Thursday, September 2, 2010

Savoring the harvest: Heirloom-tomato elixir

by June

Here I go with the heat again. But, forgive me, please. It's September, and it is ninety-seven degrees. In Maine. Where we moved to escape the heat and the humidity and...

It is unnerving.

Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good LifeFortunately, the sizzling, sunny weather has kept late blight at bay in the garden, and our ripening heirloom tomatoes provide just the thing for my nerves—a beautiful tomato elixir. It's a soup that Jamie Oliver calls tomato consomme. Jamie is one of my heroes. I've always loved his slap-dash, flavorful style in the kitchen. And he endeared himself to me forever when he took on the battle to give school kids a healthy start in life. Did you see where test scores went up in science and English while absences for sickness went down? Woohoo! If you don't own his Jamie at Home cookbook, oh, do get it. Now. It is a feast of a cookbook, part gardening how-to and part kitchen magic. The photos—with the exception of a dead bunny—are almost as sensuous as the food itself: Delicious!

But back to the soup... This lovely, light tomato broth required only our energy and a blender's. Blossom, Fern, and I adapted Jamie's recipe a little, mostly because we were too hot to fuss with a butcher's hook. 


Pink Brandywine tomato


Ruby Gold tomato


Persimmon tomato

Here's how you can do it too:

Strip down to your dainties. Really. This is why there are no photos of the process. We were practically all natural. If there's one thing I learned from my mother, the less you wear in the kitchen during harvest-time, the longer you'll be able to bear being in the kitchen during harvest-time.

Clear out a space in your fridge that will hold your largest pot. This is both a good way to feed the chickens and cool off at the same time.

Then get out your largest pot—we use our enamel canning pot—and fit a crockery bowl down inside it. Around the rim of the bowl, secure at least a double layer of cheesecloth with clothespins.


Roughly chop up four-and-a-half pounds of burstingly juicy heirloom (or any truly flavorful vine-ripened) tomatoes.

Throw them in batches into a blender with:

—a large bunch of fresh basil leaves
—one two-inch nob of horseradish (or three teaspoons of horseradish); don't scrimp unless you've got a thing against zing
—a nick of garlic
—two tablespoons red wine vinegar
—a slice of beet (or if you can't stand not to use the whole beet, the whole beet)
—sea salt
—six-ish whole black peppercorns

Pulse everything until it's a bright mush then pour it slowly and carefully into your cheesecloth sling. Tent some clear wrap over it all.

Slide the pot and its precious load into the fridge.

Go swimming for five or six hours. Or seven.

When you come back, lift out the cheesecloth sling (with a whole new batch of delight for the chickens).

Pour the tomato elixir into chilled cups. Sip.

You may feel as though you are swimming all over again.


We used an entire beet (smallish), and it definitely verged on cranberry-punch color

Note: We have found that the chilled mush, if left overnight in the fridge, will give off another clear and delicious helping large enough to serve the whole family again. Also, Jamie uses vodka in his. And I'm thinking that there's a cocktail just waiting to be made with this elixir. If you discover what it is, will you please let us know?

Next up in our festival of tomatoes: Sungold tomato jam!


25 comments:

Sense of Home Kitchen said...

We too have been enjoying the garden's harvest of tomatoes; your photos look delicious. I enjoy Jamie Oliver's cookbooks, though I do not yet own this particular one. Enjoy the (perhaps) last hot days of summer swimming, it has cooled down here considerably (low 70s and rainy today).

-Brenda

June said...

Thanks, Brenda! We're expecting a swipe from Hurricane Earl, so it is probably just about over here too. Enjoy those 70-degree temperatures and rain....wow.

Bangchik and Kakdah said...

Successful harvest of tomato. To come up to that colour and size is something of an achievement in my case... ~banggchik

Catherine said...

Oh I LOVE Jamie too! I have all his books except this one! Is it new?? I have to try that tomato consomme recipe!! Your persimmon tomatoes are gorgeous!

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

Ooooh, it would be fun to try this with our golden beets too. I can use half of the 11 lbs of tomatoes in my kitchen, and still have enough left for your next recipe...I'll be sure to save the sungolds! ;)

Wren said...

Hang in there.. might cool off soon with a hurricane heading your way?? Batten down the hatches...!!

meemsnyc said...

That looks yummy.

Dirty Girl Gardening said...

That looks so good! Nice tomato varieties, too.

Nan said...

I just left a long comment and whoosh it disappeared! Let's see if I can be as brilliant again. :<)
The recipe is not for me but I love your enthusiasm. Wouldn't it be nice if the people in power considered the food stats instead of NECAPs? But then again the food they would provide/suggest probably wouldn't be that great. I so believe this has an impact on many facets of life from illness to road rage. End of rant.
Do you read Sarah's blog?
http://maymomvt.blogspot.com/

She just wrote about this.

And Heather's?
http://beautythatmoves.typepad.com/

She is homeschooling for partially the food reason.

Anonymous said...

Brokersring.com - Learn how to turn $500 into $5,000 in a month!

[url=http://www.brokersring.com/]Make Money Online[/url] - The Secret Reveled with Binary Option

Binary Options is the way to [url=http://www.brokersring.com/]make money[/url] securely online

Unknown said...

