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Tomato Chutney
Tomato Chutney
Inspired by a recipe in Lite and Luscious Cuisine of India, by Madhu Gadia, M.S.R.D., this chutney can be served with any meat or dal (bean) dish. If you find it too spicy, it's nicely mellowed by stirring in a bit of yogurt.
1 TB vegetable oil or ghee
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 cup minced fresh onion
1 1/2 lbs. fresh, or frozen Pete's tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 tsp salt
1 green chili seeded and chopped, or 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp coriander powder
2 TB honey
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add mustard seeds; cook a few seconds until the seeds stop popping. (It's best to cover the pan with the lid to avoid getting splattered). Add minced onion, saute for a minute or two, then add tomatoes, salt, chilies, coriander and honey. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and let simmer for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chutney is of the desired consistency. Serve chilled or at room temperature. The chutney will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
Simple Tomato Garlic Sauce
Simple Tomato Garlic Sauce
Heather is all about grilling this time of year, and often makes a grilled pizza. You can make dough, or buy it, or use a tortilla, or a flatbread. If you have one, a grilling tray is handy. When Heather uses fresh dough, she par bakes the crust on her grill tray before adding the sauce and other toppings. Otherwise it's difficult to slide the fully loaded raw pizza onto the grill! Try adding some of this week's mozzarella, greens, sliced baby leeks, fresh herbs, crumbled bacon, etc. Be creative!
5 large frozen tomatoes
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp oil
pinch salt
Run frozen tomatoes under warm water to remove skins. Set aside in a bowl. Saute the garlic in oil until just turning golden. Add the tomatoes and crush them as they thaw. Add a bit a of salt and cook until the tomatoes are saucy and not too watery.
Garnished Tomato Rounds
Garnished Tomato Rounds
Nothing could be simpler to make or such a fresh, summer treat to enjoy. Serves 2.
2 ripe tomatoes
fromage blanc
arugula pesto
sunflower oil, for drizzling
Slice tomatoes into 1/3 thick rounds. Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons of fromage blanc on each round. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon of pesto on top of the cheese. Drizzle with sunflower oil and enjoy.
Pasta with Swiss Chard, Garlic and Tomatoes
Pasta with Swiss Chard, Garlic and Tomatoes
Serves 2.
1 pound Swiss chard
1/8 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3 garlic scapes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1/2 cup water
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 pound fusilli
1/4 cup freshly grated hard, sharp cheese, such as Crawford Family Farms Picante
Separate the leaves of the swiss chard from the stems and chop. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the scapes and red pepper, saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the stems and 1/4 cup of the water, and cook the mixture, covered, for 2 minutes. Add the leaves with the remaining 1/4 cup water and salt and pepper to taste and cook the mixture, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook the mixture, covered, for 3 minutes, or until the leaves are tender.
While the chard is cooking, in a kettle of salted boiling water boil the fusilli until it is al dente and drain it in a colander. In a large bowl toss the pasta with the chard mixture and the grated cheese. Garnish with additional grated cheese, if desired.
Italian Cauliflower
Italian Cauliflower
Here's Heather's favorite quick Italian cauliflower dish. This is best when the cauliflower is just tender, not mushy. Put a couple of sausages on the grill and toss a salad. There's dinner. Serves 4.
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
3 TB oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 TB vinegar
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
salt & pepper
red pepper flakes
minced Italian flat parsley
Heat oil in a wide deep skillet and saute onion until translucent. Add cauliflower and a couple tablespoons of water. Continue cooking and stirring often. When cauliflower and onion begin to brown a bit, add the vinegar. Cover and cook until vinegar cooks off. Stir in tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, pepper flakes, and parsley. Simmer covered until cauliflower is tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
White Bean and Escarole Soup
White Bean and Escarole Soup
Paired with some fresh sliced bread and a side salad, it's the perfect light supper. Adapted from Epicurious.com. Serves 4.
