Tomatoes '14

The tomato season is coming to an end but my husband has been bringing in some late ones which I appreciate. I love tomatoes and would eat them year round but we know what the bland ones taste like in the winter.

Tomatoes are the most popular of all home garden plants. There is a variety perfectly suited for nearly any location, from an acre plot to a sunny spot on the sill. People who grow nothing else will hover and fuss over their tomatoes so that they can indulge their passions and cravings for a richer, truer, tastier tomato—the real thing. Both growers and eaters often include so-called heirloom tomatoes in their quest for taste perfection. Some experts insist that a variety must be a least fifty years olds before it can be designated as an heirloom. Others contend that some younger varieties qualify, so long as they are grown from a series of saved seeds until no deviations show up in the plant. In either case, heirlooms must be grown from seeds that are saved from year to year.

 It is possible that one cannot say enough about the glory of the real tomato, but Guy Clark a songwriter came close in this little verse:

                                    Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes

                                    What would life be without homegrown tomatoes?

                                    Only two things that money can’t buy

                                    That’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.

Below are two new tomato recipes I tried this week. Both were very good and different. One is a cold tomato soup with a Greek twist, and the other a change from the usual tomato pie. Try them before all the good tomatoes are gone.

From ‘Food and Wine’ magazine, September 2014.

Serves 4

Tomato Soup with Feta, Olives and Cucumbers

6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 small red onion, sliced

¾ cup pitted Nicoise olives

2 Tbsp. oregano leaves

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. sherry vinegar

Kosher salt

1 small Kirby cucumber, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. honey

5 tomatoes, chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

4 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved

2 oz. feta cheese, preferably Greek, crumbled (1/2 cup)

Baby greens, for garnish

In a small saucepan, heat the 6 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion, olives and oregano and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in both vinegars. Season with salt. Cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss the cucumber with ½ tablespoon of the honey and season with salt.

In a blender, puree the chopped tomatoes with the remaining ½ tablespoon of honey and season generously with salt and pepper.

Pour the soup into shallow bowls. Top with the onion-olive mixture, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices and feta. Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with baby greens and serve.

 

From’ Food Network’ magazine, September 2014.

Tomato and Corn Custard Pie

Serves 6-8

1 round refrigerated pie dough (half of a 14-ounce package) I made my own!

2 beefsteak tomatoes (about 12 ounces)

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off (1 to 1 ½ cups)

1 cup heavy cream

3 large eggs, slightly beaten

6 scallions, chopped

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Freshly ground black pepper

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

½ teaspoon paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Bake the pie crust according to directions.

Meanwhile, core the tomatoes and cut into ½-inch wedges; toss with 1 ½ teaspoons salt. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels to drain until ready to use.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer ½ cup of the corn to a large bowl.

Add the heavy cream to the saucepan with the remaining corn and bring to a simmer. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth; transfer to the bowl with the corn. Whisk in the eggs, half of the scallions and cheese, and a few grinds of black pepper; pour into the crust. Bake on the middle rack until the custard is just set, 34-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 400°.

Mix the remaining scallions and cheese, the panko, thyme, paprika, cayenne and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the mixture on top of the pie. Pat the tomato wedges with paper towels to absorb the excess moisture, then coat with the remaining panko mixture and arrange on top of the tart. Sprinkle any remaining panko on top; dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Return to the oven on the upper rack and bake until the top is golden about 15 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes before slicing.

 

 

                                                                   

Eating Indian

When my new issue of Saveur magazine came I was delighted to see the entire issue was devoted to Indian cooking. If you have any interest in Indian cooking at all this issue was terrific and easy to use and had a great source of Indian products to buy on line. The articles were from all parts of India, North, South, East, and West.

I tried three recipes immediately and I was not disappointed. I have made samosas (fried potato-filled pastries) in the past but never got the pastry right. Well, this recipe was so simple and the pastry was easy to deal with. I also tried a spicy cabbage and potato curry with chapatis (whole wheat flatbreads). These are only three of the39 recipes in the issue. Go buy this issue and try some Indian treats!

