That's right, those pesky tomatoes are becoming ripe at an alarming rate. They are sooo good, though. I've used quite a few in sandwhiches with just some mayo and lettuce. Since its a little cooler today, I thought I'd do a quiche. This is my standard quiche recipe. Any ingredient can be swapped out for something else except for the crust, eggs and cream.
Start with a refrigerated pie crust. Roll it out into a large pie or quiche pan. Patch any tears by pressing dough with your fingers. Place foil over the crust and fill the cavity with one small bag of any kind of dried beans - I use kidney beans, which I store and reuse whenever I make quiche. Bake the crust in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. This is called blind baking and will help prevent the crust from becoming soggy from the quiche filling.
While the crust bakes, slice one large onion thinly and saute over medium heat in a little olive oil until the onion is nicely browned. Carmelizing the onion releases its sweetness. Remove the onion and set aside. Slice two tomatoes and sprinkle slices with salt, pepper and dried basil. Take the crust out of the oven, remove the beans and foil, and let it cool a bit. Cover the bottom of the crust with slices of cheese, I like swiss best. Then, because I always have cooked bacon in the freezer, I crumble several slices over the cheese. You can leave this step out.
Next spread the onion slices over the cheese and bacon. Begin frying each slice of tomato ever so slightly on each side. As the slices cook, remove them and arrange in circles on the quiche. If you really like cheese, sprinkle a little Parmesan over the tomatoes. Beat four eggs with one cup of heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg. Pour egg mixture over quiche, place in 350 degree oven and bake for one hour. Let set for 15 minutes before serving.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
More Tomatoes
I have owned Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook and Enchanted Broccoli Forest forever. They were two of my first cookbooks and have remained favorites. I adore Katzen's Greek Pizza recipe, which will use up 2-4 more tomatoes, depending on their size. The crust is filo (or phyllo) dough and the toppings are good for you vegetables. It's a little labor intensive but worth the effort. So here's my interpretation of her wonderful recipe:
Defrost 1/2 pound of filo dough. Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepot and add 1/4 cup of olive oil to the butter.
In a large skillet, saute 1 thinly sliced onion until it starts to turn golden brown (I like my onion carmelized). Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and salt to taste. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil, the juice of one lemon and a 10 ounce package of frozen spinach to the pot. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates.
Butter a large baking tray. Open the filo package, lay out the dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Lay one sheet of the filo on the baking tray and brush it with the butter/olive oil mixture. Very important: replace the damp towel over the dough each time you take a sheet. Repeat layering sheets of filo followed by brushing with the butter mixture until you have used about 12-15 sheets.
Spread the spinach mixture over the top of the filo leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle one 6 ounce tub of crumbled feta cheese over the spinach. Divide a 1 pound bag of shredded mozzerella, sprinkle half over the feta. Slice enough tomatoes to cover the top of the pizza. Dredge each slice in seasoned bread crumbs and place in rows on top of the pizza. Sprinkle the other half of the mozzerella over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour. Cut into squares of any size and enjoy!
This is perfect as is, but my imagination is getting the best of me. I can see using artichokes and red peppers in place of the spinach and tomatoes, and perhaps goat cheese instead of feta. This may become the template for many great filo pizzas.
Defrost 1/2 pound of filo dough. Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepot and add 1/4 cup of olive oil to the butter.
In a large skillet, saute 1 thinly sliced onion until it starts to turn golden brown (I like my onion carmelized). Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and salt to taste. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil, the juice of one lemon and a 10 ounce package of frozen spinach to the pot. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates.
Butter a large baking tray. Open the filo package, lay out the dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Lay one sheet of the filo on the baking tray and brush it with the butter/olive oil mixture. Very important: replace the damp towel over the dough each time you take a sheet. Repeat layering sheets of filo followed by brushing with the butter mixture until you have used about 12-15 sheets.
Spread the spinach mixture over the top of the filo leaving a 1/2 inch border. Sprinkle one 6 ounce tub of crumbled feta cheese over the spinach. Divide a 1 pound bag of shredded mozzerella, sprinkle half over the feta. Slice enough tomatoes to cover the top of the pizza. Dredge each slice in seasoned bread crumbs and place in rows on top of the pizza. Sprinkle the other half of the mozzerella over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour. Cut into squares of any size and enjoy!
This is perfect as is, but my imagination is getting the best of me. I can see using artichokes and red peppers in place of the spinach and tomatoes, and perhaps goat cheese instead of feta. This may become the template for many great filo pizzas.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Yellow Tomato Soup
I have one tomato plant in my backyard garden and it is a monster. I have never seen such a fat, full, tall plant. I can't get my hands around it anymore. I've tied it up with pantyhose several times, but the hose must droop after a while. The five foot tall plant has plenty of big tomatoes, and all will ripen at about the same time. Hence the question, what to do with a large crop of tomatoes?
