Tag Archives: tomatoes

Caprese panino from Mario

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1000x400-Q80_a35eac1e31c2186023e716a019a2f09fCAPRESE PANINO

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or balsamic
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (roughly chopped)
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 vine-ripe tomatoes (cores removed, thinly sliced into rounds)
  • 1 loaf ciabatta (cut lengthwise, cut into 6-inch pieces)
  • 2 balls buffalo mozzarella (about 8 ounces each, sliced)

BASIL PESTO

  • 2 1/2 cups basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts (raw)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
  • Preheat a grill pan or panini maker to medium heat.
  • In a large bowl, add red wine vinegar or basmalic, dried oregano, fresh oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Add the tomatoes and toss to coat. Set aside.
  • For the Pesto: in the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts. Pulse and chop until almost blended. The resulting pesto will be a little chunky and not too wet. Pulse a few times to chop and combine. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until combined, The resulting pesto should be a little chunky and not too wet. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and pulse a couple times just to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set the sauce aside so that the flavors meld.
  • To build the sandwiches, lay out a top and bottom piece of ciabatta with the insides facing up. Spread some pesto on both slices of bread. On the bottom piece, add some mozzarella and dressed tomato slices. Top with bread. Brush the outside of the sandwich with a little olive oil. Place on preheated panini maker and close. Cook until golden brown and the cheese has slightly melted, about 3-5 minutes. Continue building sandwiches with remaining ingredients.
  • Tip: alternatively, cook the panini stovetop in a skillet or grill pan and press with a weighted object.

Michael Ruhlman’s Pasta with Tomato Water, Basil, and Garlic

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  • 4 ripe tomatoes, large dice
  • 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
  • 12 ounces spaghetti or any pasta you like
  • 10 cloves of garlic
  • 1cup basil, cut into ribbons
  • 3 ounces butter, cut into three chunks
  • Olive oil, as needed
  1. Season the tomatoes with the salt and toss them well.
  2. Put a big pot of water on to boil.
  3. Smash the garlic with the flat side of a knife, give it all a few rough chops with the knife and set them a side in a small bowl.
  4. Cut the basil into ribbons or roughly chop it. Take a pinch of this basil, chop it finely, and add it to the tomatoes to season the water.
  5. Cook your pasta, drain it, put it back in the pot, and oil the pasta to keep it from sticking to itself. (Meanwhile, even if your water isn’t boiling yet, you should still get your garlic cooking in the next step).
  6. Heat a teaspoon or two of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the garlic and cook it till it is just beginning to brown around the edges and soften, a couple minutes. Give it a pinch of salt if you wish.
  7. Pour the tomatoes into a strainer or colander over the garlic so that the tomato water will stream into the pan below. Set the strainer with the tomatoes into the bowl so they don’t drip on the counter, and swirl the sauce to bring it to a simmer. Add the butter while continuing to swirl or stir the sauce. Keep the sauce moving until all the butter is melted. Add the pasta and toss to coat the pasta evenly. Divide the pasta among four bowls and top with the tomatoes and basil.

 

Israeli coucous salad

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18recipehealth-master675For the Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

  • 1 large lemon, juice of
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp dill weed
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • salt and pepper 

For the Israeli Couscous

  • 2 cups Israeli couscous (Pearl couscous)
  • Olive oil
  • Water
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
  • ⅓ cup finely chopped red onions
  • ½ English cucumber, finely chopped
  • ½ cup good pitted kalamta olives
  • 15-20 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped or torn; more for garnish
  • 10 mini fresh mozzarella balls (or 1 cup chopped fresh mozzarella), optional
  1. To make the lemon-dill vinaigrette, place the vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together to combine. Set aside briefly.
  2. In a medium-sized heavy pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the couscous in the olive oil briefly until golden brown. Add 3 cups of boiling water (or the amount instructed on the package), and cook according to package. When ready, drain in a colander. Set aside in a bowl to cool.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients minus the basil and mozzarella. Then add the couscous and the basil and mix together gently.
  4. Now, give the lemon-dill vinaigrette a quick whisk and add it to the couscous salad. Mix again to combine. Test and adjust salt, if needed.

