|
We keep a salt shaker inside a little house on a post in our garden to just eat our organically grown tomatoes right there. Nothing seems as perfect as a lightly salted, warm, vine ripened tomato, eaten right then and there.
Crostini with Tomato-Basil Topping
1 loaf (about 9 ounces) French or Italian bread (about 20 inches long)
1-1/4 C feta cheese, finely crumbled (about 6 oz.)
1 large, fully ripened, fresh tomato, seeded and chopped (about 1-1/4 C)
1/4 C pitted and chopped black olives (preferably imported)
1/4 C chopped basil leaves or 1 T dried basil
2T balsamic vinaigrette
1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Slice bread on the diagonal in 1-inch slices and place on a shallow baking pan in a single layer. Bake until toasted, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from oven and press about 1 tablespoon feta cheese on each slice. In a bowl, combine tomato, olives, basil, balsamic vinaigrette and garlic until blended. Top bread slices with tomato mixture, dividing evenly. If desired, garnish each slice with a peeled, cooked small shrimp or a sliver of prosciutto. Serve immediately.
Makes about 20 crostini
Tomatoes stuffed with vegetables and rice
6 large fresh Florida tomatoes
2 T olive oil
1-1/2 C sliced fresh, white mushrooms
1 C chopped onions
1 package (10 oz.) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt or 1 chicken bouillon cube
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 C quick cooking rice
1/4 C plus 2 T grated Parmesan cheese
Serves 6
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Use tomatoes held at room temperature until fully ripe. Cut a slice from the top of each tomato; remove pulp leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell, set aside.
Chop tomato pulp (makes about 3-1/2 cups). In a large skillet over high heat, heat oil until hot. Add onions and mushrooms and cook and stir until tender, about 10 minutes. Add spinach, chopped tomatoes, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Cook, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until flavors blend, about 10 minutes. Stir in rice. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Place tomato shells in 13 x 9 x 2" baking pan. Spoon hot mixture into shells, dividing evenly. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon Parmesan on top of each. Bake until tomatoes are hot and filling is golden, about 15 minutes. Serve as an accompaniment to grilled chicken or pork or as a main dish.
Fruit or Vegetable? The tomato is, botanically speaking, the fruit of the vine. But, from a culinary point of view, it is nearly always grouped with vegetables. Interestingly, the United States Supreme Court ruled on this issue in 1893. The verdict? For the purpose of levying a tariff, the court classified the tomato as a vegetable.
Though tomatoes are most often found in savory dishes, there are exceptions--such as a spiced bread pudding and tropical fruit salsas -- that use the tangy sweetness of tomatoes in wonderful ways.
Home Farm Herbery Tomato Salad.
6 lg. ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 lg. bell pepper, sliced
1 lg. onion, sliced
3/4 C vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
6 teaspoons sugar
1/4 C water
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Combine veggies in a large bowl. Bring vinegar, sugar, salt, water and cayenne to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Pour boiled mixture over veggies. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Serve chilled.
Serves 8 to 10 tomato lovers!
Buying and Storing Tomatoes
When buying fresh tomatoes look for firm flesh with unblemished skin. As with most fruits, looks for a tomato that feels heavy for its size.
Tomato Wedges in Orange Sauce
2 med fresh Florida tomatoes (about 10 oz)
2 T frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 T butter, cut in 1/2-inch slices
2 T green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. sugar
Serves 4
Use tomatoes held at room temperature until fully ripe. Core and halve tomatoes, then cut in wedges (makes about 2 cups).
In a 9-inch microwaveable pie plate, arrange tomatoes around the outside edge. In a glass custard or measuring cup, combine orange juice concentrate, butter, green onions, salt and sugar; place in the center of the pie plate. Cover cup and pie plate with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH (100% power) until butter is melted and tomatoes are slightly softened, 2 to 2-1/2 minutes. Remove plastic wrap; pour sauce over tomatoes; toss to coat.