About ten years ago, while living in Hawaii, I ran across a recipe for yellow tomato soup. Believe it or not, it's hard to find some produce there and the produce available, in general, is very expensive. Fresh yellow tomatoes were out of the question, but I had to try the recipe so I used two cans of yellow tomatoes instead.
I've made a major adjustment to the original recipe, which sauted the onions and bacon together. I found that the bacon did not get crisp that way, due to the moisture in the onions. Also, the original recipe had you puree the uncrisp bacon in with all the other ingredients, which produced a very fatty texture in the soup. So here's how I'm doing it using my garden tomatoes, which are actually orange, not yellow, but so what.
In a large Dutch oven, saute 6 slices of bacon, chopped, until nice and crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Leaving only 2-3 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot, add one large, diced onion and saute until the onion is tender and starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Add 2 pounds of chopped yellow or orange tomatoes (4-5 large) and 2 cloves of minced garlic and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add one-half cup of sherry and one-half cup of dry white wine. Simmer 5 minutes then add 4 cups of chicken broth. Simmer mixture for 15 minutes. Stir in 1 canned chipotle chili in adobo, minced, and 1 tablespoon of dried oregano. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Stir in one-half cup of heavy cream and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crumbled bacon on top.
About ten years ago, while living in Hawaii, I ran across a recipe for yellow tomato soup. Believe it or not, it's hard to find some produce there and the produce available, in general, is very expensive. Fresh yellow tomatoes were out of the question, but I had to try the recipe so I used two cans of yellow tomatoes instead.
I've made a major adjustment to the original recipe, which sauted the onions and bacon together. I found that the bacon did not get crisp that way, due to the moisture in the onions. Also, the original recipe had you puree the uncrisp bacon in with all the other ingredients, which produced a very fatty texture in the soup. So here's how I'm doing it using my garden tomatoes, which are actually orange, not yellow, but so what.
In a large Dutch oven, saute 6 slices of bacon, chopped, until nice and crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Leaving only 2-3 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the pot, add one large, diced onion and saute until the onion is tender and starting to brown, about 15 minutes. Add 2 pounds of chopped yellow or orange tomatoes (4-5 large) and 2 cloves of minced garlic and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add one-half cup of sherry and one-half cup of dry white wine. Simmer 5 minutes then add 4 cups of chicken broth. Simmer mixture for 15 minutes. Stir in 1 canned chipotle chili in adobo, minced, and 1 tablespoon of dried oregano. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Stir in one-half cup of heavy cream and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crumbled bacon on top.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Fruit in Salad - but not Fruit Salad
A few years ago I came across several recipes for using strawberries in a green salad. The idea of using fruit in this way had never occurred to me. Basically, you use whatever greens you choose (any lettuce, spinach, arugula, etc.) and build a salad by adding sliced strawberries, thinly sliced red onion, chopped nuts (I used walnuts) and a crumbled cheese such as goat cheese. The salad was dressed with a vinaigrette, either purchased or home-made.
This combination is my basis for an almost infinite number of variations, depending on personal taste and what's in season. Almost any fruit can be used, although I always look around to see what is freshest and least expensive. The greens, as I said before, are also interchangeable, as are the nuts and cheese chosen. If you use a hard cheese, such as cheddar or Parmesan, it can be shaved instead of crumbled. You might also like to add fresh herbs, like mint, and a little black pepper to your salad.
For the dressing, I love to use walnut oil and champagne vinegar (two parts oil to one part vinegar). Add salt and pepper to taste. A classic vinaigrette would include olive oil, lemon juice or red wine vinegar, and a little Dijon mustard. Again, the possibilities are endless and a good bottled dressing also works well.
A salad is the ideal summer meal, using fresh seasonal ingredients that do not require cooking. The addition of nuts and cheese boosts the nutritional value of the meal by adding protein and dairy elements. What more could you ask for, especially on a day like today when the heat is so oppressive. Eat healthy and stay cool!
This combination is my basis for an almost infinite number of variations, depending on personal taste and what's in season. Almost any fruit can be used, although I always look around to see what is freshest and least expensive. The greens, as I said before, are also interchangeable, as are the nuts and cheese chosen. If you use a hard cheese, such as cheddar or Parmesan, it can be shaved instead of crumbled. You might also like to add fresh herbs, like mint, and a little black pepper to your salad.
For the dressing, I love to use walnut oil and champagne vinegar (two parts oil to one part vinegar). Add salt and pepper to taste. A classic vinaigrette would include olive oil, lemon juice or red wine vinegar, and a little Dijon mustard. Again, the possibilities are endless and a good bottled dressing also works well.
A salad is the ideal summer meal, using fresh seasonal ingredients that do not require cooking. The addition of nuts and cheese boosts the nutritional value of the meal by adding protein and dairy elements. What more could you ask for, especially on a day like today when the heat is so oppressive. Eat healthy and stay cool!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
More Prosciutto
I had hoped to develop a new recipe last night. A pasta dish using garlic and herb cheese spread, broccoli and grape tomatoes. It just didn't work out. It was dry (although I did add chicken broth and white wine) and its flavor was just blah. Oh well, I tried. I'll use what's left of the cheese spread on toasted thin baguette slices and top them with some arugula and the last of the grape tomatoes, halved.
