Tomato Butter Food

TOMATO BUTTER

Steps:

• Peel, quarter and seed tomatoes.
• You should have about 8 cups.
• Quarter and seed apples.
• Toss tomatoes and apples into a large kettle and heat until the juice boils.
• Reduce to simmer and continue to cook for 40 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Reduce heat to low and cook for two hours more, or until mixture is thick and most of the moisture has evaporated.
• Add cinnamon and puree in a processor or blender.
• To can, pour hot tomato butter (at least 160*F.) into clean half-pint jars.
• Process in boiling water for 35 minutes.
• Butter can also be frozen.
• To serve, defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
• Yield: 3 to 6 cups, depending on tomato variety.

TOMATO BUTTER

Steps:

• Put a small ceramic plate in the freezer. You will use this this to test the jam later.
• Safely prepare you jars for canning.
• Chop the tomatoes and place them in a large Dutch oven (optionally see crock pot procedure at the bottom) with the sugar and vinegar. Stir everything together, then turn the heat to medium and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and are soft, about 15 minutes. Blend the tomatoes with an immersion blender until you have a smooth puree. Lower the heat and continue simmering the jam, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced and the mixture is thick and spreadable. This could take anywhere from 40 minutes to over an hour, depending on how juicy your tomatoes are. As the mixture thinks, stir more often and watch carefully to avoid scorching.
• When the jam has cooked down and is thickened, spoon a little jam onto the frozen plate. Leave it to set for a minute, tilt the plate. If the jam stays put, or only runs a little bit, it's ready. Also, run a finger through the jam on the plate if the two sides stay separate and don't run back together it is another sign it is ready.
• When the jam has met the set test, remove it from the heat. Fill your canning jars with jam, leaving a 1/2-inch head space. Wipe the rimes of the jars with a damp paper towel to clean up any sticky spills. Dry the lids with a clean paper towel and place on the jars. Screw on the bands tightly. Use good canning procedure.
• You can also make this in the slow cooker. To do this, place all the ingredients in the cooker and cook uncovered for 12-14 hours until set. Puree the tomatoes when they are soft.

BUTTERY TOMATO SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Heat a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
• Melt the butter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add the basil, garlic, if using, onions and tomatoes and season with salt. Bring to a simmer and let reduce 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 12 to 13 minutes in, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook to al dente.
• Remove the onion halves from the sauce and add a ladle of starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Toss to combine. Serve the pasta topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

TOMATO-BUTTER PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, using the large holes of a box grater, grate the cut ends of the tomato into a large bowl. Discard or compost skins. Grate the butter into the bowl as well. Using the small holes of the box grater, grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the red-pepper flakes, and season generously with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Return the drained pasta to the pot, along with the bowl of grated tomato and butter. Set over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and glosses the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes (the sauce will thicken as it sits). Add pasta water as needed to emulsify the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with more red-pepper flakes, black pepper, basil and Parmesan as desired.

TOMATO BUTTER

Steps:

• Broil cherry tomatoes until the skins blister and juices are released; let cool. Blitz with salt in a food processor until coarsely puréed, then stir into softened butter. Dollop onto grilled fish, cooked rice, or crostini.

SPICED TOMATO JAM/BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the tomatoes in a saucepan with a lid and simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir the lemon zest, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice, and pectin into the tomatoes. Place the saucepan over high heat. Stirring constantly, bring the tomato mixture to a boil; immediately upon boiling, stir the sugar into the tomato mixture and return to a full rolling boil. Allow to cook at a full boil for 1 minute while stirring. Remove from heat and skim any foam off the surface of the mixture.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the tomato jam into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 5 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place several inches apart onto a cloth-covered or wood surface; allow to sit until cool or overnight. Check the seal by pressing the top of each lid with a finger (the lid should not move up or down at all).