Tomato Casual

Tomato-Artichoke Cream

tomatocasual.com — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 11:06:25 +0000

By David Harbilas

This is a simple sauce that gets the best results from prepared artichokes.

Most prepared vegetables are junk and best ignored.

But artichokes, in my opinion, are quite good from a jar, tasting briny and sweet.

They’re also incredibly tender, which helps to make this sauce so easy.

Since artichokes have such a delicate flavor they are best paired with just a little tomato, which should act more like a seasoning. Given the subtle flavor of this sauce it would be best to serve it with lighter proteins like chicken or fish, or pasta.

Makes about 3 cups

1 jar of artichokes
2 tomatoes
1 cup heavy cream
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Cut the stem end out of the tomatoes and place in a small roasting dish with about ¼ cup of olive oil. Cover the pan with foil and roast for 3 hours. Remove and cool. Place the tomatoes in a blender with the artichokes and blend until smooth. Press the puree through a sieve into a saucepan. Add the heavy cream and reduce over medium heat until thick, about 20-30 minutes. Serve with chicken, fish, or pasta.

Warm salad of Artichokes, Arugula and Black Olives with Tomato-Garlic Dressing

tomatocasual.com — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 11:00:09 +0000

By David Harbilas

This dish may seem short on tomatoes, but like most salads the dressing is what brings it together.

I serve it warm mostly because I think it wakens the flavors.

If you don’t like olives, substitute them with something meaty, like mushrooms or even croutons.

Serves 2

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
3 garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil
4 artichokes, halved
2 cups arugula
¼ cup black olives
Juice of ½ lemon
salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, simmer the garlic with the olive oil until the garlic browns slightly and is soft, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tomato. Allow to steep for 20 minutes. Puree the vegetables until smooth. Keep the puree warm until ready to assemble the salad. In a bowl, toss the arugula with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add the artichokes and black olives and add enough tomato dressing to coat. Serve warm.

Artichokes with Tomatoes, Anchovies and Bread Crumbs

tomatocasual.com — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:56:29 +0000

By David Harbilas

Artichokes are a love-hate vegetable to me.

I love cooking them, but they are a pain to prepare, pulling off the leaves, then cutting out the hairy choke, then keeping them in a bath of lemon water to keep them from discoloring.

Of course, they are worth the effort.

Luckily, we have prepared, jarred artichokes available, and while it would be considered sacrilege for me to suggest you use prepared anything, especially vegetables, I say go for it.

Honestly, I kind of prefer the jarred ones to fresh, as the leaves become very tender after the jarring process. This makes a simple appetizer and is great when entertaining.

Serves 4

1 large jar of artichokes, at least 6 artichokes
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 anchovy filets, chopped
1 cup onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
¼ cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
lemon wedges, for serving

In a small saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the anchovy and cook for 20 seconds. Remove from the heat and place in a bowl. Add the tomatoes, parsely, breadcrumbs, and cheese. Stir to combine. Add enough olive oil to make a slightly wet mixture that should hold its shape.

Meanwhile, preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise. Press some of the stuffing into each of the artichoke halves. Drizzle a little additional olive oil over the halves and place in the oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until the stuffing browns slightly. Serve hot, with lemon wedges.

Tomato-Gazpacho Sauce

tomatocasual.com — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:48:20 +0000

By David Harbilas

This sauce occurred to me while daydreaming.

Gazpacho is not only a great soup on its own but it also makes a great sauce for some summer dishes.

Yet what happened if you cooked a gazpacho?

The solids and liquids would separate, due to the reaction to heat, creating an odd-looking foam on the surface. Eventually the foam would subside and the sauce would eventually thicken into a sort of consommé. I doubt this is original. Yet it is worth mentioning, if only for the sake of curiosity.

Onions, in particular, have an interesting way of “clarifying” a sauce like this. I omit the cucumbers—some vegetables we eat raw in salads have an interesting taste when cooked, like lettuce or endive, but cucumbers are, in my opinion, meant to be eaten raw.

Makes about 1cup of sauce

4 tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
4 garlic cloves
1 onion, quartered
1 bell pepper, rough chopped
vinegar and sugar to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Place the vegetables in a blender and puree until smooth. (If needed, puree in batches.) Place the puree into a saucepan and heat to a simmer. The sauce should separate into a foam and liquid, then settle into a coarse liquid. Cook until reduced by half. Push the sauce through a fine mesh sieve, then heat again. Cook to desired thickness, then season to taste with salt, pepper, vinegar and sugar. Serve with grilled chicken, pork, beef, or fish.

Pasta with Tomato-Aglio-Olio Sauce

tomatocasual.com — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:45:31 +0000

By David Harbilas

I love dishes that make use of few ingredients, and aglio-olio, or garlic-oil sauce is a great example.

In its simplest form it is exactly as it says—garlic sauteed in oil and tossed with pasta.

My favorite version comes from Lydia Shire, who chooses to “roast” whole garlic cloves in a pan with olive oil, then puree the oil and garlic and toss the pasta with the puree.

This version is a derivation of that. Italians love the use of toasted bread crumbs with pasta in place of cheese, especially when serving fish. Here you can use either.

