Recipe: The last of the big reds

NO RECIPE category we have included in these pages has been more popular than suggestions for the summer glut of tomatoes. This week I have chosen one of the many jam recipes; it comes from Helen Mary Petter of Kingsbridge, Devon, but is by her mother. It dates from about 1900. The wording, save the modern metric, is the original.

Green Tomato Jam

Ingredients: 6lb/2.75kg green tomatoes

3lb/1.35kg sugar

juice and rind of 2 lemons

Preparation: Peel and cut up tomatoes. Boil for an hour with lemon (or a little ginger if liked). Add 3lb sugar and boil for another hour (or two).

Here is another mother's-own recipe, from Mrs Josephine Shakarian of Sheffield, for green tomato chutney. Both she and Mrs Petter will receive copies of Anna del Conte's Entertaining all'Italiana.

Green Tomato Chutney

Ingredients: 4lb/1.8kg green tomatoes

2oz/60g crushed mustard seed

3-4 large chillies

3oz/85g root ginger

1lb/450g dried apricots

4oz/110g salt

2oz/60g garlic

2lb/900g demerara sugar

2lb/900g cored and peeled apples

4 pints vinegar (cider is good)

Preparation: Peel and slice tomatoes. Chop apples. Mince chillies (de-seed to mute heat if you wish). Mince garlic. Peel and chop ginger. Chop apricots. Boil together with remaining ingredients until it has good colour and consistency. Decant to warm sterilised jars and cover.

Next week, the last of tomatoes. New recipes, stating the source, are welcome for the following category: mushrooms. The prize will be two bottles of Shaw & Smith 1991 Sauvignon Blanc from Winecellars, London SW18.