[richyrich7]

Like me most people are just about to start pinching out side shots from your tomatoes.
But did you know these little side shoots make really good cuttings ? Just let them grow a little bit and then cut them off pot them up in a gritty compost mix, pop in your propagator for a week or so to root.

[leeky]

nice tip Rich.


Do i have to do anything to mine? they are hanging jobs. do i just let them grow?

[richyrich7]

No idea Leeky never grown them like that.

[GrannieAnnie]

I did know about the side shoots Richy, but as I had 117 tomato plants growing last year, I really didn't need anymore!!!!      

Should try it though just to see what happens.

[richyrich7]

Hope you like chutney and pasta sauce grannie    

[GrannieAnnie]

I love pasta sauces Richy.  I havent done badly. I froze over 80lbs of tomatoes last year, but am down to about 15lbs now!!!!!

Made loads of tomato and chilli sauces and gave most of it away, Made quite a bit of passata, as well as the pasta sauces and soups

[richyrich7]

Yummy very nice will you be posting recipes ?

[GrannieAnnie]

I think some of the recipes I got off here richy.  I'll have a look, but the best one was the Black Mango chutney, using green tomatoes. it took 7 hours to cook, but everyone I gave some to said how good it was.

And I know its chillies and not tomatoes, but Biscombe's Sweet Thai chilli sauce was really scrummy.  I found the recipe on Cooking, Storing and Preserving.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

2 ounces fresh red chilies, roughly chopped (remove seeds if less heat is desired)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
4 ounces sultanas, chopped (white raisins)
1-2 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
1/2-1 teaspoon salt (to taste)

1 1/1. Place chilies in a food processor with half the vinegar and process until the chilies are finely chopped.
2. Do not be concerned if the chili seeds remain whole.
3. Combine the chili and vinegar mixture with the remaining vinegar, and all other ingredients, in a small stainless steel saucepan (take care adding the salt- you can always add more later if you wish).
4. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, bring to the boil briefly, then reduce temperature to allow the mixture to simmer gently until the chilies and sultanas are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. When cool, puree until almost smooth.
6. Pour into a suitably sized sterilised bottle and seal.

But what I also did just to help use them both up, chillies as well as tomatoes.  I just cooked both together until they were thick and creamy, bottled them like jam and just use a spoonful whenever I want a bit of chilli taste.  They have no other flavouring in except for the tomatoes and chillies

[GrannieAnnie]

Oh and here is the Black Mango Chutney recipe.  It was from Supersprout!

Black Mango Chutney (with Green Tomatoes)

3 kg green tomatoes
8 oz (250g) dried dates
8 oz (250g) raisins
Just under 1 pint white wine or cider vinegar (400-500ml)

16 bay leaves
4 tsp red pepper (chilli powder)
4 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground nutmeg or mace

1 tsp crushed peppercorns
1 tsp crushed brown cardamom seed
4 tsp whole black cumin seed (kala zeera)
2 tbs salt

4 tbs fresh lime or lemon juice
2 lb (1kg) sugar

Optional:
4 oz (125g) shelled pistachio nuts
8 oz (250g) toasted almonds

Cook the green tomatoes briefly: in a pressure cooker, bring to H and let pressure drop naturally. Or boil and let cool. Sieve the pulp or put it through a passata machine. Gently simmer to reduce the pulp to 2 litres (reduce volume by approx. 1/3) in a stainless steel pan. (I do this the day before, and the rest the following day)

Simmer dates and raisins in vinegar until soft. Add them to the reduced green tomato pulp in the pan. Simmer slowly for about an hour until all ingredients are soft, stirring now and then to prevent sticking. Take off the heat and blend for a smooth chutney (hand blender is easiest).

Add salt, sugar, bay leaves, and spices. Simmer for another hour or two until it becomes a thick puree.

Add the lime or lemon juice (and nuts, if you wish). Simmer gently for another hour or so until desired thickness is reached. Remove from heat and pour into sterilised jars.

Yields approx 8lb/4 kg or 4 litres of ‘mango’ chutney.

[richyrich7]

Thanks Grannie, I'll copy and paste them  

[GrannieAnnie]

I thought perhaps it would be nice to put the recipes in the recipe section, but I've PM'd Biscombe and Supersprout to see if its okay with them.  I don't want to go putting something on and people think they are my recipes.

Hope you try them out Richy, they are very nice.

[richyrich7]

They sound lovely only just got into chutneys  

[GrannieAnnie]

I thought perhaps it would be nice to put the recipes in the recipe section, but I've PM'd Biscombe and Supersprout to see if its okay with them.  I don't want to go putting something on and people think they are my recipes.

Hope you try them out Richy, they are very nice.

I am so stupid, and I do apologise to anyone who remembers, but I did put a post on here earlier in the year to say that supersprout had died.  How could I forget??

So I will put the Black Mango Chutney recipe on the recipe page in her memory, I'm sure she wouldn't have minded.

And thanks Veggingout for reminding me