The weather is calling for frost this week.  That means the end of my tomato plants.   Yesterday, I went out to the garden to pick the last of the ripe tomatoes.  It is a bittersweet time for me.  I am excited for all the braised meat dishes, soul-warming soups, and baked pastas I will make during the cold weather months, but I couldn't help think about unripe tomatoes left on the vine.  They did what they were supposed to do.  They grew and produced; they just needed more time and good weather.  I could also hear my grandmother's voice saying, "Waste not, want not."  So, back out to the garden I went, picked all the green tomatoes, and made something delicious out of them.

Green Tomato Chutney
3lbs. of firm green tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 1/4 cups of brown sugar
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of candied ginger, chopped
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon (pinch) ground clove
1/8 teaspoon (pinch) ground nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick

Place all ingredients in a stockpot.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated and the chutney is thick.  This takes approximately 1 hour.  If you can drag a spoon through the middle of the mixture in the pot and the chutney stays to the sides, it is ready.

This chutney will be delicious on fish or chicken.  It will also be great on a charcuterie platter with some crackers. 
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What is compound butter?  Compound butter is just butter enhanced with flavorful ingredients.  It can be sweet or savory. It is a great way to save those summer herbs and enjoy them all winter.  Rolls of compound butter are easy to make and freeze well.  It is so easy you don't need a recipe,  just some creative thinking.

When making compound butter, you need to start with softened butter.  I use unsalted butter because I like to control the amount of salt in my finished dish.  Start with one stick.  Next, add your flavorings.  Don't be shy with the flavorings.  This is not one of those less is more moments.  Go with an abundance of herbs.  I like the flavors to show once the butter melts.  Once everything is incorporated, form it into a log roll and place it on some plastic wrap.  Shape and roll the butter in the plastic to form and seal.  Pop it in a freezer bag and place it in the freezer.  That's how easy it is!  When you want to use your butter, just pull it out of the freezer and slice off a medallion. 

In my savory butter, I like to use fresh herbs; basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, rosemary. The fresh herbs give brightness and finish to the dishes. I sometimes  add shallot or garlic or scallions if I think it will enhance the flavor. Citrus zests are also great for compound butters; lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit.  The zest of the fruit has so much more flavor than just the juice.  In my sweet butter, I like to use; cinnamon, apple pie spice, pumpkin spice, honey. The best part is that this is a totally creative process!

The above butter was made with unsalted butter, lemon zest, scallions, basil, parsley, and oregano.  I used it two ways; I sliced it into medallions and placed one medallion on raw halibut filets that I was cooking in parchment and I also cut medallions and placed them on steaks as they came off the grill.  The compound butter paired beautifully with both the fish and the meat.  It brought the flavor of these proteins over the top.

I also made tomato compound butter.  I used cherry tomatoes and roasted them in the oven with a little olive oil until they were soft.  Once cooled, I squeezed the tomato skins off and placed the pulp in my food processor.  I added my softened butter and mixed to combine.  I then placed it on plastic wrap, formed a log, and popped it into the freezer.  This tomato butter will be delicious on fish or tossed with some pasta.  

September has come and you can feel the difference in the air.  It's always so crazy to me how we go from beautiful summer one day and fall the next.  There never seems to be a transition, just flip the switch and on to the next season.

This is the time that the tomatoes are in full ripening mode.  Which means, time to preserve this bounty for the winter.  I use to can the tomatoes but found that it was very time-consuming.  Now I make my recipes with my tomatoes and then freeze them in deli-style containers.  It's much faster and I feel more confident that they are preserved correctly.

Making recipes with fresh tomatoes usually requires them to be skinned and seeded.     Traditionally, to skin a tomato, you make an X on the bottom with a paring knife, dip them in boiling water for 30-40 seconds and then plunge them into ice water.  When cool, the skins magically peel off leaving you with a whole tomato.  The only problem I find with this method is then trying to seed them.  The tomatoes are sometimes a little soft and it is harder to get all the seeds out.  

This year I tried a new method of seeding first and then peeling, and I love it!  

First, remove the stem top and slice the tomato in half.  Then with a spoon, scoop out the seed.  Next, lay them face down on a lightly oiled baking sheet and place under the broiler until the skins begin to wrinkle.  This may take a few minutes.  Keep your eye on them the whole time.  You don't want the tomatoes to burn.  You may also have to rotate your pan a few times to get all the tomatoes under the broiler.  

Let them cool and the skins will peel right off!  No more mess and so much quicker than the traditional method.  

I think this batch wants to be salsa.