Farmers Market Favorites: Kiwi Style Tomato Relish

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Tomatoes in the Tetons can be the true test of a gardeners resilience. It usually begins in June with a bunch of starter plants, warm days and general optimism about the whole endeavor. You bring your plants inside at the slightest chance of a cold evening and return them to their outdoor perch in the morning to soak in the long hours of sunshine. Soon it’s mid July, and the first flowers are evident. The gallons of water you put on them every day are just enough to keep the soil from drying out in the wind and heat. You find yourself calling friends frantically if you head out of town for more then two days, desperately trying to get someone to attend to your precious plants so they don’t wither up in the sun. All of a sudden September rolls around and so does the “what the hell!!” moment. The nights are getting cold again, it could snow any day, and for all your efforts there is a bunch of hard, green tomatoes hanging on your now drooping plant.

Unfortunately I can’t help myself and end up repeating that process every year. Luckily there are plenty of farmers who can work their tomato magic a little better than myself. The Farmers Market on the Town Square, Farmers Market at the Movieworks Plaza, and Wednesday Night People’s Market are all great places to check out the talents of these producers in our short tomato growing season. While tasty and plentiful now, it won’t be long until the season disappears. This brings in the canning discussion, and while I do love homemade marinara sauce and the like, my favorite form of preserved tomato goodness is slightly different.

Tomato Relish goes great with cheese and grilled bread

Tomato Relish goes great with cheese and grilled bread

A few years back I spent about 10 months cooking at various places in New Zealand. The country is not known for ground breaking culinary techniques necessarily but rather simple, ingredient-focused fare. There is a high value on things grown locally, while English and Indian influences are the most evident in flavor profile. Tomato relish is as ubiquitous as ketchup or mustard in the U.S. but much more versatile. Try it on a burger, with a cheese plate, or even drizzled on your eggs in the morning.

Blanching the tomatoes is one of the most important steps. With blanching the idea isn’t to cook the tomato, just heat it enough to remove the skin. The best way to do this is to get a pot of water to a rolling boil, make two cuts perpendicular to each other about an inch long at the bottom of the tomato, put your tomatoes in the boiling water and remove them after about 45 seconds (when the skin starts peeling away from the cut ever so slightly you know its ready). Immediately plunge into an ice bath as to stop the cooking process. It might take a time or two but with a little practice you will become a blanching expert. Blanching helps lock in the color and flavor of vegetables and is important in many aspects of cooking.

 

 

 

Chris Hogberg

Food and cooking has been a great travel buddy for Chris, finally taking root in Jackson. Originally from Seattle, Chris enjoys rainy walks to get coffee, cold dark beers, and cozying up in a warm restaurant kitchen. He has a background in marketing but has spent most of his days working in fine dining behind the line. Now you can find him selling hummus, perusing the farmers markets, or mountain biking behind his Aussie Shephard, Zephyr.

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