Food Profiles: Tomatoes

Tomato

Artist Erika Friebe

Title: Lycopersicon Esculentum

Dimensions: 2m x 1m

Materials: Mixed media; watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink on tea stained paper

Description:

A series of sketches that exhibit the relationship and interaction involved in producing a tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, chronicles the developmental process through the lens of a 19^th century botanical illustrator. Composed of many pages, as if torn from botanical journals, the tomato’s physical evolution is parallel by its dispersion and growing historic recognition.

A quick note from the author:

With these food profiles I have been seeking to present new foods or new angles to the familiar foods. Hoping to expand repertoires and excite creativity around the seasonal ingredients that we see in farmers markets, CSA’s, backyard gardens and grocery stores. Food culture is rich and dynamic and is practiced and celebrated at different levels within families and communities.

I invite you to submit your recipes, tricks and stories. Tried and true staples for a busy weeknight or a special preparation, we would love to receive your recipes. I am also interested in your stories, experiences and anecdotes of specific foods and dishes.

A note for this week’s profile:

Following on the heels of garlic and basil, tomatoes seemed the inevitable next choice. Ejected from an easy squirt container on to a waiting burger in the form of ketchup or sliced into a bocconcini salad, tomatoes in all their myriad form have developed a predominate foot hold in most households.

There are countless fabulous uses for tomatoes, and I had a hard time selecting the recipes to share. The first looks at fast food from an Italian perspective, tomatoes graduating from their position as condiment to an active participant in the dish itself.  Pomodori col Riso is a simple celebration of basic ingredients.

And while tomatoes may feature and add to many dishes, I have tried to expand into less familiar territory for most home cooks, with two recipes and variations on savory tomato pies.

Enjoy

Erika

Pomodori col Riso

Rice Stuffed tomatoes

Recipe via Design Sponge

The author describes this as the basic recipe from which multiple variations are to be had. She suggests that the cooks concerns ones’ self less with the proportions and indulge with creativity. Some suggestions include the type of grain (experiment with quinoa, bulgur, or other rice variety), varieties of herbs and additional fillings. It is recommended to be served at room temperature.

  

Pomodori col Riso

Serves 2 or 3

Ingredients:

• 6 small to medium-sized tomatoes
• 180g (5.5 ounces) rice
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons of basil, chopped
• 5 small potatoes (size of an egg)
• olive oil

Instructions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350F/180CWash and dry the tomatoes.  In a casserole dish or shallow baking pan that will allow the food to fit in snugly, brush a teaspoon of olive oil over the bottom (or cover with baking paper).  With a sharp knife, cut the tops off and set aside.  You will use them to cover the tomatoes before placing in the oven.

2.     Over and bowl with a melon-baller, grapefruit spoon, or small knife and spoon, carefully remove the insides of the tomato.  Be careful to not make a hole in the tomato.

3.     Remove any parts of the core which may remain hard.  Strain the juice and pulp through a strainer to remove seeds (or if you’re lazy, leave them in).  Tip in the rice, and add the garlic and basil.  Salt to taste, and add a teaspoon of olive oil.  Mix well, and allow this to sit for a bit.  How soft the rice gets before going into the oven will ultimately influence the cooking time.

4.     Peel and cut the potatoes into small pieces, about the size of dice.

5.     Fill each tomato until about 3/4 full.  Do not overfill or your tomatoes will split open when the rice expands!

      6.   Place each tomato in the casserole, and fill in all the holes with the potatoes. Drizzle olive oil  over everything.

7.     Bake in an oven for approximately one hour.  Have a peek every now and then to see how the rice is cooking, starting at the 45 minute mark.  You may need to bake them longer.

8.     Serve at room temperature.

Burst Tomato Galette with Corn and Zucchini

Recipe Via smitten kitchen

*All of the substantial amount of recipes that I have tested from smitten kitchen are superb. Her writing is often witty and her modifications fantastic. 

