Cherry Tomatoes Packed in Oil

[Garden Green]

Cherry Tomatoes
Small onions (baby or maybe pearl) or shallots
Cider vinegar or lemon juice (1-2 tablespoons per 16 oz jar)
Fresh basil, tarragon, oregano etc to taste
Coarse salt
Olive oil
Canning jars and lids

Tomatoes must be firm and ripe. If you're using another type, select the smallest ones (no bigger than tangerine).

Wash and dry the tomatoes. Peel several of the onions or shallots.

Prepare scalded or sterilized 16 ounce jars. Fill them with tomatoes, alternating with a few onions and herbs. When the jars are filled to about one and a half inches from the rim, sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt. Add one or two tablespoons or cider vinegar or lemon juice, and cover with olive oil.

Close the jars with a very clean lid, and store them in a rather cool place (50 to 59 degrees F) (think fridge). The tomatoes will be ready to eat in two to three months and will keep for up to a year. They go well served with grains or with meat.

Ann Duran, St. Front France

From Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning

[MoniDew]

this sounds delicious! i've also seen sundried tomatoes packed in oil. is this a "take" on that idea?

[Garden Green]

No, more like the sun dried tomatoes in oil came after this recipe. This is from one of my favorite books Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning. The techniques that are in that book are all about really old school ways of preserving that you don't much see anymore due to the industrilization of canning, dried food packaging and freezing. This recipe and the others in this book are recipes that came from folks across the world that submitted them because those techniques are slowly disappearing out of the home based preservation world and being used only for one or two (like oil packed sun dried tomatoes) things in mass production food manufacturing.

Really awesome book.

[SimplyForties]

This looks delicious! After they're ready do you have to keep them in the fridge?

[PennyG]

That sounds really good!

[Garden Green]

This looks delicious! After they're ready do you have to keep them in the fridge?

I would to be safe, oils go rancid.