See You In December - The Washington Post -

You went to the produce market and couldn't resist a crate of tomatoes at such a great price, but they are getting soft. Your neighbor grows tomatoes and gave you a huge bag of them, but they are almost overripe. You put in one tomato plant just for fun, but the lovely red balls are all ready to be picked right now.

This abundance can mean a real bargain if you are able to use all the tomatoes at the peak of their freshness or, at least, before they spoil. Since the most expensive food is that which you throw out, you want to make immediate use of your good fortune.

Chin up, mouth open. You can capture summer by preserving the rich ripe summer tomatoes at their prime. And you don't have to know anything about canning or preserving. Instead, you can freeze your summer tomatoes in a way that will preserve their goodness, while stocking your freezer with almost-like-fresh taste.

Pepperonata, a bell pepper, onion and garlic saute, also freezes well and combines with the freezer tomatoes to give you an instant base for spaghetti sauce, chili, soup or stew.

Packaged in zip-style freezer bags, these tomatoes and pepperonata take up minimal space. Having them on hand for quick dinners will bring a touch of summer to the produce-deprived months of winter. And these simple recipes require only a short investment of kitchen time to preserve summer flavors that you can pull out of the freezer to use as the base for homemade, week-night dinners.

Freezing Facts

Tomatoes should be cooked to freeze successfully, as the ice crystals formed during freezing will cause fresh tomatoes to collapse, leaving an undesirable texture. The freezer tomato recipe that follows produces the type of tomatoes you would purchase in a can, but these are much better, closer to fresh in taste and lower in sodium. Serve them warm as a vegetable, chilled as a salad or as an ingredient in any recipe calling for tomatoes.

Bell Peppers, for the best texture when thawed, should be frozen chopped, rather than whole,. They are fine in any cooked dish but will not be as crisp as fresh, raw peppers. Wash and core peppers, and remove seeds and pith. Chop peppers, place on baking sheet and freeze for 1 1/2 hours. Pack loosely into freezer containers or zip-style freezer bags, pressing out air. The pepperonata recipe that follows has endless uses in cooked dishes, and can be used as a garnish for sandwiches, or as part of a salad or antipasta plate.

Freezer Tomatoes

(Makes 4 quarts)

Use these tomatoes whenever you would use canned tomatoes as they taste fresher and have less sodium. Use as the base for a spaghetti or tomato sauce, or simply serve as a vegetable in those months when you crave an almost-fresh tomato taste. If the defrosted sauce needs thickening, simmer it for a few extra minutes until it reaches the desired consistency.

10 pounds ripe tomatoes

1 cup finely chopped onion

4 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Share this articleShare

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 45 seconds. Using tongs, carefully remove the tomatoes from the pot and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard the skins, which should easily peel away. Using a small knife, quarter the tomatoes and transfer them to a large saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat, add the onion, sugar, salt and white pepper and bring the mixture to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat; set aside to cool, stirring the sauce occasionally.

Divide the cooled sauce among freezer containers or resealable freezer bags, being sure to press out any air. May freeze for up to 6 months.

Per 1/2-cup serving: 34 calories, 1 gm protein, 8 gm carbohydrates, trace fat, 0 mg cholesterol, trace saturated fat, 158 mg sodium, 2 gm dietary fiber

Pepperonata

(Makes 1 quart or 4 cups)

Having pepperonata in the freezer makes an easy beginning to a quick meal. Already sauteed, the peppers, onions and garlic are a one-step addition to your favorite dishes. This recipe, either fresh or frozen and defrosted, may be served alone as a hot vegetable, tossed with pasta or added to a tomato sauce for pasta, or heated in a skillet with chunks of cooked Italian sausage.

Do not add herbs or other flavorings before freezing; otherwise you will limit the use of the pepperonata to a specific cuisine or dish. After defrosting, add basil or oregano for Italian dishes, tarragon or thyme if making a French soup or stew, and chili powder, cumin, or cilantro for Mexican dishes.

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cups coarsely chopped (about 1-inch pieces) onions

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds coarsely chopped (about 1-inch pieces) bell peppers (any color or a combination)

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a very large skillet or pan over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Do not allow the garlic to brown. Add the bell peppers, toss to combine and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Add the vinegar, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until mostly cooked but still crisp, up to 5 minutes. It is important that the peppers do not lose their color or overcook. Remove the pan from the heat; set aside to cool completely.

Divide the cooled sauce among freezer containers or resealable freezer bags, being sure to press out any air. May freeze for up to 6 months.

Per 1/2-cup serving: 141 calories, 2 gm protein, 8 gm carbohydrates, 12 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 gm saturated fat, 236 mg sodium, 3 gm dietary fiber

Terri Pischoff Wuerthner lives in Northern California, where she develops recipes and writes about food and travel.

You can serve frozen cooked tomatoes warm as a vegetable, chilled as a salad or as an ingredient in any recipe calling for tomatoes.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZK6zr8eirZ5nnJ6zpr%2FTsqOeZ5akvKV7kWlnamdgbXxzhY6snJ5lqaTCbrXNZpuem5Wir6a%2Bjp%2BYm2hjZoWjeZdwcJ1lZGmApXnAnHBtZWmahnGFwm%2BZm29klnw%3D