Tomato Butter

Tomato butter is one of those preserves you never see on grocery story shelves. The tomatoes become candied and wonderfully sweet, the lemon remains somewhat crunchy and tart and the ginger adds that little special something.  Spread it on buttered bread or biscuits or serve it as a condiment with pork or beef. You could pour it on a block of cream cheese as an appetizer.  It's more like a tomato marmalade than anything else and its a great way to use all that August bounty of tomatoes. This recipe is from my paternal grandmother.

Irene's Tomato Butter

6 cups peeled, cored, seeded and quartered red ripe tomatoes

6 cups white granulated sugar

1 lemon, washed and very thinly sliced and seeded.

2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and very finely minced.

Combine all the ingredients in a large wide bowl or deep pan and let sit, covered with a kitchen towel for at least 12 hours.

Drain mixture into a deep kettle and boil until the syrup  drops in heavy globs from a spoon (could be up to 30 minutes). Add the solids to the liquid and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture thickens.

Pack in to clean pint canning jars with lids and process in hot water bath for 10 minutes. Makes two pints. Enjoy!!

Or you can do as I do; pack the tomato butter into Weck tulip pint jars and store in the refrigerator because I am going to eat this good stuff right away and want it handy.

By the way, Weck brand canning jars are my favorite for gift giving but they are very expensive to order on line. It's the shipping. But I really like them because they are a canning jar with a great look and they come with a plastic lid, so after you open the jar you can cover it easily.