Burst Tomato Galette with Corn and Zucchini

Serves 4 to 6 as a main or 8 as an appetizer or side dish

For the pastry:

1 1/4 cups (160 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon table salt 8 tablespoons (4 ounces or 113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces and chill again 1/4 cup (60 grams) plain yogurt or sour cream 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup (60 ml) ice water

For the filling:

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse Kosher or sea salt 3 cups (about 450 grams) cherry or grape tomatoes 1 ear corn, cut from the cob (about 1 cup) 1 small (8 ounces or 225 grams) zucchini or summer squash, diced 1 bundle (3 to 4 ounces or 85 to 115 grams) scallions, thinly sliced 1/2 cup (2 ounces or 55 grams) grated parmesan

Glaze: 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Make dough: Whisk stir the flour and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle bits of butter over dough and using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse meal, with the biggest pieces of butter the size of tiny peas. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add this to the butter-flour mixture. With your fingertips or a wooden spoon, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Pat the lumps into a ball. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 2 days.

Make filling: Get down the saute pan with the lid. If you don’t have one, any large lid will do. Add olive oil, tomatoes, salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if that’s your thing) to your saute pan then cover and heat over high heat. Roll the tomatoes around from time to time so that they’ll cook evenly. In a few minutes, you’ll hear some putts and pops as the tomatoes burst a little. When most have, remove lid, turn heat down to medium and add zucchini chunks. Saute for two minutes, until they soften. Add corn and cook one minute. Add scallions, just stirring them in, then turn off heat. Adjust seasonings if needed. Transfer mixture to a large plate and spread it out, so that it will cool faster. You want it cooled to at least lukewarm before assembling the galette.

Assemble galette: Heat oven to 400 degrees. On a floured counter, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round and it really doesn’t need to be perfectly shaped. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; I like to fold my dough gently, without creasing, in quarters then unfold it onto the baking pan. Sprinkle tomato-zucchini-corn mixture with half of parmesan and spoon the mixture into the center of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border. If any liquid has puddle in plate, try to leave it there as you spoon. Sprinkle with almost all of remaining parmesan, leaving a pinch or two behind for the crust. Fold the border over the filling, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open. Brush crust with egg yolk glaze. Sprinkle glaze with last pinches of parmesan.

Bake the galette: For 30 to 40 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Tomato and Corn Pie

Recipe via smitten kitchen

Tomato and Corn Pie

Adapted from Gourmet, August 2009

This recipe is tried and true, and is fantastic every time. Although no harm is done (as she claims with the omission of the basil, I would highly recommend its inclusion if at all possible. One could also experiment with tarragon or thyme.

A quick note from Smitten Kitchen :

“A few notes: First, butter-brushed biscuit-crusted savory pie, where have you been my whole life? I’ve been living on the wrong side of the Mason-Dixon line, clearly. Second, this recipe works exactly as-is, save one irksome issue: our pie was a puddle when we cut into it. I simply poured off the crust-sogging liquid, but I’d advise you to instead seed and juice your tomatoes if you bear it (I hate tossing the most flavorful parts, personally) or risk a mushy base. Third, this pie includes the curious instruction to peeling your tomatoes, which I first dismissed as an annoying extra step but in the end felt that it was absolutely brilliant. No chewy separating tomato skins! Just pure, instense peak-season tomato goodness. Consider me converted.”

Adapted, barely, from Gourmet’s adaptation of Laurie Colwin’s and Jame’s Beard’s versions

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
3/4 cup whole milk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand (my preference) or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil, divided (skipped this, no harm was done)
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
7ounces coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (1 3/4 cups), divided

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipe’s suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if you’re using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is excessively warm, as ours is, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired (see Notes above recipe), gently remove seeds and extra juices. Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, one tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Do ahead: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, about 30 minutes.

An idea: Want to slab pie this and serve it to a crowd? I agree, it would be brilliant. This is how I’d approach it: Make 1 1/2 batches of the crust (slab pies require more crust for the same amount of filling) and arrange the filling in one layer instead of two in a parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch pan. Increase the amount of butter you brush the top with to a tablespoon or two and the baking time to about 45 minutes (this is an estimate, you should take it out when it is golden and the filling is bubbling). Be sure to remove the tomato seeds; that extra wetness could make for a slab pie mess.