Tomato Bisque
Juicy red tomatoes, butter, cream, salt & pepper are all one needs to make this understated soup. Serve as a starter or as a main course for lunch or dinner.
INGREDIENTS
4 Medium Tomatoes
3 Tablespoons Butter
6 Tablespoons Cream
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Bring a medium size pot of water to a boil and briefly blanch the tomatoes. Do NOT remove the skins however. Cut them in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice their backs two or three times each with a sharp knife. Season the halves on each side with the kosher salt and pepper. In a large size cast iron pot get the butter sizzling, but don’t let the butter get brown. Place the tomatoes, flesh side down, in the pot. And cook over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Turn the tomatoes onto their backs and turn up the heat slightly. Continue to cook for 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 seconds. Add the cream and stir quickly with a wooden spoon. You will not want the cream to boil, but you will want it to come close to boiling. After everything is off the bottom of the pan then consider yourself done. Pour into two bowls and garnish with basil leaves if you wish. Serve with crusty Italian bread. Serves 2
Steaks With Cherry Tomatoes
This recipe calls for a grill pan! No ifs, ands or buts about it.
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Meat Rub
Two 1 1/2 Pound Ribeye or NY Strip Steaks
1 1/2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
2 Sliced Shallots
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Rub both sides of your steaks with the meat rub of your choice and set aside onto a plate. Season your grill pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Heat over a medium high heat until nice and hot. In a medium size bowl combine the cherry tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and the sliced shallots. Place the steaks onto the grill pan and grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Add the tomato mixture to the pan during the 2 minutes of cooking. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving plate. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes. Slice and serve with the tomatoes & shallots. Serves 4
Meat Rub:
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/4 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Teaspoons Kosher Salt
Mix all of the spices in a small size bowl. Rub onto the steak of your choice.
Mediterranean Salsa
If you need to whip up a quick salsa as either a dip or condiment here is a super easy and quick recipe. Serve with tortilla chips or use as a topping for tacos or burritos.
INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 Cups Diced Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Pitted & Chopped Black Olives
2 Seeded & Chopped Whole Green Chiles
1 Tablespoon Diced Jalapeno Peppers
3 Chopped Scallions
4 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
In a large serving bowl combine all of the ingredients. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips or use as a topping for tacos or burritos. If you are not fond of cilantro then substitute the cilantro with fresh parsley. Makes approximately 4 1/2 cups.
Vegetarian Chili
We all need to eat less red meat so here is a great vegetarian chili recipe that will help you achieve that goal. Remember that it’s important to eat fish three times per week and vegetable dishes the other four days per week. You won’t miss the meat in this recipe and I love how hearty it is.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Cooked Kidney Beans
2 Cups Cooked Pinto Beans
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
14 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Chopped Jalapeño Chile
2 Chopped Yellow Onions
6 Chopped Medium Tomatoes
1/2 Cup Tomato Paste
3 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme Leaves
2 Teaspoons Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
10 Chopped Sun Dried Tomatoes
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
If you are not using canned beans then soak overnight and boil for 1 1/2 hours until tender. In a large soup pot heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic and onions over a medium heat. Cook for 15 minutes until golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and jalapeño. Cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the beans and any of their cooking liquid. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, cumin, oregano, sun dried tomatoes, kosher salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours making sure to stir occasionally. Serve topped with chopped cilantro. Serves 4
Cream Of Tomato & Basil Soup
It’s so satisfying to make a meal that is quick, easy and delicious. This soup is all three. Make sure that you use fresh basil because it makes this tomato soup extra special.
INGREDIENTS
2 Cups Milk
14 Ounces Tomato Puree or Diced Tomatoes – Undrained
8 Ounces Cream Cheese
3/4 Cup Chopped Basil
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper
Put all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Process until the mixture is super smooth. Pour the mixture into a sock pot and heat over a low heat for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and transfer to bowls. Garnish with small basil leaves. Serves 4
Broiled Tomatoes
I never underestimate the magic that breadcrumbs and grated cheese can bring to my favorite fruit.
INGREDIENTS
6 Halved Tomatoes
1/4 Cup Plain Breadcrumbs
4 Tablespoons Softened Butter
4 Tablespoons Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Tablespoon Minced Thyme Leaves
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
Preheat your broiler. Cover a broiler pan with foil and place the oven rack to the top position. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and set each tomato half on the broiler pan. Make sure the stem is removed. In a small size bowl combine the breadcrumbs, butter, Parmesan cheese, thyme leaves, kosher salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture over the tomatoes until you’ve used the mixture all up. Place the broiler pan under the broiler and broil for 4 minutes or until browned. Remove from the oven and arrange on a serving platter. Serves 6
Corn Salsa
Is there anyone who doesn’t love a good salsa? This salsa can be made as hot or mild as you want it. Serve it with chips as an appetizer or as an accompaniment to eggs, tacos or grilled meats and fish.
