Tomatoes take a relatively long time from seed to harvest, and some years it can seem we wait forever for that first one to ripen - only to soon after have tomatoes in absolute abundance.
This can take you by surprise, or maybe you have intentionally grown lots of cherry tomatoes, to have enough to save for winter.
Either way, the tomatoes won't consider whether or not you happen to have time on your hands when they choose to ripen, and how many of us have time for canning in the middle of a work week?
That's why I love these two really quick and easy ways to take care of mounds of cherry tomatoes while they are at their best - I can easily find time for either in everyday life. Because cherry tomatoes have such a thin skin, you don't need to take the time to scald them beforehand.
(And speaking of time saving - I love the ease of harvest when using the Ultimate Spinner!)
Both of these recipes are excellent for freezing or canning.
Crushed cherry tomatoes for storage
We have simplified this recipe and removed a lot of unnecessary steps as the result will be exactly the same, you do not need to scald cherry tomatoes.
1. Divide your cherry tomatoes into 4 and put in a saucepan, making sure you get all the juice from the cutting board.
2. Bring to a boil while stirring, then reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring from time to time, for 30 - 90 min until everything has thickened to your liking. *
3. Allow to cool to room temperature and pour into jars or containers. I freeze them first in plastic containers, than transfer the frozen blocks to freezer bags. Lasts about 1 week in the fridge and in the freezer for at least 3 months (we've used ours after much longer).
* Freezing in portion packs makes it easy to pull out as needed from the freezer, and 400g of crushed tomatoes is a common measurement in many recipes. I prefer to boil the tomatoes for a shorter time and let them still be a little watery when freezing, and freeze in 600g portions - then I just reduce the amount of water in the recipe by a couple of dl when using.
Lightly seasoned sauce of roasted cherry tomatoes
I make this sauce only lightly seasoned, to leave our options open to season according to mood when it is pulled out of the freezer for use. With the same thought, I dilute carefully, and it then gets a really nice and creamy texture. Any further diluting can be done later when it is to be used.
Ingredients
Directions
- Set the oven to 200 ºC
- Brush or roll the tomatoes in olive oil and spread them out on a form or baking sheet. Roast them for 25 - 30 min until they crack or the skin starts to wrinkle. Take them out, place an aluminum foil loosely on top and set aside.
- While the tomatoes are resting, pour 60 ml of olive oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and heat on a medium heat until you see that the oil is hot, then add the yellow onion and stir from time to time until it softens, about 4 - 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and continue to stir for a few minutes until the garlic is golden in color.
- Now add all the tomatoes incl. all liquid and herbs. Season with salt and pepper until you are satisfied.
- Lower the temperature and let simmer covered for at least 25 minutes, up to about 45 minutes if you want a thicker sauce. Stir occasionally.
- Set aside to rest for about 15 minutes, then pick out the thyme sprigs and process with an immersion blender to the desired consistency. Pour into jars of your choice with airtight lids. Keeps well for about 1 week in the fridge or freezer with best quality for at least 3 months (we've had it in the freezer for much longer without noticing any difference).
The tomato sauce will be quite creamy, so either before or after freezing, dilute with water or broth to the desired consistency.