Winter Tomatoes with a Surprise

⏳ Time

30 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

A family recipe from our editor, Emily Smith. This is one of those recipes that were once handwritten in thick culinary notebooks and passed down through generations. The set of herbs for pickling can be changed and supplemented, for example, by adding currant or horseradish leaves. The key here is not just the ingredients, but the surprise found inside each tomato. However, it's best not to go overboard with the additions, as too many can cloud the brine. Opening a jar with the summer aroma of dill is especially delightful in winter, when the weather outside is harsh. Although they rarely last until winter, especially since this recipe falls into the 'quick pickle, quick eat' category: you can and should start tasting them just a week after preparation.

Ingredients

Tomatoes - 1½ kg
Garlic - 3 cloves
Mild Chili Spice - 2 pieces
Sweet Pepper - 1 piece
Dill - 1 bunch
Dill - 2 pieces
Salt - 0.7 oz
Water - 1 qt
Bay leaf - 2 pieces
Green peppercorns - to taste

Step by Step guide

Step 1

First, prepare the "surprise" — a savory filling that will be hidden inside the tomatoes. To do this, take one bell pepper, cut off the tip and the bottom, and remove the seeds. Chop the pepper into random pieces and place it in a blender.

Step 2

Add 5 cloves of garlic to the mixture (this depends on your preference for spiciness; you can reduce or increase the amount of garlic slightly). Set aside about a third of a large bunch of dill, chop the rest, and add it to the blender as well.

Step 3

Chop everything in a blender, but not into a puree; you want to maintain some distinct pieces. If you don't have a blender on hand (for example, if you're in the countryside), you can use a good old-fashioned meat grinder to create a delightful surprise.