Tomato Tart

Tomato Tart

I love tomato pie. It is one of my all time favorites. One day for brunch I had a tomato tart with mustard. It was yummy. I decided to create my own tomato tart. It took a couple of tries and several mistakes but the result was great.  But you have to love mustard. I love mustard- I have all types of mustard.
I have made this tart with homemade pastry, phyllo, and store-bought pastry. I like all three -- in  time pinch I use store-bought dough. The important thing is to use a tart pan- not a pie pan. I tried using a pie pan (I could find my tart pan and was in a time crunch). It wasn't as good. So I recommend using a tart pan. For the herbs, I like basil, chives, oregano, and thyme.

9 or 10 Inch (20 or 25 cm) Pie Crust
1-2 Tbsp of Coarse Mustard
2-3 Tomatoes, Sliced
1-2 Tbsp of Chopped Herbs
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
6-8 oz (170g - 225g) of Goat Cheese, Sliced
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 425F/218C/Gas Mark 7. Place pastry dough in a 9 or 10 inch (20 to 25 cm) tart pan. Spread mustard on the pastry dough and allow to dry (about 5 minutes).

Mustard yummy mustard

Meanwhile sliced tomatoes, herbs, and goat cheese. Place tomatoes on mustard and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Adding sliced tomatoes

Drizzle with oil. Top with goat cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ready for the oven!

Bake for 20-30 minutes (watch closely because you don't want to over bake).

Finished tomato tart

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes- incredible. I don't know which one I like better the tomato pie or the tomato tart.

Not Your Average Spicy Coleslaw

The ingredients for coleslaw

I love coleslaw. I grew up with barbecue sandwiches made with pulled pork and coleslaw. I love creamy coleslaw and vinegar-based coleslaw. I did not like all of the calories in coleslaw dressing, and I did not like cabbage that was drowning in dressing.  I started experimenting with coleslaw recipes. I wanted the taste of the cabbage, carrots, onions, and radishes (yes radishes) to shine though and not get drowned in the dressing. This coleslaw delivers. It is a mustard based dressing and you can taste the flavors of the veggies. My husband complained about the lack of dressing until he tasted it.   I really like the radishes in this slaw- it adds a bit of bite. This makes a lot of slaw which is a good thing because I could eat it for an entire meal.

Dressing
3 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
3 Tablespoons of Vinegar (Your Choice, I like Rice Wine Vinegar)
1 Clove of Garlic, Minced
1/2 Teaspoon of Cayenne or 2 Chiles, Crushed or Minced

Dressing ingredients

Whisk dressing ingredients together.

Coleslaw dressing

Slaw
1/2 Head of Cabbage, Shredded
3 Carrots, Grated
1/2 Onion, Grated
1-2 Handfuls of Radishes, Grated

Combine slaw ingredients with dressing.

All that grated cabbage

Refrigerate until ready to eat. Best to refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the flavors to blend.

A perfect combination: pulled pork and coleslaw

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes- love it. This is the coleslaw I make every time I make pulled pork.

Roasted Veggies (Roasted Radishes)

Veggies ready to be chopped and roasted

I make roasted veggies all year round switching out veggies for what is in season. Everyone in my family loves roasted veggies. People who don't like veggies love these. I actually crave this dish. It's true- I do. I love them. I made them as part of a special date night dinner- just me and my husband. All you do is cut up some veggies, put them in a bag (I use one of the bags the veggies came in), throw in some fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and spices. Shake the bag to mix everything together, dump it onto a greased baking sheet, and roast. The result- amazing roasted veggies. I like mine al dente (with just a bit of a bite but cooked through). Believe it or not they are sweet and so incredible. This is also great with winter and summer squash.This time I tried roasting radishes. Radishes? Yes, radishes. They were excellent. They mellowed and became sweet when roasted. I can't wait until I have fresh beets-- talk about incredible. I love roasted beets and goat cheese. This is a great recipe to make using a convection oven.

Veggies-- (These change each time I make this dish; this time I used)

1/2 Head of Cauliflower
1 Sweet Onion, Sliced into Rings
6 Cloves of Garlic, Unpeeled
2 Carrots, Peeled and Chopped
6 Radishes, Quartered
6 New Potatoes, Diced
A Couple of Handfuls of Green Beans, Cut in Half
A Couple of Handfuls of Radishes, Quartered

Fresh Herbs (These also change based on my mood, the veggies, and the seasoning)

1 Sprig of Rosemary, Chopped
2 Sprigs of Thyme, Chopped

Seasoning

Salt and Pepper, To Taste
1/4 to 1/2 Tsp of Cayenne Pepper (or Cumin or Smoked Paprika or Cajun seasoning-- you get the idea)

Oil

1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Olive or Grape Seed Oil

Preheat oven to 475F/246C/ Gas Mark 9 (convection 450F/232C/Gas Mark 8). Combine all of the ingredients into a bowl or bag and shake or stir until all of the veggies are covered in oil.

