Last of the tomatoes

With the first frost in the vegetable garden, I'm harvesting the last of the frost-tender plants for chutney.

The climbing beans are coming to an end and have lost their succulent youth. Hiding with the chillies in the garden, the green capsicums are big and perfect, romantically surrounded by the bright nasturtiums. The tomatoes are looking a bit dry and neglected, with their motley crop of red and green fruit hanging on the withered vine. These ingredients form the basis of my vegetable chutney.

It's satisfying knowing we haven't wasted the vegetables, which, being home-grown, have good flavour. With this recipe, they are all in the same pot.

Chutneys are delicious in a simple sandwich or with a biscuit and some cheddar cheese as a snack.

The recipe for green tomatoes preserved in oil is another delicious way of using the remnants of the tomato crop. Green roma tomatoes are perfect for this preserve. It's also delicious made with zucchinis.

I made another seasonal chutney - pumpkin and quince - this year, and entered it into the ''gourmet pumpkin dish'' category at the Collector pumpkin festival. No win, sadly.

Robbie Howard is co-owner of Lynwood Preserves.

Green vegetable chutney

Makes 11 jars, 300ml capacity

1.2 kg green tomatoes
1 kg red tomatoes
1 tbsp salt
1.2 kg green capsicums
500 g green beans, cut into 2cm lengths
¼ cup olive oil
4 onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
15 g turmeric
2 bay leaves
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 small hot chillies
1 cup currants
30 g ground coriander

Remove the core and cut an X in the skin at the base of the red and green tomatoes. Blanch them in small batches in a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Drain in a colander. When they are cool enough to handle, peel and half the tomatoes and discard the seeds. Chop the flesh into two-centimetre dice, toss with the salt, and let it drain in a colander while you prepare the capsicums and beans.

Cut the capsicums into two-centimetre pieces. Blanch briefly in small batches in boiling water and drain. Lastly, blanch the diced beans and drain.

In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the sliced onions, garlic, turmeric and bay leaves. Cook the mixture, covered, for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft.

Discard the tomato juice and add the blanched tomatoes, capsicum and beans to the onion mixture. Add the vinegar, sugar, chillies, currants and coriander.

Bring the chutney to the boil over medium heat and simmer it, stirring frequently, for an hour, or until it is thick and well reduced. It is thick enough if, when you draw a wooden spoon through it, the chutney parts to reveal the base of the pan for a few seconds. Check the seasoning and sugar to taste and adjust if necessary.

Spoon into sterilised jars. To sterilise jars, submerge them and their lids in water and boil for five minutes. Remove with tongs and dry in the oven on a low temperature. Once filled, screw on the lid tightly. Invert the jar for a couple of minutes to seal.

Green tomatoes preserved in oil

Makes a little more than 2 litres, about 8 jars

2 kg green tomatoes, sliced thinly, then cut into narrow strips
salt
1 cup (250 ml) vinegar
5 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 tbsp dried oregano
5-6 small fresh red chillies, deseeded, sliced finely
3 cups (750 ml) light olive oil, plus extra

Sprinkle the sliced tomatoes with a small handful of salt, and toss. Place an inverted plate over the tomatoes and place a weight on top, such as a heavy tin. Leave to stand in a cool place for 24 hours.

The next day, drain off all the liquid and squeeze out any excess with your hands (carefully blot the tomato with a clean tea towel to dry it further).

Transfer the tomatoes to a large clean bowl. Mix the vinegar with a cup of water and pour this over the tomatoes. Again, place an inverted plate and weight on top, and leave to stand in a dark cool place for 24 hours. The next day, drain off all the liquid and squeeze any excess from the tomato with your hands.

Place the tomatoes in a large, clean bowl and mix in the garlic, oregano, chilli and olive oil. Stir to combine well.

Leave to stand at room temperature for another three hours.

Place the tomato mixture tightly into sterilised jars (to sterilise, see recipe above), leaving a gap of two to three centimetres at the top of the jar.

Pour in oil to cover the tomatoes by about one centimetre. Seal the jars and store in the refrigerator for at least two weeks before using.

The tomatoes in oil will keep in the refrigerator for up to six months. Once opened, consume within a week or two.

> Recipe adapted from Mangia! Mangia! by Teresa Oates and Angela Villella. (Lantern, an imprint of Penguin, 2011.)