And to round out my recent Indian fix, I went to see The Hundred Foot Journey this past weekend. Indian, French, food, Helen Miren---what’s not to like?

All recipes taken from the August/September issue of ‘ Saveur’ magazine, 2014.

Samosas

Makes 24

3 cups flour

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

Kosher salt to taste

¾ cup ice-water

½ lb. russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 tbsp. canola oil, plus more

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 small yellow onion, minced

1 1”piece ginger, peeled and minced

¾ cup frozen peas, defrosted

¼ cup minced cilantro

¼ cup minced mint

½ tsp. garam masala (can be brought in spice section of most stores)

2 small green Thai chiles or 1 serrano, minced

Make the dough. Pulse flour, butter, and salt in a food processor into pea-size crumbles. Add water; pulse until dough forms. Divide into 12 balls; chill 1 hour.

Make the filling. Boil potatoes and carrots in a 4-qt. saucepan of salted water until tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain; coarsely mash. Add 2 tbsp. oil to pan; heat over medium-high. Cook cumin seeds until they pop, 1-2 minutes. Add onion and ginger; cook until golden, 4-6 minutes. Let cook; stir into potato mixture with peas, cilantro, mint, garam masala, chiles, and salt.

Form and fry samosas: Working with 1 ball at a time, roll dough into a 6”round; cut in half. Gather straight edges of 1 half-round together, overlapping by ¼’ to form a cone. Moisten seam with water; press to seal. Spoon 1 tbsp. filling into cone. Moisten edges of cone with water; pinch to seal. Heat 2” oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep fry thermometer reads 350°F. Fry samosas until crisp, 8-10 minutes. Drain on paper towels; serve with chutneys if you like.

Spicy Cabbage and Potato Curry

Serves 4

This vibrant curry comes from the Meghwal tribe of the Thar Desert.

3 tbsp. canola oil

1 ½ tsp. cumin seeds

½ tsp. red chile powder, such as cayenne

½ tsp. ground turmeric

3 small green Thai chilies or 1 serrano , sliced ½ ‘ thick

2 Indian or regular bay leaves

1 small red onion, quartered and cut into ¼’ wedges

1 ½ lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered, and sliced ¼’ thick

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

½ small head green cabbage, cored and cut into 1’ pieces

Kosher salt to taste

Heat oil in a 12’ skillet over medium-high. Cook cumin seeds until they pop, 1-2 minutes. Add chile powder, turmeric, chiles, bay leaves, and onion; cook until onion is soft, 3-4 minutes. Stir in potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, and salt; cook, covered, until potatoes are tender about 30 minutes.

This bread is the perfect addition to the curry.

Chapatis

(Whole Wheat Indian Flatbread)

To Make: Place ½ cup (wheat flour) in a bowl. In another bowl, stir 3 ¼ more flour and 1 ¼ cups water until dough forms. Knead dough briefly until smooth; divide into 10 balls. Working with 1 ball at a time, coat in reserved flour; roll in a 7’ circle, about 1/8’ thick. Heat a 12’cast-iron skillet over high. Cook dough, flipping once, until puffed and charred in spots, 2-3 minutes. Serve hot.

 

Corn

Corn is the giant of the southern garden, not only in size but also in importance. No other crop is more versatile or more important to the traditional southern diet. Every inch of a cornstalk had its uses, from the grains to the cobs to the stalks to the shucks. Corn, both fresh and dried, was our grain, cereal. vegetable, flour, and fodder and the basis or our best liquors-bourbon and moonshine.

Farmers and gardeners saw the value of corn over wheat. Unlike wheat, corn can be grown as a field crop or as a garden item. Acre for acre, corn has a much higher yield than wheat and requires less manpower. Corn has a shorter growing cycle, produces throughout the growing season, and can handle heat and direct sunlight. It could be used and sold fresh, dried, preserved, or processed into other products, which made it versatile as food and as a commodity. It is little wonder that corn was the largest single crop grown in the antebellum South.

Imagine our tables and our recipes which no sweet corn, gritted corn, dried corn, cornmeal, hominy, or grits. For corn we should remain truly grateful.