Shaken not stirred

Dump onto a greased baking sheet.

Chopped, oiled, seasoned, and ready for the oven

Roast (stirring every 10 minutes) for 35-45 minutes (convection 25 -35 minutes) or until the veggies are browned (but still crunchy).  

Roasting

Will I make this again? Yes- every week. This is my favorite way to eat veggies (and I like to eat veggies. Well, I actually like to eat. I like pretty much any kind of food as long as it is well prepared.) It is also time for a confession- I estimated on the seasoning-- I just sprinkle until it looks right. Go ahead and taste the veggies and adjust the seasonings. My family ends up eating several handfuls ("testing the seasoning") before they go into the oven.

A plate full of roasted veggies

Pearl Couscous and Lima Beans

Lima bean couscous

Believe it or not I have a child who loves lima beans. (Yes, we are growing them this year in our garden; we are also growing beets). She does not like peas unless they are fresh from the garden (like she picked them and immediately ate them). If you don't like lima beans just substitute peas. If you have fresh use fresh. If not use frozen please do not used canned. Also this is a recipe for pearl or Israeli couscous. I use homemade broth instead of canned. I make broth in large batches and freeze it.

3 Tbsp of Olive Oil or Butter
2 Cups (372 g) of Israeli or Pearl Couscous
1 1/2 Cups (270 g) of Lima Beans or Peas
3 1/2 Cups (840 ml) of Chicken or Vegetable Broth
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Small Handful of  Basil, Thinly Sliced

Heat oil or butter in large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add couscous and stir for 3-5 minutes until couscous's is stating to turn brown.

Sauteing couscous

Add beans/pas and broth. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer (stirring occasionally) until broth is absorbed about 10 - 15 minutes.

Finishing the couscous

 Add basil. Serve.

The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes, I just bought some more pearl couscous. It is a wonderful spring dish.

Lemony Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts

I used to hate brussel sprouts as a child. Actually, hate is probably putting it lightly. I despised them. I even hated the smell of them cooking. Katie hates brussel sprouts with a passion. Steven loves them as much as Katie hates them. I am quite fond of them. However, I only like them roasted; I think roasting makes them sweet. Brussel sprouts are also fun to grow. They grow on a stalk and are truly spectacular. I will have a couple stalks growing in my garden this summer. I can hardly wait.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 lb (.45 kg) of Brussel Sprouts, Cut in Half
2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1 Tsp of Kosher Salt
3/4 Tsp of Freshly Ground Pepper
Juice of One Lemon

Preheat the oven to 400F/204C/Gas Mark 6. Mix together all of the ingredients and spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Roasted brussel sprouts

Roast for 30 minutes, turn the brussel sprouts halfway through roasting.

Yummy a bowlful of roasted brussel sprouts

The bottom line: will I make these again. Yes. Love them!

Green Tomato Chutney

A spoonful of green tomato chutney

This is the last of the green tomato posts. Sadly, I am now out of green tomatoes. I am morning their loss. The green tomato salsa was exceptional and I am looking forward to the green tomato pickles. The big decision I have is what to put in the green tomato chutney.  Chutney comes from the East Indian word "chatni" which means "strongly spiced." Chutneys have a chunky spreadable almost preserve-like consistency.
Now the question is the flavors for the chutney. I have some lovely cilantro that I know will go perfectly with the green tomatoes. Of course, I will be using a spicy lemon pepper and some garlic. I want a bit of sweetness with the heat so I am adding brown sugar.

Green tomatoes ready to be sautéed

Green Tomato Chutney

2 1/2 Cups (300 g) of Green Tomatoes
1/4 Cup (5 g) of Cilantro, Finely Chopped
2 Tbsp of Vegetable or Canola Oil
1/2 Tsp of Cumin
1/2 Tsp of Salt
1/2 Garam Masala
1 Clove of Garlic, Minced
1 Lemon Pepper, Finely Chopped
2 Tsp of Brown Sugar

Sauté the tomatoes in a dry skillet over medium heat until fairly dry. Add the cilantro, oil, cumin, garlic, and pepper.