Serves 4

1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ cup bread crumbs (or parmesan cheese)
1 ½ cups olive oil
1 pound pasta, any shape
salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, combine the garlic and olive oil and simmer until the garlic browns slightly and is very tender, at least 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly. Place the oil and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Place the puree into a saucepan large enough to hold all the pasta and heat to a bare simmer. Add the red pepper flakes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente, Drain the pasta, add to the pan with the oil. Add the tomatoes and toss. Serve and top with the breadcrumbs or cheese.

What Happened to Sun-Dried Tomatoes?

tomatocasual.com — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:37:11 +0000

By David Harbilas

I feel like I’m too young to understand trends in cooking, and when I was a teenager my father used to say that sun-dried tomatoes were a thing of the past.

I can’t remember exactly the words he used, but there was no doubt that he doubted their lasting effect—even though he would occasionally buy them and cook with them.

Yet I feel like it influenced my opinion of them, even after I finally had the opportunity to try them for myself.

The sun-dried tomatoes of that time were almost always packed in olive oil and seemed to taste greatly of some unidentified spice.

I remember not liking them.

They had a leathery texture and flavor that seemed a combination of vinegar and oil, not unlike badly produced and packaged artichokes. Yet it seems that the uses for and packaging of sun-dried tomatoes today have changed greatly, and while I doubt a renaissance is in their future it does seem like they deserve a degree of attention.

Years ago it seems like sun-dried tomatoes were everywhere, and their place on many menus was center-stage. Today we still favor a ubiquitous approach to food, except now “methods” have been highlighted on menus with words like “froth,” “emulsion,” “reduction,” and “organic.” (“Organic” really pisses me off, since very few people—myself included—understand what it takes for a farm to become certified as organic, never mind what that difference really means in terms of the food we actually eat. But that is a subject for another discussion.)

Sun-dried tomato dishes of the ‘80’s were bold, often tasting of little else than sun-dried tomatoes. I can rather vividly remember one fish entrée that was so laden with them that it seemed like the fish was an afterthought. Considering how our attention has been shifted in cooking from the bold to the balanced (among other things) it is no wonder that sun-dried tomatoes have virtually disappeared from our lexicon.

So what place do sun-dried tomatoes have in our cooking today, and do they deserve more? It seems like they have become a seasoning rather than a star ingredient, and I think perhaps that is where they are best used. Many times we tend to want a lot of something that at first seems like the greatest discovery of all time, and we forget that it often takes us a long time to figure out and understand how certain ingredients and methods are best used. That process is, of course, part of the beauty of cooking—our mistakes are sometimes the source of these very discoveries. Yet in our zeal we often forget that the curiosity that prompted that invention is exactly what teaches us moderation.

We search with intense interest for new things, yet once we find them we overuse them. Over time we understand what it is about these things that interest us and we use them with those characteristics in mind. Sun-dried tomatoes have become an afterthought mostly because of their overuse, yet it seems like they have never really taken on a proper use at all.

Perhaps it’s time we reexamined them as an important seasoning, similar to tomato paste, rather than a major, contributing component. Chefs often develop an obsessive relationship with ingredients, not only concerning themselves with where they come from but also with how they can be used. As with tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes seem best used sparingly, and it bears mention that most tomato products that are cooked or processed are the ones best used as such. The fresher the tomato the better it is suited for star status.

The Tomato Chronicles: Avoid Growing that Unknown Tomato

tomatocasual.com — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:50:49 +0000

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

I am one of those gardeners that plants my vegetables and swears I will remember the variety but….

It never fails that I know what I planted but can not just pick out which variety is which unless it is a unique type.

So this year I have come up with a plan to avoid this situation.

First, I always mark my varieties in my gardening journal. Doing this, one may think, would allow me to remember the varieties but when I plant tomatoes I plant tomatoes.

Last year, I topped 65 plants so keeping track of the varieties, when asked, is not always easy. While the garden journal is an excellent tool and a necessity to a successful gardening season, it is not really conducive to those quick gardening questions.

I have also used plastic plant tags that are pushed into the ground but these tend to break off for me. I have also made my own plant name stakes from new paint stirrers but by the end of the season they look worn and hard to read. Another technique that I have used that works well is to attach the seed packet of the variety to a new paint stirrer. I then cover the paper seed packet with clear shelf liner. The liner is plastic and protects the seed packet from moisture and sun damage but this approach only works for varieties planted in rows.

So this year, I am going to know every variety of tomato plant I have planted without having to pull out my lovely garden journal. But the question remains, how?

Since I plant tomatoes inmy mulch garden, in containers and even in flower pouches, I am going to have to have several different techniques for labeling the plant material. The first approach I am going to use is only for my determinate tomato plants. Since I do not stake these plants, I can come up with a decorative while functional type of plant label. To solve this problem, I pulled out my roll of copper I had bought for my copper punch projects.

I cut the copper so that I have a nameplate along with a copper stake so that I can force it into the ground. Once this is done, I simply write onto the copper with a pencil. While the pencil mark itself does not show up the indention of what I have written does. I then place the nameplate in front of my determinate tomato plant and push it into the ground. Now, I know what is in my container garden.

