Quick Pickled Green Tomatoes by Eva Thorne

RECIPE

Ingredients

3-4 large green tomatoes, cut into wedges
240 ml distilled white vinegar (5% white vinegar works well)
240 ml water
30 g kosher salt
15 g sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dill seeds (or 2-3 sprigs of fresh dill)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a bit of heat) or use half a red chilli

Instructions

1. Prepare the Brine
In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.

2. Prepare the Jars
It’s important to sterilise the jars when pickling to avoid early spoilage. It’s easy. Pre-heat the oven to 325ºF/160ºC. Then wash the jars (and lids) in hot soapy water. Finally, rinse well. Place the jars (not including any rubber or plastic parts) in the pre-heated oven for around 10 minutes or until the jars are completely dry. Or some dishwashers include a sterilise function that does the work for you!

3. Pack the Jars
Place the garlic, peppercorns, dill seeds (or fresh dill), bay leaf and red pepper flakes/fresh red chili (if using) into a clean quart-sized mason jar. Add the tomato wedges, packing them tightly but without crushing them.

4. Add the Brine
Pour the warm brine over the tomatoes, ensuring they are fully submerged. Leave about 1.2 cm of headspace at the top of the jar.

5. Seal and Store
Seal the jar with a lid and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate the jar. The pickles will be ready to eat in about 24 hours but will develop more flavour if left for a few days.

These tangy, crunchy pickles make a great addition to sandwiches, salads, or as a snack on their own.

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Eva Thorne

My family’s heritage on my mother’s side of the family goes back to the 1700s. My mom, Tina, grew up on a farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, in the southwest corner of the gorgeous Southern state of Virginia.

She came to New York for graduate school, met and married my dad and settled in Brooklyn. Mom valued southern traditions such as canning and preserving, which our family did three seasons out of four. In addition to our small backyard garden, we regularly went to local farms to pick produce that we transformed into all sort of gorgeous pickles, relishes, conserves, marmalade, jams, ketchups, and jellies. Our larder was always full, with labels made in calligraphy by my artist father.

These experiences inspired me to start The Garden of Eva, which is about bringing the condiments of the American South to the UK through flavour innovation and lowering food waste. We feature products that I made with my family!

Preserving can seem daunting, but there is another way – the quickle! Quick pickling is easy and rewarding. All you do is take your produce and pickle it in a spice-infused warm brine. Give your concoction a few days for the birne to seep into the produce and you have a flavourful, tangy bite to add to your salads and sandwiches!

Green tomatoes are synonymous with the American South and never go to waste! Whether they are added to a relish, battered and fried or even pickled, green tomatoes are enjoyed as a quirky, delicious addition to various foods.

Eva’s award-winning pickles can be found on her website: gardenofeva.co.uk