1 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 purple pepper, cut into small dice
1 green pepper, cut into small dice
2 garlic scapes (or cloves), minced
3 cups (packed) 1-inch pieces escarole (about 1/2 large head)
4 cups (or more) vegetable or chicken broth
3 1/4 cups cooked white beans, such as Soldier or Jacob's Cattle
1 lb tomatoes, cut crosswise, seeds removed, then diced
2 tablespoons freshly grated local, sharp, hard cheese, or Parmesan
Heat oil in heavy large Dutch over medium-low heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic and sauté until onion is golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Add escarole; stir 3 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until escarole is tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Thin with more broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.) Ladel soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Summer Vegetable Ragu
Summer Vegetable Ragu
This is how Heather prepares summer's bounty of vegetables. It's something like ratatouille, but you can use any vegetables you have on hand. It's great served with pasta, polenta, or rice, with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta. It also makes a yummy, if juicy, sandwich in a baguette! Serves 4-6.
4 cups or more of uniformly cut vegetables, such as beans, zukes, cauliflower, peppers, eggplant, and/or summer squash
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB oil
3 tomatoes, chopped (2 cups)
1/4 cup minced fresh herbs, basil/mint/oregano
Salt & pepper
Heat oil in a deep wide sauté pan and cook garlic and onion until soft, fragrant and beginning to brown. Add vegetables, except tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper and sauté until nearly tender, with some brown flecks. Add tomatoes and herbs. Simmer gently until the tomatoes are saucy and the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Tomatoes and Feta
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Tomatoes and Feta
Grilling the vegetables adds pizzazz to this Mediterranean-inspired salad. Approximately 4-6 servings.
1 lb. snap beans, ends removed
1/2 a sweet onion, sliced thin
1 small zucchini or eggplant sliced crosswise or 1 large green pepper sliced into 1/2 thick wedges
2 TB sunflower or olive oil
1 large tomato, seeds removed, cut in 1 dice
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
2 TB toasted pine nuts
3 TB red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove mashed to a paste with kosher salt
salt and pepper to taste
6 TB sunflower or olive oil
Preheat barbecue (medium-high heat) or preheat broiler. Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Shock beans by placing in a large bowl of ice water. Drain and pat dry with a dishtowel. Toss beans and eggplant, pepper or zucchini in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill or broil oiled vegetables until beginning to brown, turning frequently, 2-5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add onions and tomatoes. Make dressing by combining the vinegar, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Then whisk in oil. Toss vegetables with dressing, adjust seasonings and sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve at room temperature.
Tomato Toasts with Bacon & Blue Cheese
Tomato Toasts with Bacon & Blue Cheese
For the bacon eaters, an over-the-top BLT! Serve with mesclun on the side. Serves 6.
4 slices bacon
6 slices bread
6 TB oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup minced leek
3 TB vinegar (sherry is nice here)
3 medium tomatoes, sliced 1/2 thick rounds
30 small basil leaves
1 1/2 oz crumbled blue cheese
freshly ground black pepper
Cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towel to drain. Crumble when cool. Reserve bacon fat. Grill bread slices 3 at a time in same skillet, turning once, until golden brown. Add a bit of oil as needed. Remove to a cooling rack, season with salt and pepper.
For dressing heat 2 tablespoons of the reserved bacon fat and 3 tablespoons oil in small heavy saucepan. Add leeks and cook about 2 minutes, until soft. Whisk in vinegar and salt and pepper until well combined. Cover and keep warm.
Arrange toasts on a platter or individual plates. Layer tomatoes, blue cheese, basil and bacon, ending with a sprinkling of blue cheese on top. Spoon warm dressing over it all and season with fresh ground black pepper.
Spanish Gazpacho
Spanish Gazpacho
Nothing beats a bowl of gazpacho for a light, summer meal. Serve each bowl with a dollop of crème fraiche and a slice of crusty bread on the side. Adapted from Culinate.com. Serves 4.
2 lb. ripe tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 medium sweet bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1/2 - 1 whole small jalapeno (to taste), deseeded and chopped
1 cube (about 2 inches square) crustless bread from a firm-textured, French-style loaf
2 TB apple cider vinegar
2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp honey
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
chopped fresh parsley or cilantro for garnish
Put half of the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, bread, vinegar, salt, cumin and honey. Blend until no large pieces remain. With the motor running, add the remaining tomatoes and when well processed, gradually add the oil. Process until smooth. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley or cilantro. Cooks Note: gazpacho can be chilled overnight. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar, if necessary.
