© 2024 WYPR
WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore WYPF 88.1 FM Frederick WYPO 106.9 FM Ocean City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Tomato Canning and Sauce Making

October 6, 2015 - Radio Kitchen -Tomato Canning and Sauce Making

As Radio Kitchen begins its 14th year, we are pleased to announce that we are going to keep on doin' what we've been doin', and that is talking about the rich bounty of Maryland farms... and how to use it.  So let's start by giving our listeners some tips on how to capture the goodness of all those gorgeous tomatoes out there.

Even though it's early October, there are plenty of tomatoes in the pipeline. Which means it's time to follow an old American tradition:  putting up tomatoes. We're talking canning here, and that means Mason jars and pressure cookers.

Whether you are canning whole or crushed tomatoes, the best bet is to use a pressure cooker that is designed for the process.  The point is to heat the bottles and the tomatoes to the point where bacteria are killed off and spoilage is thwarted.

As the guide to pressure cooking says, "Pressure canning is the only safe method for home canning vegetables. Clostridium botulinum is the bacterium that causes botulism food poisoning in low-acid foods, such as vegetables. The bacterial spores are destroyed only when the vegetables are processed in a pressure canner at 240 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for the correct amount of time."

A water bath only gets you to 210° which is insufficient.  So get the pressure cooker and do it right.

In addition you will need to add lemon juice for acidity to bolster the process. 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per quart is recommended.

You can add other little items to your tomatoes, including chopped onions, celery, peppers, herbs and spices.  You can go ahead and make a tomato sauce or a pizza sauce for later use, or any other variation you can think of.  The process is always the same.

Here's a nice recipe for basic tomato sauce:

                BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

4 tbs olive oil
1 sweet onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp each, dried oregano, parsley, thyme
1/2 medium carrot, finely grated
8 medium tomatoes, peeled and hand crushed, with juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbs balsamic vinegar

1.  In a sauce pan, gently cook the onions in the olive oil until transparent.  Stir in the garlic, and continue cooking over low-medium heat.  

2.  Stir in the herbs, the carrot and cook until the carrot is tender.  Add in the tomatoes and the juice, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.

3.  Adjust and balance the sauce with salt, sugar and balsamic vinegar.

                Fresh Tomato Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

1 quart canned tomatoes
10 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauté pan set over medium high, heat the oil until just smoking.

Add the onions and garlic and cook with constant stirring until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes

Add the lemon juice, zest and white wine and reduce the liquid until only about two tablespoons are left.

Add the tomatoes and heavy cream and cook just until heated.

Add the basil. Season with salt and pepper and serve over warm pasta immediately.

             Bolognaise Sauce

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 heaping tablespoons chopped garlic
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 lb. ground beef or beef short ribs
2 quarts canned tomatoes
1 can whole, peeled tomatoes
Salt, pepper and sugar

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot set over medium high heat until just smoking.  Add the onions, garlic, red pepper and rosemary. 

Season with salt and pepper and cook with occasional stirring until the onions begin to caramelize.

Add the meat and cook until brown.

Add the cans of tomatoes and two cans of water.

Bring to a boil with regular stirring making sure nothing burns on the bottom of the pot.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer the sauce until the desired consistency is reached.  Stir the sauce regularly.  This may take many hours.

Adjust the seasoning with salt pepper and sugar.

        

     Mushroom Ragout

Ingredients:

2 lbs mushrooms, chopped
1 large yellow onion, cut into ¼ inch dice
6 cloves garlic, sliced
4 cups canned tomatoes
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
¼ cup olive oil
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

In a large sauce pot set over medium high heat, warm the oil until just smoking and add the onion. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes and add the garlic. Cook another 2 minutes and add the mushrooms.

Cook the mushrooms, with occasional stirring until they have released all their water and the have started to brown on the edges.

Add the oregano, cook for one minute then add the tomatoes. Allow the sauce to come to a boil then reduce the heat.

Simmer the sauce, with occasional stirring until it has thickened. Serve over your favorite pasta.
 

Al Spoler, well known to WYPR listeners as the wine-loving co-host of "Cellar Notes" has had a long-standing parallel interest in cooking as well. Al has said, the moment he started getting serious about Sunday night dinners was the same moment he started getting serious about wine. Over the years, he has benefited greatly from being a member of the Cork and Fork Society of Baltimore, a gentlemen's dining club that serves black tie meals cooked by the members themselves who are some of Baltimore's most accomplished amateur cooks.
Executive Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Corks restaurant is fascinated by food and wine, and the way they work in harmony on the palate. His understanding of the two goes all the way to the molecular level, drawing on his advanced education in molecular biology. His cuisine is simple and surprising, pairing unexpected ingredients together to work with Corks' extensive wine offerings.