Green tomatoes with the added spices

Sauté until the tomatoes are browned and soft. (At this point your entire house should smell so absolutely delicious that you just can't stand it).

Finished chutney

Remove the mixture from the pan, and process it  in a blender or food processor. While the chutney is still hot, add the brown sugar and stir well.
The bottom line: Will I make this again? I would make it for the smell alone. Absolutely incredible. I will be making some naan to go with this chutney. If I can find some more green tomatoes, I will make this again.

Green Tomato Pickles

Green tomatoes ready to be pickled

I have never made green tomato pickles before. I am quite excited about it. I did a lot of research before making them. I decided base my pickles recipe on the Two Sisters' Green Tomato Pickles from One Big Table. Molly O'Neill traveled the country collecting recipes. The result was a cookbook full of 600 recipes with a portrait of its creator. It is a wonderful cookbook. Great recipes and fascinating stories.

I had some okra and decided to add those as well. I used my favorite lemon peppers.The alum is added to allow the pickles to stay crisp. Pickling salt does not have any iodine or anti-caking agent. The iodine may turn the pickles dark and the anti-caking agents may turn the pickling liquid cloudy. In a pinch Kosher salt can be substituted. Kosher salt is not as dense as pickling salt so a little more Kosher salt will have to added than the recipes calls for.

Green Tomato Pickles

For the Pickles
18 Cloves of Garlic, Peeled
A Handful of Lemon Peppers, Stemmed and Cut in Half
4 Tsp of Olive Oil
4 Tsp of Pickling Spice
4 Tsp of Alum
2 Pounds (.9 kg) of Green Tomatoes, Quartered
6 Small Okra Pods

For the Brine
1.5 Quarts (1.4 L) of Water
1 Quart (.9 L) of White Vinegar
3/8 Cup (80 g) of Pickling Salt

I used one quart (.9 L) jar and two pint (.47 L) jars. I sterilized the jars and split the pickle ingredients between the jars (I put twice as much in the larger jar).
To make the brine, heat up the brine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the mixture simmers for 15 minutes.

Full jars

Fill the jars with hot brine up to 1/2 inch below the rim. Run a knife down and around the edge of each jar to release the bubbles. Seal the jars and cool to room temperature. Place the jars in the refrigerator and for two weeks before eating the pickles.

Finished jars

Green Tomato Salsa

Green tomatoes

I love salsas. I especially love salsas my husband makes. He did not make this one, I did. But it was easy to make. The green tomatoes are firm and easy to chop. We have a lot of green tomatoes; the summer was just too hot and the tomatoes did not start producing until late in the season. It is a good thing that I love green tomatoes.  I used my beloved yellow peppers in this dish. I have a pitcher full and more on the way.

Green Tomato Salsa

1 Cup (155 g) of Diced Green Tomatoes
2 Large Cloves (10 g) of Garlic, Minced
1/4 Cup (5 g) of Cilantro, Thinly Sliced
1 Hot Pepper, Finely Diced
3 Tbsp of Lime Juice
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp of Sugar

Green tomato salsa

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

I have a pitcher of spicy lemon peppers so I used them in this salsa

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes. I love this.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Pasta salad

 Time to use the basil, a light freeze is on it way. What better way than a wonderful caprese pasta salad? The beautiful summer tomatoes are pretty much gone. I have a couple of green tomatoes on my plants but nothing ripe. So I decided to use a mixture of grape and cherry tomatoes. Not as good as a homegrown tomato but still good.

Caprese Pasta Salad

16 oz (455 g) of Pasta
1 Cup (150 g) of Tomatoes, Cut in Half
8 oz. (225 g) of Mozzarella, Cut into Bite-Size Pieces
One Handful of Basil, Thinly Sliced
Salt, To Taste
Pepper, To Taste
Vinaigrette (1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Balsamic Vinegar with 1/2 Cup (120 ml) of Olive Oil Slowly whisked in)

Cook the pasta according to package directions and rinse with cold water.

One cup of tomatoes

In a large pasta bowl combine tomatoes, mozzarella and basil.

Tomatoes, mozzarella and basil

Salt and pepper liberally. Add the pasta and stir to combine.

Vinaigrette- vinegar and oil whisked together

Finally toss with the dressing.