Easy stuffed fresh mozzarella caprese from anitalianinmykitchen.com

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1 large and 1 medium fresh mozzarella (I used 2 medium and had a lot of caprese left over)**
12 cherry tomatoes or 2 or 3 medium to large ripe but firm tomatoes (seeded and chopped)
1/4 small onion chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
3/4 teaspoon oregano (3/4 gram)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1.35 grams)
4-5 fresh basil leaves chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil (54 grams)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (14 grams)

Place the fresh mozzarella in a sieve over a bowl for approximately 20 minutes. Carefully hollow out the mozzarella, chop the excess mozzarella.

In a medium bowl combine, chopped excess mozzarella, chopped tomatoes, onion and celery, oregano,salt, chopped basil, 3 tablespoons olive oil and balsamic vinegar, toss gently together.

Fill the hollowed out fresh mozzarella with the caprese mixture, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and serve the extra caprese mixture on the side. Enjoy!

 

Angel Hair Pasta with Flash-Sautéed Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce, Tuna, and Green Olives

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    • Kosher saltangelhair_0
    • 1 lb/455 g angel hair pasta
    • 2 1/2 cups/600 ml Flash-Sautéed Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce, heated
    • Two 6-oz/170-g cans good-quality tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked
    • 1/2 cup/55 g pitted green olives such as Lucques or Castelvetrano
    • 1 tbsp rinsed capers
    • 1/4 cup/10 g chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or other fresh herbs as you like

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, stir, and cook until just shy of al dente (about 1 minute less than the package instructions). Just before the pasta is ready, scoop out about ½ cup/120 ml of the cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta.

Return the pasta to the pot over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce and toss to coat evenly. Fold in the tuna, olives, and capers, and then fold in a few spoonfuls of reserved pasta water to create a nice saucy consistency.

Divide the pasta among warmed pasta bowls and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve right away.

Flash-Sautéed Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

    • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 tbsp minced, seeded jalapeño, serrano, or other fresh hot chile or pepperoncino
    • Kosher salt
    • 5 cups/800 g ripe cherry tomatoes, stemmed and halved if large
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 tsp lightly packed finely grated lemon zest
    • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
    • 3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, basil, mint, or a mixture
    • 1 tsp unsalted butter

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chile and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring often, until soft and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they begin to burst and release their juice, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so, then stir in the lemon zest and juice. Remove the pan from the heat, add the parsley and butter, and swirl the pan to blend them into the sauce. Taste and balance the seasoning with salt and lemon juice if needed. Serve right away.

Storage: This sauce loses its vibrancy after a few hours, so use it as soon as possible after making it.

Quick Change: Add 1 tbsp drained capers or chopped, pitted green olives with the garlic.

 

Eggplant Meatball Casserole Sarah Carey

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  • 1 eggplant (1 pound), stemmed and cut in 4 3/4-inch planks
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 1/3 cups breadcrumbs, preferably from a hearty Italian loaf
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced plus 2 cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 large egg white
    1 can (28 ounce) whole plum tomatoes, pulsed in food processor
  • Red pepper flakes
  • 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced into 12 thin squares

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt, place in a single layer around a colander set over a bowl, and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse eggplant, drain, and squeeze dry, pressing out excess moisture and patting with paper towel. Removing excess moisture helps make it easier to roll the balls.

    1. Meanwhile, spread 1 1/3 cup breadcrumbs in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until dried and just turning golden, 5 minutes. Let cool.

    2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant in a single layer; cook, flipping one time, about 5 minutes. Transfer to colander. Repeat adding another tablespoon of oil and second half of eggplant. If pan gets too hot, adjust heat. Wipe out pan. Let eggplant cool slightly in colander.

