Not only roots, but also tops can be tasty and healthy. A striking example is carrots. The aboveground part of this root crop is usually cut off and thrown away safely, without attaching any importance to it. Make an exception and salt the carrot tops along with the tomatoes.
What is the use of carrot tops
The tops contain even than the root crop itself. Carrot tops contain a lot of folic acid, which is beneficial for the nervous system and brain. The reserves of ascorbic acid are also high in it, which helps to strengthen the vascular walls and fight the blues. The tops also contain B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iodine. Thanks to such a rich composition, carrot tops are actively used in folk medicine. In cooking, they are also held in high esteem. Tops are added to dishes to add spice.
What taste does carrot tops give to tomatoes?
Carrot greens that give it astringency and aroma. It is they who make the smell of the tops easily recognizable. Raw carrot tops taste a little bitter, and pickled they get piquancy. During the canning process, the tops impart their specific aroma to the tomatoes, making them taste brighter and their nutritional value higher.
Tomatoes with carrot tops: ingredients
There are many recipes for pickling tomatoes with tops. For the option without sterilization for a 3-liter jar, you will need:
- 2 kg of medium tomatoes;
- 12-15 small sprigs of carrot tops;
- 2 tbsp with a slide of salt;
- 2 tbsp vinegar 9%;
- 8 tbsp Sahara;
- 2 liters of water.
Salting tomatoes with carrot tops for the winter: step by step cooking
Prepare the jars. This is an important stage in conservation, which many underestimate, and later wonder why the homework "explodes". Be sure to sterilize the jars. The easiest option is to scald them with boiling water. To do this, fill a third of the can with it, wait 10 minutes, then chat it from side to side and drain. Place the boiled lid on the pan. You can sterilize jars in the old fashioned way, tormenting them for 15-20 minutes over hot steam. Believe me, the effect will be exactly the same as in the first method, but it will take many times more time and effort.
Select and rinse the tomatoes. It is advisable to take small or medium-sized fruits, since they are better saturated with brine. It is not necessary to take ripe tomatoes. Slightly immature will do. Pin them in the area of the stalk so that they do not crack during the canning process.
Wash the carrot tops and remove any dry or rotten branches. Take tops from a large root crop: the larger it is, the more aromatic its aerial part and, as a result, the tomatoes will be tastier.
Place 6-7 leaves of tops on the bottom of the jar and fill with tomatoes to the brim. Put some carrot greens on top too.
Prepare the brine: add sugar, salt, vinegar to the water and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil. It is important to stir the brine while heating so that the sugar and salt will disperse and not settle to the bottom. Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Pour the brine over the tomatoes under the very neck of the jar. Cover and leave to warm for 15 minutes. Do not rush to pour out excess brine - it will still come in handy.
Drain the liquid from the jar into the pan using a special strainer lid. Add that extra brine, put it back on the fire and let it boil. Wait 4-5 minutes and remove from heat. Pour the brine into a jar and let stand for 10 minutes. Leave the excess liquid - it may be required again, since it must be boiled again.
Drain the brine from the jar into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour it into the jar, but not all the way to the brim. Add the vinegar and only then add the brine as far as it will go, so that when the lid is closed, it spills out a little. If there is not enough liquid, use the one that was superfluous. Remember to boil it before using.
Let the tomatoes stand to allow all the air to escape. To do this, rotate the jar periodically.
Close the blanks with a lid, turn them upside down and wrap them in a warm blanket. After a day, the cans can be placed in a cool place for permanent storage.
