Tag Archives: Tomatoes

Green Beans and Fennel Ragout

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  • 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
  • 3 Tbs. olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped tomatoes
  • 3 large potatoes cut in 1/2 inch cubes
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 lb green beans
  • 2 cups fennel in 1/4 inch slices
  • 2 pinches saffron threads
  • 1 1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, sauté the garlic and onions in the olive oil until the onions are translucent.  Add the potatoes and tomatoes, thyme and water.  Cover and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Stem the beans and cut to 1 inch pieces.  Add the beans and sliced fennel to the pot along with saffron, orange peel and lemon juice.  Simmer covered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and beans are tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe can be served with hearty peasant style bread and soft cheese like chevre or brie.  The flavors also meld nicely over time and so this dish is great as a leftover.

Gazpacho

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  • 2 slices whole grain bread or ½ garlic bagel
  • 3 cloves garlic, squeezed
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1 onion
  • 1 summer squash
  • 2 basil tips
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2-3 lbs tomatoes
  • ½ lb. green beans
  • 1 sweet pepper

Blend bread, garlic, onion and olive oil in a blender or food processor until smooth.  If needed, add tomatoes for additional liquid.  Trim vegetables of stems and blossom ends, but you do not need to peel them.  Continue adding ingredients until all are included, emptying blender as needed.  Taste and adjust seasonings then chill.  Serve cold with garnish of hard-boiled eggs, chopped onion and croutons.

Serves 4–6.

Fusilli Estevi (Summer Pasta)

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This easy dish uses the bounty of summer.  You could add eggplant or sweet peppers to the sauté.  We used fresh fettucine for the pasta and fresh mozzarella balls for the cheese.  It was wonderful!

  • 1 lb. fusilli (corkscrew pasta)
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/3 c. pine nuts
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 large tomatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ c. chopped fresh basil
  • 1 ½ c. ½-inch cubes mozzarella
  • 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta, stir, and return to a boil.  Meanwhile, cut zucchini into half or quarter rounds about ¼ inch thick.  In a heavy skillet, sauté zucchini, garlic and pine nuts in olive oil with some salt until pine nuts begin to turn golden. Put zucchini mixture into a large, wide serving bowl and add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, cheese, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil.  When the pasta is al dente, drain and add it to the serving bowl.  Toss everything and serve immediately.  Top with freshly grated parmesan.

Fried Green Tomatoes

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Fried green tomatoes are extremely easy to make.  On a plate or in a shallow bowl, beat 1-2 eggs.  Cut green tomatoes approx. ¼ to ½ inch thick, dip in egg, coat with bread crumbs and fry in a small amount of butter.  Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the fried slices and serve

Easy Minestrone

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  • 1 medium onion or 2 leeks, chopped
  • 3 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 1/2 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 1/2 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups chopped cooking greens
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pasta
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper, to your liking

In a large pot, cook onions in 3/4 cup broth, over medium high heat until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add another 1/2 cup broth and garlic. Cook for 5 more minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, rest of broth, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, kale and pasta. Add Italian seasoning, rosemary red pepper flakes.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, or until pasta is tender.  Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Adapted from Food.com

Curried Cauliflower and Potatoes

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  • 2 green chiles, seeded and cut into long slivers
  • ½ inch piece of ginger, julienned
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp. black mustard seed
  • 4 Tbsp. ghee or a mixture of vegetable oil and butter
  • 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into spears
  • 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 2 medium red or green tomatoes, quartered
  • ½ tsp. turmeric
  • 2 tsp. ground coriander
  • ½ tsp. garam masala
  • 1 tsp.; brown sugar
  • 1 ¼ tsp. salt
  • 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro or parsley
  • Lime or lemon wedges

Combine chiles, ginger, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds in a small bowl.  Heat the ghee or oil-butter mixture in a large nonstick saucepan over moderate heat.  When it is hot, but not smoking, pour in combined seasonings and fry until mustard seeds begin to pop.  Drop in potatoes and cauliflower and stirfry for 4-5 minutes or until vegetables pick up a few brown spots.  Add the tomatoes, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, brown sugar, salt and half of the fresh herb.  Stir well, cover and gently cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. You may want to sprinkle a few tablespoons of water over the vegetables if they begin to stick.  Stir gently to avoid mashing or breaking them.  Serve garnished with remaining fresh herb and lime or lemon.

