Kelly Geary of the Greenmarket-sourced food service Sweet Deliverance gave us this recipe so you can taste a bit of August in the dead of winter.  

Quantities are for a 1-pint glass jar, which can be easily doubled for a quart-sized jar. You’ll need a pair of tongs big enough to remove jars from boiling water. (There are lots of other hints here>>)

Prep
Jars should be washed with hot soap and water, and lids heated in hot but not boiling water.
Fill a large pot with enough water to cover jars by two inches. Bring water (minus jars) to a boil, then lower to a simmer while you prepare the sauce.
Take a pound of ripe tomatoes (plum or Roma work best for Italian sauces), and make an x on the bottom carefully with a pairing knife. Blanch in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Put in an ice bath until cool and carefully remove skin. Quarter tomatoes, removing or leaving seeds as you see fit, along with cores and stem ends. Put a touch of olive oil in a large pot, crush a few whole cloves of garlic and sauté with tomato quarters until soft but not mushy. Add whatever herbs you like — basil, dill, oregano, thyme — and salt and pepper to taste.

Pack
Pack jars tight with hot tomatoes, leaving a half inch at the top, and add 1 Tbs. lemon juice per pint. Remove air bubbles by sliding a spatula along insides of the jar. Wipe rim and screw on lid.

Process
Immediately after filling, place each jar upright in the large pot of boiling water that covers the jars by two inches. When the water returns to a rolling boil begin processing time: 35 minutes per pint, 45 minutes per quart. Remove with tongs and let cool 12 hours or overnight. Test seal on cooled jar by pressing center of the lid. If it pops back up when pressed, it’s not sealed, and start processing over or use in a day or two. Otherwise, store in a cool, dark place and break out in winter.

Photo by Grateful420angelina via Flickr.