Will I make this again? Yes, this is one of the few fresh tomato pastas I will eat in the winter. The balsamic vinegar adds a sweetness and makes up for a lack of sun ripened tomatoes. As long as I have fresh basil (which you can find in the winter) and cherry tomatoes, this pasta salad is a winner.

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

Broccoli and cauliflower ready to be made into salad

I love raw broccoli and cauliflower. I actually refuse to eat cooked broccoli; I can't stand the smell. This is my all-time favorite way to eat broccoli and cauliflower. Since, cauliflower is in season, I decided to make one of my favorite salads and measure the ingredients and write done the process. Since, I have never measured the ingredients before, it is obviously a flexible salad. You can add a little more or less of several ingredients and it will still be great.
A note on toasting pine nuts, watch them.  They quickly go from lightly toasted to burnt bits. I will start working on something else and forget about the pine nuts and then they burn. The birds seem to like burnt nuts but I would rather give them bird seed.

Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

1 Head of Broccoli, Cut into Bite Sized Pieces
1 Head of Cauliflower, Cut into Bite Sized Pieces
1/4 Cup (45 g) of Sweet Onion, Diced
1/2 Cup (60 g) of Craisins or Raisins, Optional
1 Cup of Mayonnaise (I Use Low-Fat)
1/4 Cup (50 g) of Granulated Sugar
3 Tbsp of White Vinegar (or Rice Vinegar)
1/2 Cup of Sunflower Seeds (70 g), Pine Nuts (70 g), or Slivered Almonds (85 g), Lightly Toasted
6 Slices of Bacon, Crumbled

Place the broccoli, cauliflower, onions, and craisins in a large bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar.

Ready to whisk

Pour the dressing over the veggies and stir to combine. Add the nuts and the bacon and refrigerate until ready to serve.

The broccoli cauliflower salad is so pretty with the craisins

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes, this does not last long in our house.

Tomato "Magic Sauce"

Tomato Magic Sauce over pasta

This recipe started when Megan sent me a link for "Magic Sauce" which was loosely based on a chimichurri sauce. The combination of herbs sounded wonderful and it got me thinking. I decided to turn her herb combination into a tomato sauce. Why? Because I love tomato sauce and I still have access to summer ripened tomatoes.

Tomato Magic Sauce
3 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1/2 of a Head of Garlic, Sliced
4 Large Tomatoes, Diced
1 Cayenne Pepper, Diced
1 Tbsp of Sugar
1 Sprig Of Thyme
1 Tsp of Fresh Oregano
1 Sprig of Rosemary (1 Tsp Chopped), Leaves Removed and Chopped
1/4 Cup (5 g) of Basil, Chopped
1/4 Cup (60 ml) of Red Wine
1/2 Tsp of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tsp of Sea Salt

Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan

Combine all of the ingredients in a large sauce pan and heat over low heat until tomatoes are soft.

The tomatoes are tender and the sauce is ready for the next step

Cool sauce and run through a food mill, process in a food processor, or process with an immersion blender.

The processed sauce

Heat and serve over pasta.
The bottom line: will I make this again? Yes, I will next summer. This sauce is best made with summer ripened tomatoes. I am quickly running out of these special tomatoes.

Spicy Corn Chowder

Summer corn

 Corn season, tomato season, corn season, tomato season, rabbit season ... boom! Sorry, I got caught up in the moment and a Bugs Bunny cartoon.  I have been so preoccupied with summer tomatoes that I almost forgot about summer fresh corn. Almost, but not quite, because I came across some incredible looking corn. So, on a rainy weekend day I decided that spicy corn chowder was needed to brighten up our day. It brightened up Steven's and my day but not Katie's. It was way too spicy for Katie and even spicier the second day. I used a serrano pepper and a lemon pepper.

Spicy Corn Chowder

4 Pieces of Bacon
6 Ears of Corn
2 Cups (265 g) of Diced Sweet Onions
2 Ribs of Celery, Diced
2 Hot Peppers, Diced
3 Cloves of Garlic, Thinly Sliced
5 Small Potatoes (Approximately 1 lb/453 g), Diced
3 1/2 Cups (840 ml) of Milk (I used 2%)
32oz (946 ml) of Chicken Broth
2 Sprigs of Thyme
Salt and Pepper, to Taste

Cut the bacon into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces and place in a soup pot over low heat. While bacon is slowly cooking (it will take about 10-15 minutes), cut the kernels off of the cob (and reserve both the cobs and the corn), dice the the onions, celery, and peppers, and slice the garlic.

