale Community Garden we have a long row of tomato plants that are still bursting with fruit.

Several varieties of tomato were planted this year, some tiny and golden, others large and ruby red, some good for eating raw and others that are more suited to being cooked.

Last Saturday the plants were still holding on to plenty of tomatoes that were almost ripe enough to pick (these are being reserved for Fran of the Arthouse Cafe who is going to be making tomato and basil soup in her pop-up cafe at the Peak Feast Food Festival in Penistone today) but lots more that are likely to remain green and sharp.

What to do with green tomatoes? Fry them, pickle them or turn them into relish? I decided to take a few and try my hand at green tomato relish.

This relish is sharp and sweet with a good after bite of heat thanks to the chilli flakes (dried, from chillies that I grew in my conservatory a couple of years ago). It is best left to mature for at least a month but I have had a sneaky taste it it is already good with cheddar and some crackers.

  • 2kg of green tomatoes, washed and cut up roughly
  • 1 red and 2 white onions, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 green apples, skin on left on and cut up roughly
  • 200 ml malt vinegar
  • 200 ml cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
  • 500 g demerera sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of chilli flakes
  • 3 tablespoons of sultanas
  • Jars, sterilised
  1. Put the tomatoes, onions and apples in a large pan with the sugar and heat slowly until the sugar has disolved and the juices from the fruit have begun to run.
  2. Add the vinegar, chilli and sultanas and bring to the boil
  3. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for at least an hour or until the relish is thick and glistening.
  4. Spoon into sterilised jars.

Green Tomato Relish

Mushroom & Blue Cheese Sandwich

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I love this time of year. The leaves are turn and begin to drop and the air has a chilly smokiness to it but the days haven’t quite shortened enough to make it feel like you are living in perpetual darkness.

I also love the food that it brings. Roast root vegetables, stews, pies and stodgy puddings that summer deems to dense and hearty. This morning while I was waiting for the house to wake up I was idly flicking through a magazine, enjoying a solitary cup of tea when I came across a recipe for baked mushrooms, blue cheese and onion marmalade sandwiches. I love the earthiness of mushrooms and the rich brown juices they produce when lightly cooked in butter and herbs that soaks into a thick slice of fresh bread. Combined with the sharp tang of some blue cheese and the freshness of a sprinkle of herbs just completes them.

Putting the oven on to bake the mushrooms seemed a bit excessive for breakfast time so I pan-fried the mushrooms in a little butter and, because I didn’t have any onion marmalade, I used a little spicy tomato relish that I bought from a local producer in Lyme Bay, Dorset.

Pan Fried Mushrooms with Blue Cheese and Tomato Relish.

  • 5-6 medium-sized mushrooms (or one large field mushroom) per person – these are hearty sandwiches!
  • A knob of butter
  • A teaspoon of freshly chopped parsley
  • A good wedge of blue cheese (I used Dolcelatte)
  • Two thick slices of freshly cut bread
  1. Melt the butter in a pan and add the mushrooms. Cook until tender. Add the parsley.
  2. On once slice of the bread place your wedge of blue cheese before arranging the mushrooms on top. Make sure you get all the juices out of the pan!
  3. Serve with a spoon of the relish.
  4. Devour.

Idea taken from The Simple Things Magazine, Issue 02, November 2012