The look of surprise and
curiosity on my nanny’s face when I set about peeling and preparing a bowl full
of tree tomatoes, led me to ask her if everything was alright! She couldn’t believe that I was
prepared to use tree tomatoes in a recipe on my own volition, telling me that
where she comes from, tree tomatoes are only eaten out of sheer desperation but
are also picked off trees because no-one regards them to be of monetary value!
This surprised me, as I have seen it stocked in shops in Nairobi… so someone
must be eating them!
Upon researching the fruit on
the internet, I discovered quite a bit, and that the tree tomato is more
commonly known as a Tamarillo in most parts of the world. Although its place of origin is not
certain, the tree tomato is generally believed to be native to the Andes of
Peru and probably also Chile, Ecuador and Bolivia where it is extensively
grown, as it is also in Argentina, Brazil and Colombia. It is cultivated and
naturalized in Venezuela and grown in the highlands of Costa Rica, Guatemala,
Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Haiti. Not dissimilar climates and altitudes to us here in
Kenya. There is thought that it
must have been carried at an early date to East Africa, Asia and the East
Indies, as it is well established in the Nilgiri heights and the hills of Assam
in southern India, and in the mountains of Malaya, and was popular in Ceylon
and the Dutch East Indies before 1903.
They are commercially grown and very
popular in New Zealand and Australia, although the Kiwi fruit has, over time,
become more popular. Tree tomatoes
are a great source of Vitamins A, B6, C and E and are rich in iron and
potassium. Low in calories (when
served without sugar!) and high in dietary fibre. The skins are tough and
therefore basically inedible, most preparations call for blanching in boiling
water for several minutes to remove the skins, however you can scoop out the
flesh with a spoon.
As a
taste, I think there is nothing like it, it has an initial tangy zing, yet a sweet
aftertaste. When opened it looks
exactly like it’s cousin, although the tree tomato’s flesh is orange and the
seedy flesh is blood red.
Due to it’s diverse flavours, tree tomatoes are great for chutneys, savory
additions, and also make a delicious sorbet, best served after a heavy meal to
refresh the palate! Why not
experiment with your next recipe that calls for a tomato, and substitute it for
a tree tomato, you might even surprise yourself! (although.. make sure you remove all the seeds or you will need a visit to the dentist to have a few teeth replaced!)
Here are two very easy puddings using the tree tomato!
TREE TOMATO SORBET
Ingredients:
500ml
drinking water
100gms
caster sugar
1 large
juicy orange – use all the zest and squeeze for the all the juice
8 ripe
tree tomatoes – remove the skins by placing the tree tomatoes into boiling
water for 10 minutes.
Method:
- Boil the water in a saucepan with the sugar, stir until dissolved
- Remove the skins of the tree tomatoes, and cut in half and carefully remove every little seed. Then chop finely.
- Add the Orange juice and zest and chopped tree tomatoes and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Liquidise the mixture and freeze in a plastic container.
- After 3 hours, remove the mixture and use a fork to mix the sorbet around. Place back in the freezer. Freeze overnight.
- Remove the container from the freezer about 10-15 minutes before you are ready to serve.
- Serve in small glasses - like shot glasses either with teaspoons or people to drink straight. Great to serve in between the main course and pudding
OVEN ROASTED TREE TOMATOES WITH CREAMY
MASCAPONE
Oven roasted tree tomatoes with creamy mascapone |
Serves 2
Ingredients:
4 tree
tomatoes, split down lengthways
4
teaspoons of brown sugar to roast
100ml of Brown's
Mascapone Cheese* / Bio Vanilla Yogurt (depends on how sweet
your tooth is)
brown
sugar to garnish
Method:
- Put the oven on to Gas 4 / 160°C
- Cut the tree tomatoes in half – lengthways – and remove all the seeds carefully by scooping out with a teaspoon.
- Place the sliced fruit facing upward onto a baking dish and sprinkle about ½ a teaspoon of brown sugar on each half.
- Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool down.
- Get a pretty water (short) glass, and place the roasted tree tomatoes on the bottom of the glass (or bowl) and place a couple of tablespoons of the mascapone cheese or vanilla yogurt over the top and finally sprinkle some brown sugar over it and garnish with a mint leaf.
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