Earlier this week, quickly in the waning sunlight and cold wind, I made the final call on my little community garden plot. There was a frost advisory and I wasn’t sure what remained would survive so I dug up and loaded my herb plants into a shopping bag, cut down all my chard and kale and stripped my glorious and hyper productive tomato plants of the last little orbs. It was downright cold and I wasn’t too sure what I was going to do with all this late season abundance, but I hurried home with my heavy bags knowing I’d figure it out.
This morning, I went back and cleaned up the last of my little plot, pulling up the tomato stalks that had given it their all, the frostbitten pepper plants and a few crispy strands that were once cucumbers. The cages and trellises and supports were gathered and I looked back as I locked the gate for the last time. For the last two years, I’ve gardened at Montrose Green and I liked it. But as happens, the landowner was selling the property and next year I’ll be somewhere else; my third location in 5 years. I hope it’s somewhere just as close as this one as I become a lazy gardener when I have to drive a distance. We’ll see.
In the meantime, I had a healthy amount of tiny green tomatoes I couldn’t bring myself to throw away. I am still astounded at how much two tomato plants produced in a few short months. Crazy. I couldn’t just compost the last ones. So I decided to pickle them. Same principle as a full size green tomato, right? But way cuter. Besides, what else was I going to do with them?
This is one of those “what the hell/end of the season” type of recipes where you’re a little burnt out from a summer of canning, you don’t have enough of something to really make a big batch or a batch at all. Rules sort of go out the window when the name of the game is just dealing with things. I know we’ve all been there and probably, like me, you’re staring at the remants of your garden thinking “What now?” This recipe makes as much as you need – only have a handful of green tomatoes? Make ½ pint. Have a few odd peppers or cucumbers? Works for those too. I happened to have two really good handfuls of tomatoes, so I made a pint. Took 10 minutes with pantry ingredients – vinegar, salt, garlic, hot pepper and some dill heads from my garden. Stuff them in a jar with the tomatoes and pour the hot brine over. Easy as that.
STRESS BAKING THERAPY FACTOR: WONDERFULLY FRUGAL. With the tomatoes, I had everything I needed on hand. Sure, I may have pinched a habanero from the plot next to me this morning. They way I see it, the garden closes next weekend for good and these folks obviously haven’t tended their plot in weeks. They weren’t going to miss one pepper. Or four peppers. Don’t tell anyone.
On this blog four years ago: Squash & Onion Goat Cheese Tart, Harvest Party at the Orchard
On this blog three years ago: Beets with Whipped Goat Cheese, Sauteed Beet Greens
On this blog two years ago: Concord Grape Pie (the best pie ever) and Grape Pie Shakes
On this blog one year ago: Raw Kale and Roasted Squash Salad
PICKLED GREEN CHERRY TOMATOES
Makes one pint
per pint:
2 garlic cloves, sliced lengthwise
2 fresh dill heads, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or ¼ teaspoon dill seeds
½ slivered habanero or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups green cherry tomatoes
½ cup water
½ cup white wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1. In the bottom of a sterilized pint jar, place half the dill heads/leaves/seeds, the garlic and chile slivers or flakes.
2. Wash and de-stem the tomatoes and pack half into the jar.
3. Top with the remaining dill then remaining tomatoes until the jar is full.
4. In a small pot, bring the water, vinegar and salt to a boil and stir until the salt dissolves.
5. Pour the hot liquid over the tomatoes, just to cover, screw on the lid and let come to room temperature.
6. Refrigerate; should keep for quite some time in the fridge.
STRESSCAKE 
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