Tomato Pickle

Ingredients

• 2 lbs tomatoes, green, firm, fresh, unblemished with no pink spots
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2-4 fresh chili peppers, slit on one side
• 2 teaspoons dry dill weed
• 1 tablespoon dill seed
• 1 tablespoon pickling spices
• 2 tablespoons pickling salt (canning)
• 4 cups water

Directions

1. 1

   1. Wash green tomatoes thoroughly. Cut them into halves or quarters so the pieces or no larger than a walnut.

2. 2

   2. Place garlic and chilies into a two-quart glass jar or crockery pot. Pack tomatoes tightly into the jar.

3. 3

   3. Heat water until lukewarm, add pickling salt and stir until dissolved. Add dill weed, dill seeds and pickling spice and pour over tomatoes until they are totally submerged. Cover with a clean, small plate so all tomatoes are submerged.

4. 4

   4. Cover with a cheesecloth, label and let ferment at room temperature.

5. 5

   Start checking pickles after three days and continue testing daily. Scrape off any scum that may form on top of the liquid. The tomatoes turn translucent and sour with a pleasing fermenting scent in five to eight days. As soon as they are sour for your taste but still crisp, remove cheesecloth, cover the jar with a lid and refrigerate.

6. 6

   They keep firm and good in the refrigerator for three to four weeks.