After losing a beautiful harvest of fat red tomatoes to a party of fruit flies, I plundered my vine’s next offerings when its tomatoes were deliciously plump but still dewy green. No chutney from green tomatoes this year…but oh boy, the delights of green tomato pickles! Here’s my recipe for a yum-smackingly delicious pickle.

4kg green tomatoes, chopped
1kg brown onions, chopped (I wear goggles for this job)
1 kg white sugar
3 tablespoons of salt
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup extra vinegar
3 tablespoons of mustard powder (I prefer to grind down yellow mustard seeds for a robust finish)
3 tablespoons of curry powder

After you have happily chopped your toms and onions, pop them in a non-metal bowl, throw the salt over them, stir well and leave, covered, for 12 hours. When they have finished soaking in each other’s goodness, drain off any fluid and pop them in a big pot with the sugar and vinegars and boil (stirring) for about an hour or until most of the liquid is gone. Mix the extra vinegar and spices together and add to the mix, boiling the lot for another few minutes until everything is joyfully combined. Place your pickles into sterilized jars, seal and store in a dark and secret place. They’ll be ready to gobble in two weeks but will keep for up to 2 years!

Tip: Sterilize your jars by washing them thoroughly with detergent and hot water. Rinse them in hot water and then place them upside down, lids off, on baking trays in a very low oven for a good 10-20 minutes, until all the moisture has evaporated.