    3. Transfer eggplant to a food processor, discarding any extra juices that drained out. Add toasted breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and minced garlic. Pulse until mixture is a chunky paste, about 6 pulses. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg white. Chill until cold, about 30 minutes. Form mixture into 12 balls, coating the outsides with remaining breadcrumbs to help shape the balls. Chill at least 1 hour until firmer and cold and up to overnight. Best results with an overnight chill.

    4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10 inch enameled cast iron casserole or cast iron skillet over medium-high. Add meatballs working in two batches; cook, turning carefully with a spoon to help retain shape, until browned all over, about 6 to 7 minutes. If pan gets too hot, adjust heat. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining tablespoon oil and sliced garlic; stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, a large pinch of red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; bring to a boil. Return meatballs to pan; spooning sauce over to coat. Bake until sauce is slightly thickened, 18 minutes. Remove casserole from oven. Set oven to broil. Top each meatball with a piece of mozzarella; return to oven. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden in spots, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Tomato and goat cheese cobbler

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  • For the biscuit topping
  • 3/4 ccherry-tomato-goat-cheese-cobblerup plus 3 tablespoons (120 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons cornmeal
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (130 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons cold buttermilk
  • For the tomato filling
  • 2 pounds (1 kilogram) red and yellow cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Leaves from 8 to 10 thyme sprigs
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • Healthy pinch freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  • 6 ounces (170 grams) soft goat cheese, crumbled
  • Make the biscuit topping
  • 1. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Dump in the butter cubes. Using a pastry blender, work the butter until you have pea- to lima bean-size pieces. (If you have particularly cold hands, you can use your fingertips.) Drizzle in the buttermilk and toss the mixture with a fork until it’s evenly moistened.
  • 2. Plop the dough on a clean work surface. Press and squeeze the dough until it begins to hold together. (If you tossed it well with the fork, this should be a cinch. If you see dry spots, it’s best to use the fork to mix the dough instead of your hands. Whatever you do, don’t overwork the dough.) When all is said and done, you should still see pea-size bits of butter running through the dough.
  • 3. Shape the dough into a disc about 3/4 inch (2 centimeters) thick. Using a 1 1/2 inch (4 centimeter) biscuit cutter, cut out 9 biscuits. Gently gather the dough scraps together, press them into a slab again, and cut out more biscuits. (I was able to get 15 biscuits.) Transfer the biscuits to a baking sheet and slide them in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours. (You can stash the biscuits in a resealable plastic bag and freeze them for up to 3 months to simplify throwing the cobbler together at the last minute easy. You’ll want to allow them a little extra time to thaw a little after taking them out of the freezer and before baking them.)
  • Make the tomato filling
  • 4. Crank your oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • 5. Toss the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, half the thyme, salt, and pepper in an ovenproof skillet. (I used a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and it worked marvelously.) Cover the skillet and cook on the stovetop over medium-high heat until the tomatoes begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover the skillet and continue cooking until all the tomatoes have burst slightly and released their juices.
  • 6. Remove the biscuits from the freezer and generously brush the tops with the egg wash. Place them on top of the tomato mixture in the skillet, spacing them 1 inch (2 1/2 centimeters) apart.
  • 7. Bake the cobbler for 25 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and dot the goat cheese between the biscuits, covering any exposed tomato mixture. Return the whole shebang to the oven, bump up the heat to 450°F (232°C) and continue baking until the top is nicely browned, about 10 minutes more. Scatter the remaining thyme over the top and serve the cobbler warm or at room temperature, scooping the cobbler straight from the skillet at the table. If you’re like me, you’ll want to gild each serving with an extra crank or so freshly ground black pepper. The cobbler is best eaten the day it’s made. (Like it could ever make it to another day.)