For something to go with the baguettes I'll take a tried and true route. Clean and slice one cantaloupe into wedges. Wrap each wedge with one thin slice of prosciutto. That's all it takes, and the combination of the salty ham and sweet fruit is to die for.
As an alternative, try wrapping the prosciutto around wedges of honeydew or even pineapple. After all, doesn't Hawaiian pizza combine ham and pineapple? Isn't serving pineapple with baked ham done all the time? I wonder how it would taste wrapped around grilled peach or nectarine halves, or perhaps you could chop the fruit and tear the ham into smaller pieces to make a salad, adding thinly sliced red onion and/or cucumber and dressing with a bottled vinaigrette. All of these lovely fruits are in season, so I'm going to make the most of it.
For something to go with the baguettes I'll take a tried and true route. Clean and slice one cantaloupe into wedges. Wrap each wedge with one thin slice of prosciutto. That's all it takes, and the combination of the salty ham and sweet fruit is to die for.
As an alternative, try wrapping the prosciutto around wedges of honeydew or even pineapple. After all, doesn't Hawaiian pizza combine ham and pineapple? Isn't serving pineapple with baked ham done all the time? I wonder how it would taste wrapped around grilled peach or nectarine halves, or perhaps you could chop the fruit and tear the ham into smaller pieces to make a salad, adding thinly sliced red onion and/or cucumber and dressing with a bottled vinaigrette. All of these lovely fruits are in season, so I'm going to make the most of it.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Winging It
My friend Karen and I were next door neighbors in Lanesboro, MA for a number of years back in the 1980s. One of our favorite restaurants in that town is the Olde Forge, where they make the best chicken wings ever. Not buffalo style, but more of an Asian flavor with a little spicy kick. I have tried repeatedly to recreate the flavor of their wings at home and think I may finally have come close.
Clean and dry two pounds of chicken wing sections (no tips please). Place on a lightly greased baking sheet (or two) in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees until the skins brown and crisp up, about forty minutes. Place the wings in a serving dish with sides high enough to hold them and the following sauce.
To make the sauce combine two-thirds of a cup of bottled teriyaki sauce, one to two teaspoons of chili paste with garlic (depending on how hot you like your food) and four tablespoons of honey. Mix well and pour over the wings. They're ready to eat, but can also be refrigerated for a day and reheated in the sauce. In fact, I think they benefit from reheating and are a great pot-luck dish. These are definitely finger-licking good.
Clean and dry two pounds of chicken wing sections (no tips please). Place on a lightly greased baking sheet (or two) in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees until the skins brown and crisp up, about forty minutes. Place the wings in a serving dish with sides high enough to hold them and the following sauce.
To make the sauce combine two-thirds of a cup of bottled teriyaki sauce, one to two teaspoons of chili paste with garlic (depending on how hot you like your food) and four tablespoons of honey. Mix well and pour over the wings. They're ready to eat, but can also be refrigerated for a day and reheated in the sauce. In fact, I think they benefit from reheating and are a great pot-luck dish. These are definitely finger-licking good.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Holy Guacamole
I went to a friend's house yesterday to hang out, watch a movie and nosh. It was, once again, too hot to cook. These two dips, along with a large bag of tortilla chips, easily solved the problem of what to bring.
Guacamole:
Remove the flesh from three nicely ripe Haas avocados. You can tell they're ripe if the flesh gives a little when pressed. They may also have started to turn dark. Really green avocados are not usually ripe. Mash the flesh with a fork.
Finely chop about one-quarter of a small red onion and one jalapeno pepper. Add to the avocado along with salt to taste, one teaspoon of cumin and the juice of one lime. Mix well.
That's all I put in my guacamole, but some people like to add some chopped tomatoes and/or a little sour cream. I warn you, guacamole is addictive!
Black Bean Dip:
This couldn't be easier or tastier. Rinse and drain one 15-ounce can of black beans and place into a bowl. Add one-half cup of your favorite purchased salsa. Mash with a fork, or use an immersion blender to combine the beans and salsa. That's all you need to do.
Guacamole:
Remove the flesh from three nicely ripe Haas avocados. You can tell they're ripe if the flesh gives a little when pressed. They may also have started to turn dark. Really green avocados are not usually ripe. Mash the flesh with a fork.
Finely chop about one-quarter of a small red onion and one jalapeno pepper. Add to the avocado along with salt to taste, one teaspoon of cumin and the juice of one lime. Mix well.
That's all I put in my guacamole, but some people like to add some chopped tomatoes and/or a little sour cream. I warn you, guacamole is addictive!
Black Bean Dip:
This couldn't be easier or tastier. Rinse and drain one 15-ounce can of black beans and place into a bowl. Add one-half cup of your favorite purchased salsa. Mash with a fork, or use an immersion blender to combine the beans and salsa. That's all you need to do.
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