All Things in Moderation

I picked up my CSA bags this afternoon and found inside the most amazing beefsteak tomatoes.  This is one of the things I miss most about not having a garden–the tomatoes.  So along the way I stopped at a roadside stand and picked up some basil, and ran home to make myself an Insalta Caprese with the fresh mozzarella that I’d gotten over the weekend in just such hopes.  Ahhhhhhhhhh. . . the first tomato (4″ in diameter!) was as heavenly as hoped!

But what to do with the rest?  Here are three more of my favorite things to do with fresh-off-the-vine tomatoes, and will be dinner at Chez Michigoose for the next few days.

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Tomatoes à la Provençale (the original, from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”)

Tomatoes about 3″ in diameter

Salt and pepper

1 – 2 cloves mashed garlic

3 Tbl minced shallots

4 Tbl minced basil and parsley (or parsley alone)

1/8 tsp thyme

1/4 tsp salt

Big pinch of pepper

1/4 cup EVOO

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1.  Cut the tomatoes in half and gently remove the juice and seeds.  Sprinkle the halves lightly with salt and pepper.

2.  Blend the remaining ingredients and correct seasoning.  Fill each half with a spoonful or two of filling, and drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top.

3.  Arrange the tomatoes in a shallow, oiled roasting pan large enough to hold them in a single layer without crowding.  Place them in the upper third of an oven preheated to 400 degrees and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are tender but hold their shape and the bread crumb filling has browned lightly.

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Tomatoes Stuffed with Herbs and Cheese (basically the above as modified by Karen Lee in “The Occasional Vegetarian”)

Tomatoes

EVOO

2 t chopped fresh oregano

2 t chopped fresh thyme

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup shredded gruyere or cheddar cheese (I usually use a tad more than this)

Salt and pepper

1.  Prep the tomatoes as above, and combine the rest of the ingredients.  Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon olive oil into each of the tomatoes halves, and then lightly fill the tomatoes.  I like to put extra cheese over the top, or you can simply spoon any extra filling over the top.  Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the tops of the tomatoes.

2.  Place the tomatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and the cheese has melted, and then run under a broiler for about 30 seconds to brown the tops.

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Tomatoes Stuffed with Swiss Chard, Rice, and Cheese (another Karen Lee recipe)

Especially for lms, since I know she loves her some Swiss chard

Tomatoes

salt

1 Tbl EVOO

1/4 cup chpped shallots

1 cup washed and chopped Swiss chard, tightly packed

1 1/2 cups cooked white rice (although recently I tried black rice with this and that’s also good)

1 Tbl soy sauce

2 Tbl oven-roasted pine nuts

1 Tbl chopped fresh oregano

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Cut a thin slice from the top of each tomato and scoop out the seeds and pulp.  Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with salt and turn them upside down on a roasting rack to drain while you make the stuffing.

3.  Heat a wok or cast-iron skillet over high heat for one minute and add the oil and shallots, turning the heat to low immediately.  Saute until the shallots are soft, 2 – 3 minutes.  Add the chard and saute until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes more.  Add the rice, soy sauce, pine nuts and oregano, stir to mix and remove from the heat.

4.  Stuff the tomatoes and place them in a shallow greased roasting pan with a little space between them.  Bake uncovered until the tomatoes are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

5.  Remove the pan from the oven and turn the oven to broil.  Sprinkle the cheese of the tops of the tomatoes and broil until the cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes.

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Baked Tomato Slices with Goat Cheese (another Karen Lee, and my absolute favorite way to eat really excellent tomatoes other than just out of my hand off the vine)

Tomatoes

1 t EVOO

1/4 cup (or more) fresh goat cheese

1 – 2 Tbl skim milk

1 Tbl shredded fresh basil

1/4 t black pepper

1.  Take a thin slice off of the top and bottom of the tomatoes and set aside to snack on as you cook.  Cut each tomato into thick slices (1/2″ or so).  Place the slices on a baking pan lightly coated with the olive oil.

2.  Mash the cheese with enough milk to make a creamy mixture.  Mix in the basil, pepper, and salt to taste.

3.  Top the tomato slices with a heaping spoonful of the cheese mixture and spread slightly.  Bake until the cheese begins to turn golden and spread.

4.  Serve the tomatoes as they are, or place on a bed of watercress or (if you’re a good Liberal) arugula.  Optional:  sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.  Can be served either warm or at room temperature.

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Enjoy those garden-fresh tomatoes while they last–one of my favorite parts of summer!

Filed under: Bites and Pieces, Summer | Tagged: Tomatoes | 7 Comments »