Whether using tomatoes from your own kitchen garden, or from the shop, nothing beats home-made. ‘Sweet and warm, a good glut of homegrown tomatoes is hard to beat,’ says Melanie Johnson. We’re inclined to agree.
Whether in a salad, or making a pasta sauce, or, to be honest, anything, tomatoes are a beautifully versatile fruit and should be the staple of a good kitchen garden. Of course, nothing beats a good bit of ketchup, so Melanie has kindly shared her recipe (and some chips to go with it). It’s below.
Makes one large bottle of sauce Preheat your oven to 185 ̊C fan/200 ̊C/400 ̊F/gas mark 6 and line two large baking trays with foil. Chop the tomatoes into large, even-sized chunks and arrange them on the baking tray. Chop the remaining vegetables — red onion, red pepper, celery, carrot — into similar sizes and arrange them around the tomatoes, together with the prepared dates.
Add the rosemary, thyme, coriander seeds and chilli flakes, then pour over the olive oil and vinegar. Mix everything well, ensuring the vegetables are evenly coated, and roast for one hour, so that there are some charred corners and everything has softened. Peel the potatoes and use a crinkle-cut cutter to make chips.
Add the chips to a pan of cold water and bring to a boil. Once simmering, remove from the heat and drain well. Toss in generous glugs of olive oil and then spread over the second foil-lined tray.
Roast the chips for 30 minutes (depending on thickness) or until browned and c.