Don't store tomatoes in the refrigerator as this can make them grainy and mealy and they lose flavor. Buy what you need and keep them on the counter. The folks at the Tomato Committee stress that this is the most common mistake people make with their product.
TOMATO "SUSHI"
Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 hr
3 lb firm-ripe 2- to 3-inch tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/4 cup golden raisins (1 oz)
2 tablespoons light rum
1/3 cup sushi rice*
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1/2 cup pine nuts (2 oz), toasted
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh or dried mint
Granulated sugar to taste
Ground cumin for dusting
Special equipment: a 1 1/2-tablespoon ice cream/cookie scoop with a release lever**
Roast tomatoes and make sauce:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F.
Cut an X in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch tomatoes together in a 3-quart saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to cool. Drain tomatoes and peel off skin, using paring knife and beginning from scored end. Cut two thirds of tomatoes into quarters and arrange, cut sides down, in a lightly oiled shallow baking pan. Sprinkle with half of garlic and 1/2 teaspoon thyme and roast until tomatoes are caramelized, about 3 hours.
While tomatoes are roasting, seed remaining tomatoes and finely chop. Cook onion and remaining garlic in 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until all moisture has evaporated, about 2 hours (mixture will resemble a thick purée). Drain tomato sauce in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, then discard liquid in bowl. Discard bay leaf.
Make "sushi":
Macerate raisins in rum 30 minutes.
While raisins macerate, bring rice and water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low and cook, tightly covered, until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand, covered, 10 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with vinegar. Toss rice gently with a fork and cool. Stir in tomato sauce, raisins (with any liquid), pine nuts, and mint. Add salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of sugar.
Scoop rice mixture into ice cream scoop, packing it by pressing against side of bowl. Press lever to release "sushi" onto a platter. Top each piece with a roasted tomato, smooth side up, then lightly brush with oil and dust with cumin.
Cooks' notes:
• Roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled separately, covered. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
• "Sushi" can be assembled 6 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
*Available at Asian markets, many supermarkets, and Uwajimaya (800-899-1928).
**Available at many cookware shops and oxo.com.
Makes about 16 hors d'oeuvres.
TOMATO SUMMER PUDDING
If your tomatoes are on the acidic side, add a little sugar to the sauce.
Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 14 hr (includes chilling)
4 1/2 lb tomatoes (9 medium)
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
2 1/2 teaspoons Sherry vinegar
1 (9- by 4- by 4-inch) Pullman loaf (1 1/4 lb) or 2 (7-inch) round country loaves (1 lb each), cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices
Special equipment: a 2 1/2-qt glass or ceramic soufflé dish; a 3-inch round cookie cutter
Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch tomatoes in 2 batches in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling water, 1 minute per batch. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, peel, and beginning from scored end, with knife.
While tomatoes are cooling, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt using a large heavy knife. Halve tomatoes crosswise, discard cores, and scoop seeds into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press on seeds to extract liquid, then discard seeds. Coarsely chop tomatoes, then coarsely purée in batches with strained tomato liquid in a blender or food processor.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic paste, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and carefully add a small amount of puréed tomatoes near side of skillet (sauce will splatter and bubble vigorously). When bubbling subsides, add remaining purée, 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Return skillet to heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Cool sauce to room temperature, about 1 hour, and then stir in vinegar.
Trim crusts from bread slices, reserving crusts for another use. If using Pullman loaf, cut 4 slices in half diagonally, then cut 1 round from 1 more slice using cookie cutter. If using round loaves, square off 5 slices of bread from center of loaf and cut triangles and 1 round in same manner. Ladle 3/4 cup sauce into soufflé dish and spread to cover bottom. Line bottom of dish with bread in a pinwheel shape, putting round in center and fanning triangles around it, covering sauce completely (you may have 1 triangle left over). Ladle 1 1/4 cups sauce over bread layer, spreading evenly to cover. Cover sauce with more bread slices, trimming as necessary to fit in 1 layer in dish. Repeat layering 3 more times, using 1 1/4 cups tomato sauce each time and ending with bread. Cover top layer of bread with remaining sauce. Cover surface with plastic wrap, then top with a plate small enough to just fit inside dish. Weight pudding with 2 heavy cans (about 2 pounds total) and chill at least 12 hours.
