Make mince of it

Due to our oddly cool summer, my tomatoes never really ripened. They got tall and green and produced lots of fruit, but it all just sat there, staring at me unripely. So I’m left with a bushel of green tomatoes.

Instead of throwing away all that fruity potential, I’ll make mincemeat. It was made traditionally with minced beef and fat, but you can make a very tasty vegetarian mince pie (vegan even!).

The filling is a sweet-and-sour mixture not unlike chutney. Chop up as many green tomatoes as you’ve got and add half as much chopped apple. Mix in some dried currants, raisins and citrus zest (I like orange), then spice it with cinnamon, cloves, salt, and a good dash of vinegar or lemon juice. Stir in brown sugar generously, and cook the whole mixture on medium heat until it’s thick and the tomatoes are soft. Cool completely, then use about 4 cups mincemeat for a 9-inch pie.