Recipe by Karin Liljegren Eskilstuna Matkultur

These fermented tomatoes by Karin Liljegren from Eskilstuna Matkultur versatile and can be used as a side dish, in salads, blended into a gazpacho, or even scooped onto butter-fried sourdough bread. You can also use the tomato juice in a drink for a perfect summer aperitif.

If possible, use freshly harvested tomatoes. Make a cross-shaped incision in the tomato without cutting all the way through. Sprinkle a pinch (1 ml) of finely ground sea salt into the incision, along with a few oregano leaves.
Place the tomatoes side by side on a tray, cover them with a kitchen towel, and let them sit at room temperature for 38 hours. They will become juicy and start to develop a fermented aroma.
Next, press the tomatoes into an airtight jar or fermentation crock, making sure they are submerged in their own liquid. Roughly chop the wild garlic (ransoms) and add it to the bottom, mixed among the tomatoes. If you don’t have wild garlic, you can use a couple of garlic cloves instead. Let the tomatoes mature in the refrigerator for about a week.

If the tomatoes are allowed to mature for a longer period, they become soft but are perfect for using as a flavor base in cooking.

Originally a Georgian recipe, the tomatoes are traditionally filled with lots of chopped garlic, parsley, and salt. You can also try substituting the oregano with basil leaves or other herbs.

Karin Liljegren is a six-time medal winner at Terra Madre Nordic 2022. You can find her products at the farm shop on Närjeholmevägen in Eskilstuna and at Café Ingenstans in Enskede. For more information, visit www.eskilstunamatkultur.se or find her on Instagram and Facebook.