 |
Food |
|
|
| Tomatoes add flavor to dishes |
|
| By Carrie Ann Knauer, Carroll Kitchens |
Friday, October 09, 2009 |
|
|
It’s the time of year when tomato plants start looking a little sickly, dried out and hunched over, but the tomatoes themselves keep growing and ripening.
I did not plant tomatoes this year because of the house project and knowing that my veggie garden was right in the path of workers who would be replacing my siding. But I am fortunate enough to have a neighbor who has been giving me grocery bags of tomatoes, which is more than I could have grown on my own (due to my poor memory when it comes to watering).
I’ve made homemade tomato sauce twice now with them but decided I needed some new recipes. Neither my husband nor I are big fans of raw tomatoes, but fresh tomatoes cooked in homemade recipes are delicious, bringing a whole new depth of flavor to dishes that I’ve made before using canned tomatoes.
So here are some recipes that I found interesting. The first recipe, for fried tomatoes, is from reader Marcy King. It’s nice and simple and leaves room for tweaking to your personal preferences.
The fresh tomato salsa recipe is also pretty simple, and I think I’ll be giving that a try this weekend for my Maryland Wine Festival Post-Party. The third recipe is a tomato tart, which looks mouthwatering and simple and pretty, with the use of red and yellow tomatoes. It calls for pesto, which is also a good way to use up any overflowing basil you may have in the garden.
And finally, there’s a recipe for chow chow, which I had never heard of before. Apparently it’s a southern thing, a type of relish that can be made with a wide variety of ingredients, that I found on the Texas A&M Web site. That uses green tomatoes, in case you have an abundance of those that you’re tired of waiting for.
I hope you enjoy. Feel free to send more of your tomato recipes for this month.
Fried tomatoes (red or green)
3 or 4 large tomatoes
|
2 cups flour
1 pinch salt
1 to 2 teaspoons pepper
3 tablespoons white sugar
Slice tomatoes to desired thickness.
Mix flour, salt, pepper and sugar on a plate.
Coat tomatoes with the flour mixture.
Fry until golden brown in vegetable oil or bacon grease, turning once. Season to your desired taste.
Source: Marcy King Burns, of Westminster
Fresh tomato salsa
4 cups diced tomatoes, (5 to 6 medium)
3/4 cup finely diced red onion, (about 1 small)
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
Combine tomatoes, onion, vinegar, jalapeno, cilantro, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Source: www.eatingwell.comTomato tart
Tomato Tart
12 14-by-18-inch sheets phyllo dough
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon plain dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons prepared pesto
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, (about 4 ounces)
1 large red tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 large yellow tomato, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
10-12 small basil leaves
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 17 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lay one large sheet of phyllo on the prepared pan. Keep the remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap or wax paper and a damp kitchen towel.
Lightly coat the phyllo surface with oil using a pastry brush. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Repeat this step, layering the remaining phyllo on top. Brush the final sheet with oil. Carefully roll about 3/4-inch of each side toward the center to form the outer rim of the tart.
Using the same brush, paint pesto evenly on the surface of the tart. Sprinkle about half of the crumbled feta cheese over the pesto layer. Arrange tomato slices, alternating colors, over the pesto layer; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Bake the tart until the crust turns brown and crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
To serve, lift the parchment paper and slide the tart onto a cutting board or large platter. Scatter basil leaves on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Make Ahead Tips: Bake the tart up to 8 hours in advance; cover and refrigerate. Transport it directly on the baking sheet. Pack basil leaves separately in a plastic bag. Reheat the tart at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
Note: Thaw frozen phyllo in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight before preparing the recipe.
Source: www.eatingwell.com
Chow Chow
1 quart green tomatoes, chopped (about 6 to 8 tomatoes)
2 sweet green peppers, chopped
2 large mild onions, chopped
1 small head cabbage, chopped
1/2 cup salt
3 cups vinegar
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons celery seed
Grind the chopped vegetables. Add the salt to them, and let the mixture stand overnight.
Drain the vegetable mixture in a jelly bag, pressing out all the liquid you can. Transfer the vegetables to a large pot. Add the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, tumeric, and celery seed and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for one hour. Stir frequently.
Pour the relish into hot, sterilized pint jars, cover, process 15 minutes in a boiling bath.
Source: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu
|
Add Your Own Comment:
Please review the legal policies posted here before posting a comment. To report abuse click here.
|
|
|
| Online Poll |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