Another approach I am going to try is to create a hanging nameplate for my indeterminate tomato plants or those I have to stake. To do this, collect the plastic clips that one gets when they buy bread. Next, on both sides of the clip write the variety of tomato plant. Due to their size, one may have to abbreviate the name. After this is done, simply cover with clear shelf liner. At this point, one can poke a hole in the clear shelf liner to create a hanging hole that can be strung or just cut out the center of the clip.

After the clip has been finished, it can simply be hung on a tomato cage, tomato stake or on a trellis.

So this year, give some of these nameplate designs a try. It will allow you to become one with your garden by knowing beyond the fact that the plant in the garden is a tomato.

So until we blog again, it is just as important to know your plants as it is to know your friends.

Tomato-Citrus Aioli

tomatocasual.com — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:45:27 +0000

By David Harbilas

Despite having a summer-like quality to it, citrus is truly a winter fruit.

A trip to a supermarket will show that the sheer variety of citrus fruits available during the winter months makes it a great time to cook with citrus.

Despite tomatoes being out of season this is also a great time to pair tomatoes with citrus.

The freshest tomatoes at the height of their seasonal availability is in fact not what I had in mind for this recipe, and it can in fact be made with tomato paste. But a very slowly stewed mixture of chopped, seeded tomatoes can work just as well as a base for the sauce.

Aiolis can be a little intimidating due to their ability to break while drizzling in the olive oil. This one is a little more user friendly, given the use of the tomatoes. Serve it with fried or roasted fish, chicken, or pork.

Makes about 2 cups of sauce

4 egg yolks
3 tomaotes, peeled, seeded, and diced
Juice of 1 ½ oranges
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon of Dijon
1 ½ cups olive oil, plus a little to stew the tomatoes in
salt and pepper to taste

Place the tomatoes in a small saucepan with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stew the tomatoes over medium heat for 30-45 minutes, or until very thick and nearly dry. If necessary add a little water to the pan to keep from drying out and burning. Cool the tomatoes.

Place the tomatoes, egg yolks, garlic and Dijon in a small food processor and turn on to blend. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil in a thin stream. The mixture should thicken gradually and resemble a mayonnaise. At the end, drizzle in the orange juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tuna with Tomato-Watermelon Salsa

tomatocasual.com — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 11:40:51 +0000

By David Harbilas

Yes, watermelon is not a winter fruit.

But why not try to find some and dream of summer?

Salsas are a wonderful alternative to rich, complicated sauces, and this one is as simple as it is healthy.

Add some chopped jalapeno to it and you have a delicious hot and sour combination.

Serves 2

2 tuna steaks, about 6 ounces each
1 cup diced watermelon
2 tomatoes, diced
½ cup diced sweet onion, or red onion
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup sliced scallions
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine the tomato, watermelon, lemon juice, onion, and scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Prepare a grill or grill pan over high heat. Season the tuna with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side, or until cooked to the desired temperature. Sliced the tuna and serve with the salsa.

Tempura Fried Oysters with Spicy Tomato-Yogurt Sauce

tomatocasual.com — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:33:32 +0000

By David Harbilas

Yogurt is a very ubiquitous ingredient in Turkish cuisine and such a wonderful combination of sweet and sour that it’s amazing that it hasn’t become a more popular ingredient here in America.

It’s also, obviously, very healthy, and seeing as how we love our dairy and fats (like butter and cream), this is an easy way to get some of that satisfaction without doing terrible harm to our bodies.

Even if you decide to use whole milk yogurt a little goes a long way as far as flavor is concerned, so the caloric content is not likely to be that great.

This sauce can also be used on chicken, beef, or any other protein—especially eggs. A fried egg over an English muffin drizzled with a little of this sauce is a great way to start the day.

Makes enough sauce for 1 dozen oysters

1 cup plain yogurt
2 plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons mild chile powder
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup flour
4 tablespoons cornstarch
About 1 cup club soda
12 each oysters, shucked
frying oil

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and drizzle with a little of the chile powder, salt and pepper, and olive oil. Roast the tomatoes for about 30-40 minutes, or until soft and slightly charred at the edges. Remove and cool. Puree the tomatoes until smooth, then pass through a sieve into a bowl. Add the yogurt, along with the rest of the chile powder, honey and salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, prepare a large pot to fry the oysters—fill the pot no more than halfway with the frying oil and heat to about 350 degrees. (Use a candy thermometer, or heat over high heat until a small pinch of flour will instantly sizzle when thrown into the oil.) Mix the cornstarch with the flour and whisk in the club soda to make a thin tempura batter. The batter should just coat the oysters thinly, as the batter will puff up; any thicker and the batter will end up being a very thick coating and the oyster will be “lost” in it.

Coat the oysters first in flour, then dip into the tempura batter. Drop the oysters into the oil. Make sure to use a slotted spoon to stir the oysters in the oil so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Once they float on top of the oil, let them cook for about 1 minute. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain for 30 seconds, seasoning with salt and pepper as they are hot. Serve with a drizzle of the yogurt sauce, or on the side for dipping.