The tomato season in the UK runs from June to October so right now is an excellent time to buy in bulk and cook up some dishes for the freezer – prices often reduce in mid summer when the crops are plentiful.
Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, one of the most potent antioxidants. Several epidemiological studies (1) have linked the consumption of tomatoes and products made from them (tomato puree, pasta sauce, ketchups) with a reduced risk of some cancers and cardiovascular disease. Further research is necessary but it does appear that cooking or processing tomatoes enables the lycopene to become more available to the body. With this in mind, August is an excellent time to stock up, get cooking and make the most of the season.
A tomato ‘pasta sauce’ can be a great base for so many meals that making the effort to make a large batch when you have time can really pay dividends for those busy times midweek. There are many many recipes for basic tomato pasta sauces. One of my favourites is one from Jane Clarke which is aimed at children and is delicious incorporating lots of other vegetables as well as the tomatoes. You can find the ‘Tomato Batch Sauce’ recipe in Jane’s book ‘Yummy! Every Parent’s Nutrition Bible’ or by clicking here. Or to see a 4 minute video of Sophie Grigson showing how to make an easy roast tomato sauce click here. Everyone has their favourite recipe so ask your friends and family and see which you like best. Good quality canned tomatoes make excellent sauces too- buy organic where you can and look for Italian premium brands to really make the best sauces. Well worth the extra investment.
Once you have your sauce you can freeze it in small batches- so much nicer than the shop bought sauces and you will know it isn’t packed with salt or other additives. Remember to serve a plain tomato sauce with some protein to help balance blood sugar – if you are having it with pasta try adding some prawns, cooked chicken strips or cannellini beans. Or for a spicier sauce add some chopped chilli early in the recipe or chilli flakes at the end. A tomato sauce like this is very versatile so don’t restrict it to pasta – try it as a base for roasting some cod (nice with some added olives and basil) or as a lovely sauce for a nut roast served up with lots of greens. Delicious.
Or if you are a tomato ketchup addict why not try making your own? Here’s a recipe that was featured on River Cottage. Jamie Oliver also does a good one in his ‘Jamie at Home’ book.
So there we are…now get out to the shops to buy up the ripe tomatoes and fill your freezer before winter creeps up on us!
(1) AGARWAL, S. & RAO, A. V. (2000) Tomato lycopene and its role in human health and chronic diseases. CMAJ, 163, 739-744