Read more at http://leitesculinaria.com/96970/writings-tomato-and-goat-cheese-cobbler.html#TqXS2TLgIZrD1W6G.99

Soba Noodle Salad from washingtonpost.com

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soba

The chef prefers using regular soy sauce instead of low-sodium (for better flavor).

The dressing can be refrigerated a few days in advance.

For the dressing
2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon plain rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili oil
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
One 2-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated (1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons water

For the salad
6 to 8 ounces buckwheat soba noodles
1 or 2 heads romaine lettuce hearts, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup shelled, frozen/defrosted edamame
6 to 8 scallions (trimmed), white and light-green parts cut thin on the diagonal
20 grape tomatoes, each cut in half
White sesame seeds, for garnish
Nori (roasted seaweed), cut into very thin matchsticks, for garnish

For the dressing: Whisk together the sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, chili oil, peanut butter, ginger and water in a medium bowl, to form a shiny, emulsified blend.

For the salad: Bring a pot of unsalted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the soba noodles (to taste) and stir; cook according to the package directions, then drain, rinse until cool and drain again.

Divide the lettuce (to taste) among individual plates. Top each portion with an equal amount of the cooled noodles, then scatter each one with some of the edamame, scallions and grape tomatoes.

Just before serving, spoon a generous amount of the dressing over each salad, then top each with a good pinch of the sesame seeds and the nori. Serve right away.  4 servings

Better Tomorrow Vegan Chili from splendid table

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461153915The story of chili always ends with the statement that it’s better the second day. So why don’t we just make it ahead of time and consider that first day as part of the cooking process? I do. My “vegan-ified” version uses pecans, which have a distinct richness and “meaty” mouthfeel, and play very nicely with the brown spices. The dried mushrooms are a nifty addition that I learned from Cook’s Illustrated. Not only do the pulverized mushrooms thicken the chili, they also add that forest-floor bass note that we interpret as “hearty.” I keep some dried mushroom powder in my spice rack at all times—whatever’s cheapest—and you should too. A spoonful will add a layer of complexity to vegan dishes and omnivorous dishes alike.

 

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 16 ounces button mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean, and quartered
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, finely minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 cups pecans (about 7 ounces), toasted, very finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Two 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 2 cups vegetable stock (or vegetable broth, and cut the salt by half)
  • One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
  • One 1-ounce package dried mushrooms (whatever is cheapest), pulverized in a blender
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring only once, until browned, about 6 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot and stir to incorporate. Simmer until the vegetables and nuts are soft, about 30 minutes. Let cool. Refrigerate overnight.

HOLD IT? Keep the chili in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat the chili in a pot over low heat, stirring often.

PLATE IT! My ideal chili-serving vessel would be the dolsot, which is an individual Korean earthenware bowl that retains tons of heat. You can find them online. Warm them up slowly in the oven, and then ladle in the chili. Or you can scoop the chili into a bowl. Garnish with whatever you like (see below).

BREAK IT: Chili is kind of an open-source recipe. Now that you’ve made it, customize it to your liking. Change the beans, add some greens, or even wrap it in a tortilla and fry it up like the chimichangas.

Vegetable bolognese, Mario

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Vegetarian-Bolognese-from-Cearas-Kitchen

    • 2 pounds mushrooms (such as cremini)
    • 3 medium carrots (peeled and roughly chopped)
    • 3 ribs celery (roughly chopped)
    • 5 cloves garlic
    • 1 cup milk
    • 4 ounces tomato paste
    • 1 cup dry white wine
    • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a food processor, add the mushrooms. Pulse to finely chop. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

In the same food processor, add the onions and pulse to finely chop. Remove to a separate bowl and set aside. Repeat with the carrots, celery and garlic, and add to the bowl with the onions. Set aside.

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add olive oil and place over medium heat.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic, season with salt, and cook until the vegetables are translucent, about 5 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste, stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the milk and wine, and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and remove from the heat.

Helpful Tip: make the Vegetable Bolognese ahead of time and freeze up to a month!