Serves 5 or 6.

From The Best of Lord Krishna’s Cuisine by Yamuna Devi.

Cream of Green Tomato Soup

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Base:

  • 3 onions
  • 10 green tomatoes
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 4 Tbs butter

For each 2 cups of base, add:

  • 1 ½ cups half-and-half
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

Cut onions and cook slowly in butter in a large heavy pot.  When they are soft, add cut, cored but not peeled tomatoes.  Cook slowly for 30 minutes, cover pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.  Add broth and pass the soup through a strainer or food mill to remove the seeds and skin.  This is the base of the soup, which can be frozen for later use.

When ready to use, stir in half-and-half, sugar and salt.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve hot or chilled topped with a Tbs of sour cream.

From Classic American Food Without Fuss by McCullough and Witt.

Red Cabbage and Chickpea Salad

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This quick and easy salad combines chickpeas, chopped red cabbage, tomatoes, and onions in a tahini salad dressing, or substitute your favorite dressing.

2 (16 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 cups chopped red cabbage

1 cup chopped tomato

2 tablespoons chopped onion

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup tahini salad dressing

Combine chickpeas, red cabbage, tomato, and onion in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with salad dressing until ingredients are evenly coated.

TAHINI DRESSING

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)

3-4 Tbsp good olive oil

salt and pepper

Prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisking to combine

Buttered Smothered Cabbage

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  • 1 small cabbage
  • 2 Tbs. ghee or light veg. Oil
  • 1 ½ tsp. cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp. asafetida (optional)
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 1 Tbs. Finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 cup chopped tomato
  • 2 green chilies, minced or ¼ tsp. red pepper
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1-2 Tbs. chopped cilantro

Cut the cabbage into halves, remove core and shred into ¼ inch thick shreds.  Heat ghee or oil over medium high heat in a large heavy bottomed pan.  When the ghee is hot, add cumin.  When cumin turns dark brown (10-15 seconds), add ground asafetida and immediately add cabbage.  Sprinkle turmeric over cabbage and sauté, turning and tossing rapidly, until cabbage is wilted (5 minutes).  Add ginger, tomato, and chilies and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.  Add salt and 1 cup of hot water.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook the cabbage, covered until it is tender and the water is absorbed (20 minutes).  Check and stir often while it is cooking to prevent burning.  Fold in cilantro, check for salt and serve.

Browned Cabbage with Fennel and Onions

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  • 1 medium head green cabbage
  • 2 1/2 medium onions
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 5 fenugreek seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp. brown mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • A 1 1/2 piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 tomato or a few Tbsp. tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 fresh long hot chili (optional)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. garam masala
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Cut cabbage into quarters and shred as thinly as possible.  Peel two of the onions and cut them in half lengthwise, then slice into thin half circles.

Heat 5 Tbsp. of the oil in a wide heavy-bottomed over medium heat and add fenugreek, cumin, mustard, and fennel seeds.  As the seeds start sizzling and changing color (about 10 seconds), put in sliced onions.  Fry over medium heat for about 3 minutes, then add the shredded cabbage. Cook over fairly low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. The cabbage and onion will brown slightly.

Meanwhile, peel and coarsely chop the remaining 1/2 onion, the garlic and the ginger. Put these and the tomato/tomato sauce into a blender.  Blend to a paste.

In a skillet, heat the remaining 3 Tbsp. of oil.  Add the paste from the blender, turmeric and thinly sliced chile.  Fry, stirring all the time, for 8-10 minutes.  If necessary add 1 tsp. warm water at a time to prevent sticking.  When the cabbage has cooked 30 minutes, add this fried paste to the pot, along with the salt, garam masala, and lemon juice.  Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.

Adapted from Spice Kitchen by Madhur Jaffrey.