Pickled Tomatoes

A Fantastic way to use up your abundant tomato crop! Use whole Cherry Tomatoes or Slice larger varieties to about 1 inch thick. Make sure tomatoes are stemmed and cleaned of any debris.

• Ready In: 1080 hrs 30 mins
• Yields: 2 pounds

Ingredients

• 2  lbs tomatoes, any colour (mixed is nice)
• 10 -12  fresh mint leaves or 10 -12  fresh basil leaves

• Sweet Vinegar Recipe

• 2  pints cider vinegar or 2  pints  distilled malt vinegar
• 1⁄4 pint  apple juice
• 1  tablespoon peppercorn
• 1  teaspoon clove
• 1  tablespoon  coriander seed
• 3  chilies (optional)

Directions

1. Lightly prick each tomato in several places with a cocktail stick (skip this step if you are using sliced tomatoes).Arrange in a sterilised jar with the mint or basil.
2. Pour in the Sweet Vinegar, making sure it covers the tomatoes by at least 1in (2.5cm). (Vinegar should be boiling hot.)
3. Poke the tomatoes with a wooden skewer to ensure there are no air pockets.
4. Weight down the tomatoes then seal using safe canning method.The tomatoes will be ready to eat in 4 - 6 weeks,but improve with longer keeping.
5. To make Sugar Free Vinegar:
6. Put the vinegar and fruit juice in the pan, bring to the boil and skim well.
7. Make a spice bag with remaining ingredients,add to the boiling vinegar mixture and boil for 10 minutes.
8. Remove the spice bag,pour over tomatoes.
9. NOTE: You can make this vinegar mix in larger quantities and it will keep for 2 years and can be used for loads of other things if sealed in hot sterilised jars.
10. Cook time is actually time to preserve.