Sautéing veggies

Once the bacon is crispy, remove and place the onions, celery, peppers, and garlic in the bacon grease. Slowly cook the veggies until soft. Add the potatoes, milk, chicken broth, and corn cobs.
Taste the chowder and add slat and pepper, to taste. Increase heat and bring to a boil.

Everything in the soup, now it is time for a simmer

Once the chowder boils, lower heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Remove corn cobs and thyme and add corn kernels and bacon. Reduce the heat to low and warm the chowder for approximately 5 minutes until the corn is tender.

To purée or not to purée? All of the recipes I have read instruct the cook to purée part or all of the chowder at this point. I did not do this. I like a really chunky chowder, one where I am wondering whether to use a fork or a spoon. The problem with not blending part of the chowder is a thin chowder. I did slight mash some of the potatoes with a fork. Does that count? Seriously, if you want a thick chowder you do need to purée about a third of the solids.

The finished chowder. I ate several bowls.

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes, I will just so I can try the different variations running through my head. Next time I am going to add some fresh tomatoes and okra. I may even breakdown and purée part of the chowder.

Grilled Salsa

Grilled salsa

 Ok. I guess I am on a salsa kick. If the roasted salsa is the easiest salsa I make, this is the prettiest. If I want to make a meal out of it, I just add cold pasta and instant pasta salad. It is great with chips, quesadillas, chicken, or just out of the bowl. It is also great as a quesadilla filling.
Make sure you add the salt, it enhances the cumin. Have you ever notice that cumin, a spice I love, smells like dirty gym socks? Maybe it is just me.

Grilled Salsa

3 Ears of Fresh Corn
1 Large (150 g) Sweet Onion, Cut in Half
1 Red, Yellow, or Green Bell Pepper, Cut in Half
2 Large (440 g) Tomatoes, Diced
1-2 Hot Peppers, Diced
3 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
1/4 C (5 g) Chopped Cilantro
1/2 Tsp of Salt
1/4 Tsp of Cumin
1 Tsp of Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 Tsp of Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice

Grill (over indirect heat) the corn, onion, and pepper for 8-10 minutes.

Grilled corn, peppers, and onions.

Cut the corn off of the cob and dice the onion and pepper. Combine the grilled veggies with the remaining ingredients.

The tomatoes and black beans are beautiful together

Cover and chill for about an hour. Enjoy!

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes. It is so good that we ate the entire bowl in less than 30 minutes.

Roasted Balsamic Tomato Sauce

Tomatoes, basil, and oregano. Oh my!

Sometimes I dream about food and wake up with a new idea for a recipe or a twist on an old one. With all of the tomatoes I brought, it is not surprising that I dreamt about tomato sauce. In my dream I used balsamic vinegar. So I decided to create a new roasted tomato sauce by using balsamic vinegar as it focal point. I am using Balsamic Vinegar of Modena in this dish which is a commercially produced imitation of the traditionally made vinegar. Traditionally made balsamic vinegar is made from pressed grapes and is aged in a succession of smaller barrels. It results in a thick dark brown syrup with a sweet and sour taste with hints of the wood from the barrels it was aged in. Katie is crazy about balsamic vinegar and usually asks for a bottle for her birthday. She likes mixing it with olive oil and dipping her bread in it. Needless to say, I had her complete attention while making this sauce. She thought adding the honey was a great idea and wanted to lick the bowl when I was done.

Roasted tomato sauce over pasta

Roasted Balsamic Tomato Sauce

4 Lb (1.87 kg) of Tomatoes
1/2 C (120 ml) Olive Oil
1/2 C (120 ml) Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbsp of Honey
8 Cloves (20g) of Garlic, Sliced
1/2 C (10 g)  Chopped Basil
1 Tbsp of Chopped Oregano
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 400F/204C/ Gas Mark 6. Half tomatoes, then quarter, and then cut the quarters in half. Remove the stem end of the tomato. Combine the tomatoes with the remaining ingredients and place on a large cookie sheet.

Ready for the oven

Roast in the oven for an hour, stirring every 15 minutes. You want the tomatoes to be soft and blackened.

Roasted goodness

Carefully remove from oven (there will be a lot of juicy goodness in the cookie sheet with the tomatoes) and cool. Once cool, process in a food processor.

Finished sauce

The bottom line: Will I make this again? Yes, it is an amazing sauce. I love the roasted tomatoes with the balsamic vinegar and a bit of sweetness from the honey.