20150630 junda
burberry outlet
tory burch outlet online
ray-ban sunglasse
pandora jewelry sale
coach outlet online
louis vuitton
hollister kids
true religion sale
oakley sunglasses sale
michael kors bags
oakley sunglasses
ray ban sunglasses
michael kors handbags
tory burch handbags
cheap ray ban sunglasses
toms outlet store
oakley outlet
cheap soccer jerseys
louboutin
toms shoes for women
ray bans
coach factory outlet
cheap oakley sunglasses
kate spade handbags
coach outlet
michael kors outlet
prada outlet
toms shoes sale
kate spade bags
true religion jeans outlet
nike blazer pas cher
michael kors
replica watches rolex
michael kors handbags
football jerseys
cheap jordans free shipping
cheap snapbacks hats
cheap oakley sunglasses
gucci belt
ralph lauren polo shirts

Unknown said...

shijun 7.16
louis vuitton
michael kors outlet online
gucci handbags
christian louboutin outlet
louis vuitton uk outlet
ralph lauren uk
ed hardy outlet store
toms promo code
michael kors outlet online
cheap chi straighteners
jordan 11s
kids lebron james shoes
lebron james shoes 2015
replica watches
louis vuitton purses
oakley outlet
cheap oakleys
michael kors handbags
timberland outlet
hollister clothing store
michael kors handbags
ray ban sunglass
cheap oakley sunglasses
red bottom shoes
cheap toms
christian louboutin shoes
michael kors outlet online sale
ralph lauren outlet
coach outlet
burberry handbags
christian louboutin
oakley sunglasses
fitflop outlet
gucci
kobe bryant shoes for kids
cheap ray ban sunglasses
mulberry uk
marc jacobs
oakley frogskins
oakley outlet

John said...

ralph lauren polos shirts
pandora jewelry
pandora charms
gucci shoes
ralph lauren
air jordans
coach outlet canada
air max
adidas superstar
air max 90
nike air max 90
sac longchamp pliage
cheap oakleys
longchamp pas cher
oakley sunglasses
hermes belt
lebron james shoes
supra shoes
toms wedges
abercrombie and fitch
nike trainers
air max 95
nike roshe runs
ugg slippers
kate spade
polo ralph lauren
nike air max
instyler curling iron
nike running shoes
christian louboutin shoes
oakley sunglasses wholesale
ralph lauren pas cher
uggs boots on sale
coach outlet
2015921yuanyuan

柯云 said...

2015-12-07keyun
timberlands
cheap oakley sunglasses
mulberry uk
coach outlet online
coach factory outlet
jordan 11s
louis vuitton purses
mont blanc mountain
ugg boots
chanel handbags
louis vuitton bags
true religion jeans outlet
michael kors outlet
prada
coach outlet
michael kors outlet online
uggs for sale
air force 1 trainers
uggs on sale
uggs for chea
ugg sale
nike trainers sale
cheap toms
the north face jackets
cheap air jordans
uggs on sale
michaek kors outlet
louis vuitton handbags
michael kors outlet
canada goose outlet
michael kors outlet
nike air huarache
ray-ban sunglasses
cheap ugg boots
instyler
ralph lauren sale
louis vuitton outlet stores
abercrombie and fitch
toms outlet
north face jackets

ankitasingh said...


Aol Technical Support Phone Number
Aol Technical Support Number
Aol Tech Support Number
Aol Tech Support phone Number
Aol Support Phone Number
Aol Tech Support Number
Outlook Technical Support Phone Number
Outlook Technical Supprt Number
Outlook Tech Support Number
Outlook Tech Support Phne Number
Outlook Support Phone Number
Outlook Tech Support Number

Digital Marketing Agency said...

Quicken Technical Support Number
Quicken Technical Support Number
Quicken Support Number
Quicken Tech Support Number
Quicken Tech Support Phone Number
Quicken Support Phone Number
Customer Service Phone Number
Customer Service Number
Quicken Technical Support Phone Number

Unknown said...

air force 1 shoes
michael kors outlet
pittsburgh steelers jersey
nike free 5
nike blazer
tiffany and co
jaguars jersey
ray ban sunglasses
ed hardy
michael kors

Unknown said...

Quicken Support Number
Quicken Support Phone Number
Quicken Tech Support Number
Quicken Support Number
Quicken Technical Support Number
Quicken Tech Support Phone Number
Quicken Customer Service Number
Quicken Customer Service Phone Number
Quicken Customer Support Number
Quicken Customer Support Phone Number
Quicken Help Desk Phone Number
Quicken Help Desk Number

raybanoutlet001 said...

ugg boots
ugg outlet
replica watches
jordan 4
armani outlet
sac longchamp
cheap nike shoes
omega watches
new balance outlet
fitflops sale clearance

Digital Marketing Agency said...

Quikcbooks Support Phone Number

Quikcbooks Support Number
Quikcbooks Support Phone Number
Quikcbooks Tech Support Number
Quikcbooks Technical Support Number
Quikcbooks Tech Support Phone Number
Quikcbooks Technical Support Phone Number
Quikcbooks Helpdesk Phone Number
Quikcbooks Customer Service Phone Number
Quikcbooks Customer Service Number
Quikcbooks Customer Support Number

Digital Marketing Agency said...

Quicken Support Phone Number

Quicken Support Number
Quicken Support Phone Number
Quicken Tech Support Number
Quicken Technical Support Number
Quicken Tech Support Phone Number
Quicken Technical Support Phone Number
Quicken Helpdesk Phone Number
Quicken Customer Service Phone Number
Quicken Customer Service Number
Quicken Customer Support Number

Digital Marketing Agency said...

Packers and Movers New York

Packers and Movers New York
Packers and Movers In New York
Movers and packers New York
Movers and packers In New York
New York City Movers and Packers

Games Boy said...

Life is very short so reading about different articles is one of my favorite hobby
Enjoy fireboy and watergirlgame online
||Play happy wheels Are you ready||Happy wheels happy wheels
|| happy wheels game||

Unknown said...

20180730 xiaoou
polo outlet factory store
swarovski jewelry
canada goose jackets
longchamp pliage
ferragamo shoes
air force 1 shoes
michael kors outlet
jordan shoes
uggs outlet
balenciaga shoes

sami said...

So good to enjoy your land.