INGREDIENTS
4 Ripe Plum Tomatoes
1 Ripe Slicing Tomato
3/4 Cup Chopped Onion
1 Cup Fresh Cooked Corn
1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
3 Seeded & Minced Jalapeno Peppers
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
Coarsely chop the tomatoes and put into a medium size bowl. Chop the onion into fine pieces and add to the tomatoes. Add the corn, cilantro, jalapeno peppers and salt. Toss to mix. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more before serving. Makes 2 cups.
Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
I like to make my pasta sauces ahead of time so when I need to make a quick meal I have the makings of a quick meal handy. If you don’t know what to do with all of those summer tomatoes then here is the recipe for you!
INGREDIENTS
6 Garlic Bulbs
4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Red Bell Peppers (Halved & Seeded)
25 Peeled Tomatoes
3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Cup Combined Chopped Herbs (Oregano, Thyme, Parsley, Basil)
Preheat your oven to 400° F. Peel away the dry outer layers of skin from the garlic bulbs. Leave the skins and cloves intact. Cut off the pointed top portions which should be about a half inch. You want to leave the bulbs intact, but expose the individual cloves. Put the garlic bulbs, cut sides up, in a small baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cover with foil and set aside. Cut the red peppers in half and throw away the seeds. Place the peppers, cut side down, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and drizzle the peppers with the rest of the olive oil. Place both the garlic and the peppers in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. The pepper skins should be rather charred and the garlic cloves should be soft. Remove from the oven and cool the garlic on a wire rack until cool enough to touch. Let the peppers stand for 20 minutes until they are cool enough to handle. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and throw them away. Chop the peppers and set aside. Remove the garlic cloves from the papers by squeezing the bottoms of the bulbs. Put the garlic cloves in either a blender or food processor. Cut the peeled tomatoes into chunks and add some of the chunks to the food processor with the garlic. Cover and process until chopped. Transfer the chopped garlic and tomatoes to a large heavy pot. Repeat the chopping of the remaining tomatoes. Do this in batches, in the food processor, and then all of the tomatoes to the pot. Add the brown sugar, salt, vinegar and freshly ground pepper to the tomato mixture. Bring to a boil and boil for 50 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the chopped red peppers to the mixture. Continue boiling for 20 minutes more until the mixture is reduced to about 11 cups and reaches the desired sauce consistency. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the assorted herbs (any combination of herbs will do). You can use this sauce immediately or freeze. This sauce is also great if you feel like canning them. Makes about 6 pints.
My Indoor Tomato Plants
I am so excited! I am finally getting tomatoes from my indoor tomato plants. With the basil that I have growing and the tomatoes I think that I will make my Caprese Salad.
Caprese Salad
INGREDIENTS
3 Sliced Tomatoes
1 Pound Fresh Mozzarella (Sliced)
1 Bunch Fresh Basil Leaves
Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil For Drizzling
Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices. On a large shallow platter alternate layered slices of tomatoes and mozzarella. Add basil leaves between each layer. Drizzle the salad with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Serves 6
Chicken Breasts With Roasted Tomatoes
All I gotta say is YUM!!!
INGREDIENTS
5 Ripe Tomatoes (Quartered)
2 Tablespoons Herbes de Provence
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil (Divided)
3 Tablespoons Kosher Salt
3 Tablespoons Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
1/2 Cup White Wine
1 Chopped Red Onion
6 Cloves Chopped Garlic
2 Large Bone-In & Skin On Chicken Breasts
Preheat your oven to 400° F. In a large size bowl combine the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper, 3 tablespoons olive oil and the herbes de Provence. Toss to coat. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over a medium heat. Add the quartered tomatoes, chopped onions and garlic. Heat for only 1 minute and stir constantly. Remove from the heat and place back in the large size bowl. Set aside. In the same large skillet heat another 2 tablespoons olive oil. With the remaining salt and pepper season the chicken breasts on both sides. Transfer the chicken breast to the skillet over a medium-high heat. Brown the chicken breasts for 6 minutes per side. You want the chicken breasts to be golden brown. Do NOT throw away the bits in the skillet. Pour the remaining olive oil into a glass roasting pan. Place the chicken breasts into the roasting pan. Arrange the tomato mixture around the chicken breasts. The last thing to do is to make the pan sauce. In the large skillet turn the heat to medium. Deglaze the pan with the sherry vinegar and white wine. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Worcestershire sauce and keep stirring for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and pour over the chicken breasts and tomatoes. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Serves 2
