I guess it's a preserve because the tomatoes are left whole -- I have an old Strawberry preserve recipe from the University of Georgia Extension Service that treats the berries the same way except you don't prick them. I hadn't paid much attention to the salt ... is that a lot for a preserve? Maybe that why they call it Sweet Pickled? Kay

One year we had a batch of left over green cherry toms - that would not ripen due to cold weather. I made a simple fermenting type brine, packed them in a jar with garlic and half of a dried Thai pepper. They were topped with the usual brine bag to shut out invading molds, etc., and allowed to ferment. I ground the resulting finished product in my processor, using it mostly for hamburger relish. It was great. While it wasn't quite the same as a tomatillo type relish, it was close. Bejay

rebel, aren't they great? I grow about a dozen different varieties, all different colours, shapes, and tastes --- makes for lovely vegetable + dip platters! Here's the recipe for the roasted veggie stuff, together with comments from Carol. Cheers, Zabby [from Post by readinglady last fall] I just made my second triple batch of this roasted tomato recipe and had such good luck with it I had to share. I did add some banana peppers in addition to the bells called for and reduced the olive oil to 1/2 cup total for a triple batch. I also used 4 tablespoons capers for the triple. I'm not generally enthralled with capers but they "melted" into the whole and were very successful. I also used Kalamata olives because that was the jar that was open. I'm thinking some feta stirred in when serving would be a nice addition. Or Bruschetta with this paste topped with some fresh-grated Parmesan. I cooked this down considerably, so with a triple batch I got a yield of 10 cups from two big roasting pans. This is wonderful even with mature late corn. A great way to use up the "end of the garden." The recipe comes from Jan Roberts-Dominguez, a master food preserver and seasonal preserving columnist for "The Oregonian." Roasted Tomatoes, Peppers, Corn and Capers Makes 4 to 5 cups roasted vegetable sauce With its silky texture and summery fragrance, this is one of the most pleasurable dishes to make. And it freezes beautifully. The roasting melds everything together, transforms the flavors, and yields juices so delicious they invite dunking with chunks of grilled French bread -- the perfect summer appetizer. It's also great served cold as a little salad, as a tasty filling for a sandwich or frittata, or cozied up next to a grilled chicken. About 2 pounds tomatoes, peeled if desired (see note) About 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (divided) 4large bell peppers (red, orange and yellow), cut into 1-inch chunks 1Walla Walla Sweet onion, halved and cut into 1-inch chunks Fresh-cut kernels from 2 ears of corn 12nicoise olives, pitted and coarsely chopped 6sprigs Italian (flat-leaf) parsley 12large basil leaves, minced 4large cloves garlic, chopped 2tablespoons capers, rinsed Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Preheat oven to 375 to 450 degrees (the hotter the oven, the shorter the roasting time). If using cherry tomatoes, simply remove the stems and halve each one. Halve or quarter other varieties. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the oil in the bottom of a large roasting pan, jellyroll pan or any baking sheet with sides. Add the tomatoes, peppers, onion, corn, olives, parsley, basil, garlic and capers. You can crowd the vegetables together, but don't go beyond a single layer. Drizzle on the rest of the olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roast until the tomatoes' skins turn golden (if unpeeled). Depending on your oven temperature, this will take anywhere from 20 minutes to about 11/2 hours. When done, the tomatoes and peppers will have collapsed and darkened beautifully. Alternatively, you can roast the vegetables over indirect heat on a medium to medium-hot grill (see note), with the lid on. Remove the roasting pan from the oven or grill and let the vegetables cool. With a metal spatula or wide, flat-sided wooden spatula, stir and scrape the cooled mixture to dissolve all of the cooked-on bits of food. To freeze, ladle the sauce into freezer containers, leaving about 1-inch head space. Let cool completely, then attach lids and freeze. Note: To peel tomatoes (don't peel cherry variety), cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato. Plunge them into boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove immediately and plunge into cold water. Skins should slip off easily. Note: To check grill temperature, count the seconds you can hold your hand, palm side down, 2 to 3 inches above the rack, until it feels uncomfortable: 4 seconds for medium; 3 seconds for medium-hot. -- From Jan Roberts-Dominguez

As was said further up in this thread, everyone chooses the level of risk they are willing to take. I also do not open kettle can anything, including pickles, but when my father was alive that's how he did his pickles and tomatoes. And no, it wasn't the pickles that killed him, LOL. I did can some dill pickles for him and I just got too many bad seals to make me happy, I was losing too much "product". I did tell him that it just wasn't a safe method, and he gave me the "we've always done it that way" reply. I told him that I didn't have a car seat when I was small, but my kids did, and that I remember riding all the way to Canada in the back of a pickup truck with a topper to visit Great Grandma, but I wouldn't let my kids do that either. Just because it's been done that way forever doesn't make it the best or safest method. I like to make decisions based on data and science, and I want ALL the information available, then I can make my own decision and know that it was a fully informed decision, not based on tradition or sentiment. Then I can decide the level of risk I'm comfortable with. Now that I've done that, I do not open kettle can pickles, or anything else. Guidelines are just that, guidelines. Follow them or not, your choice, but be sure you are informed as to any hazards, both possible health hazards and possible loss of product. Annie