Ah, the magic of summer, the time when I barely step foot in
a supermarket. I have apricots from my tree, zucchini, tomatoes, capsicum,
eggplant, okra and herbs from the garden, and so much more from family and
friends.
I haven’t blogged too many recipes so far this summer. That's because when it’s all so fresh I just keep it oh so simple with salads and
lightly grilled or sautéed vegies.
Tomatoes are exceptionally easy to grow if you have a decent
patch of soil, although I’ve never seen a potted tomato produce more than a few
good tomatoes despite all the love in the world. Plant the seeds into trays of
seed raising mix in late winter. In Canberra and other frosty winter climates you’ll
need a greenhouse or a sunny indoor spot beside a window. I use a cheap plastic
tub to grow my tomato babies – it acts as a greenhouse outside during the day
and is carried inside for the night. Keep the seedlings moist but not wet, to
reduce chance of disease.
When the chance of a frost has passed (around early November
in Canberra) and the seedlings are about 10 cm tall, transplant them to the
sunniest place in the garden, in soil that has been enriched with compost and
manure. Plant them so that half the stem is buried – it will grow extra roots
and help the seedling to grow healthy and strong. Also plant a tall wooden
stake at the same time, so you can tie the plant’s branches to the stake for
support later on. By putting the stake in at the start, you avoid disturbing the
plant’s roots. Water your plants regularly, adding soluble potash or a teaspoon
of Epsom salts to the watering can every fortnight to help the plant to flower
and fruit.
Your first tomatoes will ripen around Christmas, and
continue through until early March. When the last tomatoes refuse to turn red
and the plant’s leaves are withering and yellow, it’s time to pull up the plant
and throw it out. Don’t compost it to avoid spreading disease to next year’s
crop.
Right now is when my crop is reaching its peak. The plants
have already started to wither and die, but not before giving me one last mega
pick of around 50 kilos of tomatoes in the last two weeks.
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| Big reds and black russians - two delicious tomatoes |
Now is the time for preserving your tomatoes for the rest of
the year, in soups, sauces and pastes. Last year I shared my recipe for roasted tomato pasta sauce. This tomato soup is even simpler with only three main
ingredients – tomatoes, garlic and basil. If you don’t have basil, use oregano
or thyme instead. I’ve also added a couple of silverbeet leaves but you could
leave them out or use another leafy green or other summer vegies instead. This
soup also doubles as a zingy, fresh pasta sauce, to be tossed through pasta or
zoodles or used in your favourite lasagne, cannelloni or stew. Either way, it’s
super quick and super easy.
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| Gorgeous homegrown garlic, basil, silverbeet and tomatoes |
Tomato, basil and
garlic soup
1.5 kilos of tomatoes
A good sprig of basil
3 garlic cloves
2 silverbeet leaves (optional)
1½ cups vegetable stock or water
Salt and pepper
Roughly chop your tomatoes and put them in a large saucepan
over a medium heat. Smush the garlic cloves using the flat side of a knife,
remove the skin, and add the cloves to the saucepan along with the basil and
the silverbeet (if using). Put the lid on and let it all simmer away for 25-30
minutes.
Using a stick blender, blend the tomato mix until you’ve got
a consistency that you like the look of, either chunky or smooth. Season to
taste. At this point you can serve as a pasta sauce, or bottle as a pasta sauce
or tomato soup “concentrate”. To make it a soup, simply add the water or stock,
stir through and serve hot or cold.
You can’t get any easier than that. What's your favourite way to eat tomatoes? Inspire me :)
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| Tomato soup garnished with fresh basil and tomato leather |
