We grew tomatoes at the Red Brick Ranchero for years. The best was Rose de Berne, a wondrous heirloom.
Then our dirt decided to turn on us and we couldn’t grow a cucumber.
Seriously.
So we took that as a sign from above and decided to leave the tomato growing to the people that know how to do it.
Recently, our favorite “veggies in the summer” guy, Kenny, has had these outrageous Amish grown Better Boy tomatoes.
At least I think they’re Better Boys.
I was swooning and making happy noises while he was telling me what kind they were.
In other words, not listening.
Whatever they are, they shine in this Divine Tomato Tart. It owes a lot to Chuck Hughes ( who is absolutely outrageous and why didn't I know about him before now), nothing at all to Paula Deen, other than butter is used in the process, and a whole lot to the pig, who makes it’s presence known in the form of crisped prosciutto sprinkled on the top with fresh basil right before serving.
A phyllo crust brushed with Dijon and topped with Manchego cheese, a dusting of fresh thyme on thickly sliced tomatoes and some grape tomatoes (because someone who shall remain nameless ate a tomato designated for the tart without permission) round out the ingredients.
This tart is as easy as pie (couldn't resist!) and works wonderfully with a bit of fresh arugula…I’m seriously into arugula this summer…a piece of grilled chicken on the side, or even out of hand a la Nigella late in the evening.
Feeding Groom’s Divine Tomato Tart
Adapted from Chuck’s Day Off
1 package phyllo, thawed
1 stick butter, melted
2 large Better Boy tomatoes, sliced about ½ inch thick
1 cup grated Manchego cheese
Dijon mustard
Three to four sprigs fresh thyme
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 pieces prosciutto, diced and sautéed til crisp
A few fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a bit of Pam in a 12 inch quiche dish. Start layering phyllo dough, overlapping the sheets, around the dish. Brush with melted butter. Continue to layer and brush with butter til you have used all the sheets. Be sure to let phyllo overlap the top and brush that with butter as well. Then brush what will be the bottom of the tart with a tablespoon or two of Dijon mustard.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the tart and then add the tomatoes. If you have glaring holes that need tomatoes, add halved grape tomatoes to fill in the gaps.
Sprinkle the tomatoes with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper and the fresh thyme leaves that you have stripped from the stems.
Pop it in the oven and let bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with the prosciutto and the fresh basil. Look at the picture, can you tell which side I used to take it out of the oven?
Serves 4 generously as main course.
Serves 5 as side dish.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Two Years Ago on Feeding Groom
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
A Divine Tomato Tart
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Cauliflower Puttanesca
Jamie Oliver is my new best friend.
Of course he doesn’t know it.
But he has gotten me out of the cooking doldrums.
Check out his website. Just reading his recipes makes me smile.
Not to mention eating his food.
Make a puttanesca sauce, bury the whole cauliflower in it and drizzle with olive oil.
“Bake” it on top of the stove.
People, this is face down in your plate good.
“Smashing’ as he would say.
1 medium sweet red onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced thinly
1 medium sweet yellow onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced thinly
1 large spoonful garlic confit, smashed
1 large cauliflower, trimmed, cut off the stalk and chop it (leave the cauliflower whole)
½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
A handful of fresh Italian parsley…chop the leaves and finely chop the stalks
½ cup red wine
1 large can San Marzano tomatoes
A good splash balsamic vinegar
You’re going to need a pan that can hold a large head of cauliflower in the middle and the puttanesca sauce around it.
Put the whole cauliflower in the pan.
Add a couple of good swirls extra virgin olive oil over the top of the cauliflower. Cover and cook for about 45-50 minutes on medium low heat until done.
This is a very cool way to serve cauliflower as a main dish…with a bit of Parmesan -Reggiana and chopped fresh Italian parsley on top. As a side dish it totally rocks with grilled chicken and a crispy Romaine salad topped with a champagne vinaigrette.
Serves 3 generously.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Fattoush
Fattoush!
Bless you.
Bulgur?
Whatevah!
Move over tabbouleh…
No grain soaking here.
Just toasted pita bread (homemade if you are of a mind).
The ripest Bradley tomatoes you can find.
Crunchy cucumbers, peeled or unpeeled, it’s your choice.
Sweet red onion, fresh mint and Italian parsley.
A citrusy dressing to taste.
It’s one of those face down in your plate lunches.
Or you can make it even more divine with a few additions….like ricotta salata cheese….or grilled scallops for a smashing dinner….or Kalamata olives…or grilled shrimp…leftover roast chicken….or cottage cheese..or garbanzos…toasted pine nuts…
Or just by itself.