If there is a rule for eating corn, it is to eat it as soon as possible after it is picked. For many years many people boiled their corn because they were eating starchy, chewy field corn that needed some aggressive cooking. Today most of us steam corn in the microwave. All you have to do is remove all of the tough outer husks, leaving only the thin, moist, pale green, inner husk that covers the kernels. The inner husk holds in the moisture and creates a little steam as the corn cooks. If your corn is already naked, wrap each ear in a lightly dampened white paper towel. Arrange the ears in a single layer in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes on high power and then let rest in the microwave until they are cool enough to handle, and cook for 3 minutes more Peel away the husks and brush off the silks with the damp paper towel.

Beyond adding butter and salt here are some great toppings to season your corn.

Chile Lime

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon ground ancho chile powder

2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Pinch of cayenne pepper

 

Shallot, Lemon, and Thyme

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

 

Chive

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

¼ teaspoon paprika

 

Garlic and Lemon

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leafed parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

 

My husband loved his mother’s fried corn. Just coat the kernels with butter and fry for a few minutes. I like corn with other vegetables so here is a recipe with peas or lima beans.

 

Old-Fashioned Succotash

2 cups fresh lima beans or peas

4 fresh thyme sprigs

½ small onion

1 garlic clove

1 ½ cups diced sweet onion

4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Place lima beans or peas, thyme sprigs, onion half, and garlic in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Drain beans, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid. Discard thyme sprigs, onion, and garlic.

Sauté diced onion in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Stir in corn; cook, stirring often, 6 minutes or until corn is tender. Stir in beans and ½ cup reserved cooking liquid; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in butter, add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chives.

 

 

Peas '14

Our peas are in (Whippoorwill, which Mr.  Jefferson grew, and Pinkeye Purple Hull, recommended by Frank Stitt) and it is nice to sit for a little while and just shell the peas. I used to do this as a child and get to watch TV. What a treat. But it was the only way my mother could get us to help her with all those vegetables.

The nice thing about peas is their ease of cooking. Cook in boiling water 1 to 2 minutes and you are done. A good thing to do while peas are plentiful is to buy extra peas either shelled or not and freeze them. From the freezer---no need to thaw---they can be cooked in just a few minutes and retain the flavor and texture of fresh peas.

‘Southern Living’ for August had some good pea recipes. We think of Hoppin’ John for New Year’s Day but these peas were used in a salad for lunch. It was delicious and I have done it two other times. Peas are best cooked with some ham hocks and ‘Southern Living’ tells you how to smoke your own. So while peas are in, enjoy them!

 

Summer Hoppin’ John Salad

Makes 6 servings

1 medium-size sweet onion, cut into ½-inch slices

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4 cups drained fresh field peas

Apple Cider Vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

1 lb. tomatoes, cut into wedges

2 cups loosely packed mixed salad greens (I use arugula since that is what is in the garden.)

¾ cup chopped assorted fresh herbs (such as flat-leaf parsley, dill, and basil)

1 ½ cups cooked basmati  rice, cooled

Brush the onion slices with olive oil; cook in a hot grill pan over medium-high heat about 5 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. Coarsely chop onion.

Toss together peas, chopped onion, and 3 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinaigrette in a medium bowl. Gently toss together tomatoes, next 2 ingredients, and 3 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinaigrette in another bowl.

Spoon rice onto serving platter; top with tomato mixture and pea mixture. Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Makes about 2/3 cups

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. spicy brown mustard

1/3 cup olive oil

Whisk together first 4 ingredients; add oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Classic Fresh Field Peas

Makes 4 cups

2 Smoked Ham Hocks

1 ½ cups finely chopped onion

3 Tbsp. bacon drippings

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups shelled fresh field peas (about 1 lb.)

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Bring hocks and 2 qt. water to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; simmer 1 ½ to 2 hours or until meat is tender.

Meanwhile, sauté onion in hot drippings in a medium skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes. Add peas and onion mixture to Dutch oven with ham hocks; bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes or until peas are tender. Remove hocks; drain peas, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Remove and chop ham from hock bones; discard bones. Stir ham into peas, if desired.