Page 67 - Fall2011

tomatoes (see recipe in Nourishing Traditions). those with discoloration or insect damage. Wash Dehydrating
(Note: I have successfully used unpeeled Roma thoroughly in cold water, but don’t dry. Now it’s
tomatoes with this recipe to eliminate the extra time to blanch. tomatoes is an
peeling step). To steam blanch vegetables have a bowl of age-old
Long ago, ketchup was a fermented condi- washed, chopped, wet greens, a large pot with process, as
ment (not even originally containing tomato boiling water with a steamer basket that fits in-
at all!) and slowly evolved into what we know side (preferably with a handle) and a large bowl of their high
today. Sally Fallon Morell gives us a short and half water/half ice nearby. Approximately an inch acidity makes
sweet history in Nourishing Traditions, “Ketchup over the steaming water, suspend your basket them perfect
provides us with an excellent example of a condi- filled with greens, steam for up to three minutes
ment that was formerly fermented and therefore for the hardier greens (collards) and one to two for this
health promoting, but whose benefits were lost minutes for softer (spinach). Water blanching is method.
with large scale canning methods and a reliance also an option: take a pair of long-handled tongs,
on sugar rather than lactic acid as a preservative. clamp a bunch of un-chopped greens, submerge
The word ‘ketchup’ derives from the Chinese and hold them under boiling salted water for the
Amoy dialect ke-tsiap or pickled fish-brine or same amount of time as mentioned above for
sauce, the universal condiment of the ancient steaming. Pull them out and immediately dunk
world. The English added foods like mushrooms, into the ice water (stopping the cooking process
walnuts, cucumbers and oysters to this fermented so they are not fully cooked). Once cool, dry with
brew; Americans added tomatoes from Mexico paper towels, chop if necessary and freeze. Use
to make tomato ketchup.” these nutritional emerald green gems in dips,
If you haven’t yet, be sure to make the time casseroles, soups, smoothies and sauces.
to try the fermented ketchup recipe in Nourishing Greens ferment brilliantly, in fact, this
Traditions. Not only is the taste far superior to preserving method is ideal for the hardier, more
store-bought products, the fermentation gives it difficult-to-digest choices such as kale and col-
a significant nutritional advantage. Two ketchup lards. Fermentation begins the breakdown of
tips: if kids will be partaking, consider going fibrous leaves, while advancing their enzyme ac-
easy on the garlic and cayenne; and use frozen tivity and making them easier to digest. Consider
tomatoes to make the base tomato paste (see commingled greens with lively combinations,
recipe on page 66). such as cabbage, carrots, kale and Granny Smith
apples—be creative!
PRESERVING GREENS Herbs are most often dried, which renders
Spinach, mustard greens, collard greens, them convenient, but lacking in much of the fla-
kale, and Swiss chard all freeze well. Pick them vor of fresh. Depending on your cooking plans,
young and tender and discard over-mature, fi- a wonderfully convenient flavor-retaining way
brous stems (keep normal stems), wilted leaves or to store herbs is in frozen cubes. Carol Hupping,

BPA IN CANS: WHAT TO DO

The use of commercially canned tomatoes, while convenient, is problematical as the plastic lining used by many brands
contains the resin bisphenol-A (or BPA), a nasty chemical with synthetic estrogen-like properties linked to reproductive
troubles, heart issues and obesity, among other problems. The acidity of tomatoes encourages more BPA-leaching from
the plastic lining than do other foods, and it is this same acidity that makes BPA-free lining alternatives for this particular
food a challenge.
Nevertheless, BPA-free canned foods are becoming available. For example, Muir Glen’s newer products, with expira-
tion date March 2013 and later, have a new vinyl-based lining with an orange tint (compared to the BPA-containing clear
enamel). However, it remains to be seen whether these liners produce their own health problems.
4
Glass-bottled commercial tomatoes are also a choice and probably the safest—tomato paste and purée can be found
in glass, and Eden Organic has developed a line of bottled tomatoes in amber glass, which prevents the damaging effects
of light and Bionaturae provides tomato paste in glass jars. But now that you know about the ease of freezing your own
supply of tomatoes, it may be your new best (and cost effective) option!
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