Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Green Tomatoes?


This bread is very yummy! I heard about it on a local talk radio gardening show and copied off the recipe to try. I was able to try it sooner rather than later as my Mom brought down several tomatoes from her garden, several among them being green.

Have you guessed what kind of bread this is yet???

Yep! Green Tomato Bread!
As found on www.joyinthegarden.com
I'll also post the recipe from their site down below. Enjoy this sweet, yummy but different bread from the garden!

GREEN TOMATO BREAD FROM ANDREA++****
3 eggs
1 C. oil
2 C. sugar
2 C. Green Tomato Puree (small amount of water if needed)
1 T Vanilla
3 C. Flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 C. chopped walnuts (optional)
1 C. raisins (optional)

Mix eggs, oil, and sugar. Add green tomato puree and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add to other ingredients. Add nuts and /or raisins if desired. Grease and Flour two 9x5 loaf pans. Divide batter evenly and pour into pans. Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes.

**** The Joy in the Garden far-from-official test kitchen tried this recipe recently and it makes a very pleasant sweet bread that has a mild citrus-like "tang" to it. Great way to use those green tomatoes!!! No, the loaf doesn't end up green...it's a lovely golden yellow. Two spoons way up!


++ The JIG test kitchen has also noted, along with several other "test kitchens" that a leavening agent is not in the original recipe (we aren't sure why, maybe we received the recipe incorrectly). After several experiments (using anywhere from 1 to 3 tsp of baking powder), adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder seems to be the correct amount to bring a lovely texture (lighter than pound cake, heavier than sponge cake) to this otherwise heavy bread. The batter is quite runny but does not, in our humble opinion, require any extra flour.

SOME MIX-IN IDEAS FROM JOY FOR GREEN TOMATO BREAD:
Mini choc. chips= a sweet dessert cake
Pecans= very nutty flavored
Raisins = chewy, great if you like raisins, I like Currents best
Lime zest = wow, my favorite! I used 1/2 tsp. for a small loaf.
-My son says he likes the 'crust' best so small loaves increase the crust area. He also says it is great as a coffee cake.....he doesn't dunk, just eats [the bread] with [the coffee]."


GREEN TOMATO BREAD TIPS FROM LISTENERS:
Freezing the puree ahead of time will save you from having the green tomatoes ripen on your counter top while you wait for the spare time to make this treat. If you freeze the puree in 2 cup quantities it will be pre-measured and ready to go for a batch of bread.

No comments: