Green Tomato Bread
Submitted by clramge
Green tomato bread with pureed green tomatoes, plumped raisins, cinnamon, cloves, and chopped nuts baked into a spiced quick bread. The best way to use up end-of-season unripe tomatoes.
YIELD
1 loafPREP
25 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsWhen the first frost threatens and you’ve got a pile of green tomatoes that never had a chance to ripen, this bread is exactly where they should go. Ten medium green tomatoes get peeled, cored, seeded, and blended into a smooth pulp that becomes the liquid base for a warmly spiced quick bread loaded with plumped raisins and chopped nuts.
Green tomatoes bring a tart, slightly vegetal moisture to the batter that’s similar to how zucchini or applesauce works in baking. You’d never guess the secret ingredient by tasting the finished bread. Cinnamon and cloves dominate the flavor, and the tomato pulp disappears into a tender, moist crumb.
The raisins soak in boiling water before going into the batter, and that soaking liquid goes in too. Plumped raisins stay soft during the long bake instead of drying out into hard, chewy pellets.
Kitchen Tips
- Peel and seed the green tomatoes thoroughly. Seeds add bitterness and skin pieces create tough spots in the bread
- Blend the tomato pulp until completely smooth and creamy. Chunks will leave pockets of moisture in the bread
- Don’t discard the raisin soaking water. It’s full of dissolved sugars and flavor that enriches the batter
- Two loaves bake for over an hour. Test with a toothpick at the hour mark and keep going if needed
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of ground ginger alongside the cinnamon and cloves for a warmer, more complex spice
- Use walnuts instead of pecans for a slightly more assertive nut flavor
- Spread slices with cream cheese for a sweet-tangy contrast
Ingredients
Directions
Peel and core green tomatoes.
Discard seeds. Run cut-up pieces through a blender until smooth and creamy.
You should have 2 cups pulp.
Set raisins to soak in ⅔ cup boiling water; set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy.
Add eggs, 2 cups tomato pulp, the plumped raisins and the water in which the raisins were soaked.
Beat well. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and nuts.
Add one cup at a time, to tomato mixture, stirring well after each addition.
Divide batter into two 9×5 inch greased loaf pans and bake in a 350℉ (180℃). oven for one hour and 10 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
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