Remove weights and plate and run a thin knife around edge of dish. Invert a large plate over pudding and invert pudding onto plate. If any sauce remains in dish, spoon it over pudding. Cut into wedges, drizzle with olive oil, and serve chilled or at room temperature.
Cooks' notes:
• Tomato sauce can be cooled quickly in a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water, stirring occasionally.
• Pudding can be chilled up to 24 hours.
Makes 8 first-course or side-dish servings.
Shrimp & Fresh Tomato Tequila Cocktail
2 lbs. fully ripened fresh Florida tomatoes (about 4 large)
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 T)
1 T grated lime zest
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 T tequila
2 T lime juice
1 T orange-flavored liqueur (optional)
1-1/2 lbs cooked large or jumbo shrimp, cleaned
Remove stem ends from tomatoes and finely chop. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, jalapeño, lime zest, salt, pepper, tequila, lime juice and liqueur (if using) until blended. Chill. Spoon an equal amount of the tomato salsa into 6 margarita or wine glasses. Surround with chilled shrimp, dividing evenly.
Serves 6
Zesty Tomato Shortcakes
1 lbs. Florida tomatoes, diced
1/3 C Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
2 T basil, chopped
2 T red wine vinegar
2 T salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar
3 T plus a pinch flour
1 C yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 T garlic, minced
1 tsp. egg, lightly beaten
3 T olive oil
1 C milk
1 C sour cream
Serves 8
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Grease a 9" square baking pan.
To prepare topping:
Combine tomatoes, olives, 1/4 cup of the green onions, basil, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Stir to mix. Cover and let stand for flavors to blend.
Prepare Shortcakes:
In a large bowl, stir flour, cornmeal, baking powder, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons sugar until blended. Add remaining 1/4 cup green onion and garlic, stirring to blend. Make a well in center; add the egg, oil and milk, stirring quickly, just to moisten the dry ingredients. Do not over mix. Spread batter in the prepared pan. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Cool then cut into 8 rectangles.
To assemble:
Split each rectangle horizontally in half. Place bottom half on a plate. Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream on cut side of rectangle. Spoon about 1/4 cup tomato mixture over sour cream. Top with remaining half of rectangle; spoon 1/4 cup tomato mixture and a dollop of sour cream over top. Repeat with remaining 7 rectangles.
Chicken with Garlic & Herb Roasted Tomato Sauce
1 lb fresh tomatoes
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 pounds)
2 T olive oil
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed
2 oz. Swiss cheese slices, cut in 1/4" strips (about 1/2 cup)
Use tomatoes held at room temperature until fully ripe. Core and chop tomatoes (makes about 3 cups), set aside.
On a plate, combine flour, salt and pepper. Coat chicken breasts with seasoned flour, shaking off excess. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Add chicken. Cook over medium heat until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and keep warm. In the same skillet combine tomatoes, garlic and tarragon; cook and stir over low heat until some of the liquid evaporates and a sauce is formed, about 10 minutes. Return chicken to skillet; top with cheese; cover and heat until cheese melts slightly, about 2 minutes. If desired, serve with couscous.
Serves 4
|
Author Bio Box: Arlene Wright Correll
 Resources: Excerpted from “Food For Thought Series” by Arlene Wright-Correll
For more gardening or cooking information click http://www.learn-america.com/ and click on Arlene’s Books you can download or buy my gardening & cook books. All my royalties from the sale of my books go to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and we thank you for your attention to this site.
Didn't really find what you were looking for?
|
|
|
| |
|
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](images/rss.gif "Subscribe to our XML Feed for RSS")
(Read 250+ times)
