2 DELICIOUS WAYS TO LACTO-FERMENT TOMATOES

Confession: I am a Tomato-Addict

It’s no secret that I’m crazy about tomatoes- not the fake, “hothouse” variety, but local, luscious, in-season beauties that can hold their own with just a pinch of salt.  In Eastern Canada, we are nearly at the end of tomato season.  I have done my best to enjoy the local bounty that I wait all year for before the tomato harvest runs out.  Fortunately, this year we had a bumper crop of hearty varieties and an innumerable amount of cherry tomatoes.  My own plants did exceptionally well, to the point where we can’t keep up eating these sweet gems.

 Not to worry, there are many ways to use them up, starting with ferments (of course!).  My 2 super easy and favourite tomato lacto-ferments are Cherry Bombs a la Shockey and Green Tomato “Olives”.

“CHERRY BOMBS A LA SHOCKEY” 

I first discovered the Cherry Bomb recipe in one of my favourite fermentation books, Fermented Vegetables, by Kirsten K Shockey & Christopher Shockey.  (If you don’t already own this book, you need it in your collection- you won’t be disappointed!).  It is an easy and quick ferment (approximately 1 week), and produces mini bombs that erupt deliciously in your mouth! I adjusted the choice of spices to my liking, feel free to substitute as well.  The only consideration is to use firm, slightly underripe tomatoes as ripe tomatoes contain a high sugar content that might take your ferment from a pickle to a cocktail!

How To Make “Cherry Bombs – A La Shockey“

(adapted from Fermented Vegetables, Kirsten K.Shockey & Christopher Shockey)      Fermentation Time: (6-8 days)

INGREDIENTS

• Cherry Tomatoes- (firm, underripe), washed and stems removed
• Peeled Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Basil
• Mustard Seeds
• Pinch Chili Flakes
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 2% Brine (1 litre of water + 20 grams* non-iodized salt)
• Fermentation Container
• Fermentation Weight

* it is best to weigh the salt, but as a guideline, 1 tsp is approximately 5 grams of regular grain sea salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Place half of herbs and garlic on bottom of jar

Add cherry tomatoes, and rest of herbs and garlic.

Top with remaining cherry tomatoes, leaving a 1″ space to the top of the jar.

Add brine, leaving a ?” space to the top of the jar.  

Add fermentation weight and close jar.

Leave to ferment, out of direct sunlight at room temperature (18-25?C/64-78?F) for one week.

Transfer to the refrigerator for storage.

LACTO-FERMENTED GREEN TOMATO “OLIVES”

My other favourite tomato ferment is a fantastic way to use up green tomatoes at the end of the season.  I stumbled upon it last year when I had to prematurely harvest my tomatoes after a squirrel invasion.  I was left with a massive batch of green tomatoes, which, by the way, are bitter and best served battered and fried.  I decided to fry some for dinner (DELICIOUS!) and ferment the rest with what I had on hand (garlic, salt and bay leaf).

 Best decision, ever! I left them to ferment for a month, since they were very underripe.  These underestimated green tomatoes transformed into delicious “olives”.  They had lost any semblance of their original tomato taste and taken on an entire new umami, olive-like flavour.

 Lacto-fermented green tomatoes are amazing in salsas and salads.  I still have a small jar left over from last summer, and they are still as firm and even more delicious as when I first fermented them.

HOW TO MAKE LACTO-FERMENTED GREEN TOMATO “OLIVES”

Fermentation Time: 1 month

INGREDIENTS

• Green Tomatoes (cherry or small/medium size) washed and stems removed
• 2-3 Bay Leaves
• 2-3 cloves peeled garlic
• pinch of chilli flakes and/or other herbs and spices 
• Brine (4 cups water + 4 tsp non-iodized salt)
• Fermentation Container
• Fermentation Weight

DIRECTIONS

1. Alternate tomatoes with garlic and bay leaves in container

Fill with brine, leaving 1″ from the top of the container.

Add fermentation weight, close container.

Leave to ferment at room temperature(18-25?C/64-78?F) for one month.

Transfer to the refrigerator for storage.