Marinated Tomatoes, my version of Russian quick pickled tomatoes (маринованный помидоры). It's an easy and delicious way to prepare tomatoes. A cross between fresh tomatoes and Pickled Russian Tomatoes or Kavkaz Style Tomatoes. This recipe needs to remain refrigerated, and gets tastier the longer it marinates.
I'm always looking for recipes to use up my bounty of homegrown tomatoes. Tomatoes have to be heirloom, as the supermarket tomatoes are tasteless and not grown for their taste!
This recipe is a version of my mum's friend, Maria's pickled tomato recipe. I've known Тетя Мария my whole life, and she is an amazing cook. My earliest memories of her is cooking at the stove in church, helping the church ladies prepare a Thanksgiving feast. I'm sure this recipe is nowhere near as amazing as her recipe is! This easy marinated tomatoes are a flavor explosion, and I don't miss a tomato season without making it!
Pickling Vegetables
Pickling vegetables is a staple in Russian and Slavic foods. Cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and garlic are all staples of the Russian diet. A salty brine is used to preserve vegetables, such as whole tomatoes for the winter. Not really pickled, this marinated tomatoes recipe is a fresh and tasty marinated version, bursting with flavor in every bite. Check out my other pickled vegetable recipes.
- Quick Pickled Cabbage
- Pink Pickled Garlic
- Quick Pickled Chili Peppers
- Pickled Tomatoes
- Kavkaz Canned Tomatoes
How to make Marinated Tomatoes
I am using a large 3 litre glass jar, but you can use several smaller jars, as long as the whole tomatoes fit in the jar. I add extra vegetables to fill the space between the gaps, like sliced carrots and bell peppers. Add your favorite fresh herbs, I use cilantro, dill and basil, and prepare the hot brine mixture. Pour the boiling brine over the tomatoes in the jar and allow to marinate. After it cools continue to marinate in the fridge for at least one week before eating.
The flavors after 1 month in the fridge are absolutely amazing! (if they last that long in your fridge!). Biting into the tomatoes, they keep their 'just picked' juicy freshness, full of flavor, just asking to be mop up the sauce with crusty bread. Keep the Marinated Tomatoes refrigerated, they cannot be kept on the shelf or pantry.
Heinz Ketchup is a surprising addition to my Marinated Tomatoes brine, as it has spices, sugar and vinegar in the ingredients already. It adds an easy tangy pickled taste to the tomato sauce (without the pickling). I love the flavor of cilantro, dill and basil infused with the Heinz Ketchup mixture. The longer the tomato marinates in the mixture, the stronger the flavors are. The cilantro is the hero herb flavor in this recipe, don't be afraid to for flavor.
How to Use Marinated Tomatoes
I love to eat these marinated tomatoes with a Rice Pilaf or Plov. They are also great as a side dish on your plate next to potatoes, especially with heartier and heavier meals. The whole marinated tomatoes burst with flavor, it replaces a salad for me. You could use lots of small cherry tomatoes, making the tomatoes bit sized as well. A tasty summery side dish.
I now grow my tomatoes specifically for this recipe, nothing beats homegrown tomatoes. You can play around with the ingredients, adding extra vegetables like blanched cauliflower florets or whatever vegetable is in season growing in the garden. It's like a marinated tomato giardiniera.
I can't get enough of this summer recipe, I'm sure you're going to love it too! Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
- fresh whole tomatoes
- 8-10 whole peeled garlic cloves
- fresh dill including the dill flower
- bunch of fresh cilantro
- bunch of fresh basil
- 2 carrots
- 1 large red bell pepper capsicum
- 2 black currant leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 whole peppercorns
- 1 litre of Heinz Ketchup
- 1 litre of water
- 2 tablespoons of salt
- 2-3 chilli peppers to taste optional for spiciness
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes, remove the stems and carefully remove the core. Removing core is optional, I love the juicy burst of a whole fresh tomato when biting into it.
- Peel carrots, chop into thirds, then quarter each piece.
- De-seed bell pepper and slice into medium strips.
- Prepare 3 Litre glass bottle by sterilizing it in a large boiling pot and let cool.
- Place a base of cilantro, basil and dill in the bottom of the glass bottle, about ½ of your herbs.
- Place a single row of tomatoes on top of the herbs and add about ⅓ of your garlic cloves, chilli peppers, bell pepper and carrots.
- Place another layer of cilantro and dill, with a black currant leaf.
- Add another layer of whole tomatoes and vegetables and repeat process until the jar is full and packed tightly with tomatoes and vegetables.
- In a large pot, combine 1 litre of Heinz Ketchup and 1 litre of water.
- Add bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
- Carefully pour the hot tomato liquid into the glass jar of tomatoes, fill just 1 inch from the top, as the liquid will settle. (put the bay leaves into the glass jar)
- Close the lid, and leave hot tomato filled glass jar on the kitchen counter overnight to cool.
- The following day, put the salted tomatoes in the fridge, where they should keep for up to six weeks.
Notes
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