28 Oct 2010

Fancy Schmancy Green Tomato Olives

by Robyn Jasko

Here is a great way to use up all of those green cherry tomatoes you never know what to do with. Perfect for martinis, these pickled cherry tomato olives also make great gifts for all of those holiday parties. 

Ingredients:

• a bunch of green cherry tomatoes

Pickling solution:

• 3.5 cups of white vinegar
• 3.5 cups of water
• 1/4 cup of kosher salt

spices for jars (adjust for taste):

• peppercorns
• mustard seed
• garlic cloves
• rosemary
• any other spice you'd like

Add all of the ingredients for the pickling solution to a large pot, and bring to a boil. In the meantime, prep all of your cherry tomatoes, and pack them in sterilized jars. Add a tablespoon or so of spice mixture to each jar, along with a garlic clove. 

Once the mixture is boiling, pour the solution into the jars so it fills 1/4 inch from the top. Put the lid on and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes, and let sit about a month so the flavors meld. While you wait, make fancy labels for your jars to impress your friends. 

Experiment by adding your favorite spices. Have fun with it!