Fattoush
Adapted from Joyce Goldstein’s Mediterranean Fresh
2 to 3 pita bread rounds
2-3 large Bradley tomatoes, cut in bite sized pieces
2 small cucumbers, peeled or unpeeled, cut in bite sized pieces
½ small red onion, diced and soaked in a bit of ice water and a pinch of sugar
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large tsp ground sumac (this is the ultimate secret weapon in Fattoush. It adds a bright note to the dressing…it’s available from Penzey’s
A good handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh mint
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large lemon,, juiced
Preheat the oven to 350. Pop the pita bread in and bake until they are crunchy, fifteen minutes or so.
Let cool and break into pieces.
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice and ground sumac together and season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Combine veggies in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add the pita bread and toss with the dressing and serve immediately.
Serves 3 generously.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Cucumber, Tomato and Mint Salad
Cook or no cook, there are items that you should have in house that signify it’s summer.
Homegrown tomatoes are coming into season now…thank God.
Tomato sandwiches are now allowed in the house.
Fresh mint abounds in the garden for iced tea.
Cucumbers are prevalent south of here and will soon be in abundance for cool cuke and cream cheese on dark rye for lunch with a bit of fresh dill.
Limes…for summertime cocktails and a squeeze over grilled shrimp tossed with cilantro and garlic for a quick meal…
And flank steak. Fast grilling, slicing and begging for a cool salad over top to make a quick weeknight or even company meal.
Beg no more…
Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Cucumber, Tomato and Mint Salad
Adapted from Molly O’Neill’s A Well-Seasoned Appetite
1 cup lime juice
½ cup Thai fish sauce or nam pla
A good pinch of vanilla sugar
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 medium homegrown tomato, diced
½ large English cucumber, peeled, diced
1 cup fresh mint leaves
Small to medium flank steak, about 1-½ pounds, drizzled with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and jalapeno pepper in glass or ceramic bowl. Add the tomatoes and the cucumber and refrigerate.
Grill the flank steak about five a side and let stand for five minutes. Add mint leaves to salad and toss. Slice steak thinly and top with the salad.
Serves 3 generously.
Salad lasts several days in fridge.
Click here for a printable recipe!
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Thursday, February 26, 2009
Queen Creole Sauce
I think Paul Prudhomme rocks.
He does.
Think about it.
However many years ago he wrote Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen and changed the way people thought about food.
Louisiana food.
He made it accessible, he made it easy and you know the dairy farmers had to be happy about the amount of butter he called for in every recipe.
Wallpaperers were happy too. I had to rewallpaper my kitchen after blackening redfish one night.
Surely other people had the same experience I did.
Red beans and rice became a staple all over the country.
Jambalaya too.
But for me, the best thing Paul Prudhomme did was introduce me to Creole Sauce.
It’s happy with chicken, shrimp, sausage, pork, fish…it’s universal. It takes the great triumvirate of green bell peppers, onions and celery to a whole new art form. And when you throw in bay leaves, white pepper, sweet hot smoked paprika (my touch), cayenne, basil, oregano, thyme (another triumvirate unto itself) you can turn a plain old dinner into something to behold.
That’s why I call her the Queen.
Make some soon.
Keep it in the freezer for a night when you don’t want to cook but want to impress.
For example a little chorizo, a little shrimp, a little rice and the Queen Creole Sauce. you’ll knock ‘em dead.
God save the Queen.
Queen Creole Sauce
Adapted from Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen
A couple of good swirls of extra virgin olive oil ( you can use 4 tbsp butter like Paul, but if not….)
3/ 4 cup chopped sweet yellow onion
3/ 4 cup chopped celery
3/ 4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 large spoonful garlic confit, chopped
1 cup chopped San Marzano tomatoes
1 cup juice from the can of tomatoes (make sure the juice is thick or use a decent jarred tomato sauce)
1 1-/2 cup chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt to taste
1/ 4 tsp ground white pepper
2 bay leaves
½ heaping tsp dried sweet basil
½ heaping tsp smoked sweet paprika
½ heaping tsp dried Turkish oregano
½ heaping tsp dried French thyme
A big pinch of sugar
A good swirl of Tabasco
Put a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat and throw in the onion, green bell pepper and celery and cook til onion is translucent. Add all the seasonings, stir and let it cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic confit, tomatoes and cook for five minutes and then add the tomato sauce, sugar, chicken stock and Tabasco. Let cook for about 25 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Makes about 3 cups.
Freezes like a dream!
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
