Tomato Preserves with Walnuts
Start with small, firm plum-type tomatoes: only those will survive an hour in syrup without falling apart. Each gets a slit and a piece of walnut tucked inside, and it’s that nut in the center that turns an ordinarily savory fruit into sweet exotica with a buttery crunch at its core.
Stuffed conserves like these are traditional in Georgia and Armenia, where sweets made from unexpected produce, such as green walnuts, eggplant, and tomatoes, are served with strong black coffee. The 5-to-6-hour soak in syrup before the final cook isn’t fussiness: those hours let the fruit take on sugar evenly so it won’t disintegrate over the heat afterward.
A few pointers: lightly dry the walnuts so they don’t turn bitter inside. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, to avoid damaging the tomatoes. A pinch of cinnamon or clove in the syrup plays up the walnut note. The recipe uses about 1 kg (2.2 lb) of tomatoes to 500 g (roughly 2 1/2 cups) of sugar. Store in a cool place; serve in small spoonfuls with coffee or on a cheese board.
Part of Ukrainian cuisine — 301 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Cut slits in the tomatoes and tuck a piece of walnut inside each one.
Make a syrup from the sugar and water and pour it hot over the tomatoes.
Let stand for 5-6 hours to soak through.
Cook the preserves until done, about 1 hour.
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