Tomato Salad - Kicked Up!

In addition to writing this blog, I also develop brochures for our local foods team.  I usually do about five brochures per year. I do two in the summer and one for each of the other seasons.

 

You might think eating locally in the Midwest is difficult, but it's not. Now, come fall and winter, a Midwesterner will be consuming root crops, kale, turnips, broccoli and beans. Dietitians recommend consuming a variety of foods and eating locally is one way to accomplish that. 

This recipe is one that I did for our local foods group. It stars locally grown tomatoes. Sometimes we just slice tomatoes, sprinkle with a little salt AND EAT! But at other times, we like to dress them up. Don't worry the tomatoes still shine through.


Tomato Salad with a Shallot Vinaigrette

 

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons minced shallots

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more
½ teaspoon sugar
4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5 large ripe beefsteak type tomatoes, cut into ½-inch slices
2 Tablespoons capers, rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
10 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Combine shallots, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil to blend. Set vinaigrette aside.

2. Arrange tomatoes on a large platter. Sprinkle capers over; season with salt and pepper. Scatter basil on top. Whisk vinaigrette again; drizzle over salad. Serve immediately.

Summer, Tomatoes and Fish

Several years ago a colleague asked me to make tomato jam to be served with ice cream.  I thought this would be the worst thing I had ever made.  But I grudgingly agreed to make tomato jam for ice cream.  Being the food person that I am, I knew this would not work.   Ha, to my surprise, it was wonderful!  It just goes to show one should always keep an open mind.  You never know what your next surprise might be.

After nursing my bruised ego, I started to think about what a tomato really is, a fruit.  Why not make a jam with it?  While summer is rapidly coming to an end, tomatoes are in full swing.  Your local farmers market should still have a plethora of tomatoes.  Why not grab a few and make tomato jam.

Tomato jam can be spicy, with hot peppers and vinegar and served with meat dishes.  It can also be slightly sweet and served for dessert. 

A note of caution, these jams should not be canned for later use.  It can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

This is my version of spicy tomato jam that I serve with meat dishes.  If you would like other recipes using seasonal produce, check out Discover Seasonal Cooking on the UNL-Extension food website.  You will lots of great recipes for seasonal produce as well other food information.  We aim to be your one stop source for food information.

Tomato Jam

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

2½ cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes or
     1 can (14 ounce) diced tomatoes
⅓ cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon honey
2 teaspoon minced garlic
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1.  Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

2.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes.

3.  Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Eggplants and Tomatoes

Summer is almost over and I have not posted anything on eggplants.  Well, you know I just can't let that happen.  After all, eggplants will soon be out of season and I don't feel that you should wait a whole year to eat eggplant.

Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables.  Until recently, the globe eggplant was the primary one available in the United States.  Now we have a wider variety, such as, Japanese, Thai and Rosa Bianca.  For more unusual varieties, check out your local farmers market. 

While eggplant Parmesan is an excellent dish, there are numerous ways to use eggplants.  The nice thing about eggplants is that they don't have a lot of flavor, therefore, they are able to blend in with other ingredients, such as tomatoes and zucchini. They can be sautéed and used on pizza, in lasagna, and in sandwiches. Eggplant is a component of the Greek dish, briam and the French dish, ratatouille. 

For this recipe, I went to the blog, Olive and Tomato.  I don't generally recommend many blogs, but this is one I like.  The blogger is Elena Paravantes, a registered dietitian, born in the US, but now residing in Athens, Greece.  Ms. Paravantes blogs on the Greek-Mediterranean diet.   This recipe is adapted from one that I found on her blog.

Tomato Topped Eggplants

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:
2 to 3 eggplants
Extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups chopped tomatoes, preferably heirloom
½ cup chopped roasted red pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
4 to 6 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1.  Slice eggplants crosswise, into ½-inch thick slices (do not peel).  Place eggplants in a colander, salt and allow to sit for about 1 hour.  This will help to reduce the bitterness and collapse plant cells, allowing the eggplant to absorb less oil.

2.  Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until  translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, red pepper, salt, pepper, and sugar.  Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated.  Set aside.

3.  Rinse the eggplant slices and squeeze out the water.  Brush eggplant with olive oil.  At the point, the eggplants can be sauteed or grilled.  Set aside.

 

4.  Place eggplants on a baking sheet.  Top with tomato mixture and feta cheese.  Drizzle with additional olive oil.

5.  Bake in a  350°F oven until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Note:  The tomatoes and eggplants can be cooked in advance and assembled and baked later.

If you want more ways to use eggplants, check out this information from Cooking Light. 

Crostinis, Crostinis, Crostinis!

Up until a couple of years ago I had never heard of crostinis.  And now they are everywhere.  It seems that any and everything is a crostini, such as eggplants, tomatoes, sardines. 

According to The Prentice Hall Dictionary of Culinary Arts, crostini is Italian for 'little toasts' and is used to describe small, thin slices of toasted bread, usually brushed with olive oil.  Who knew!

Sicily was overflowing with crostinis.  And why not?  If you have leftover bread, why not use it to make something edible - think bread pudding.  For centuries clever cooks have turned the 'not so edible' into the 'this is delicious'. 

One crostini that we consumed while in Sicily was made with eggplants and chopped tomatoes.  Both of these plants grow extremely well in the Mediterranean.  And cooks make good use of them. 

Here is my version of Crostinis with Aubergine Tapenade.  I hope you enjoy them.  Some countries refer to eggplants as aubergines.

Crostinis with Aubergine Tapenade

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Roma tomatoes
Day old baguette

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  With a sharp knife, pierce eggplant in several places.  Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until soft, about 1 hour. 

2.  Allow eggplant to cool.  Remove the skin and stem.  Cut eggplant into small pieces.  Add garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

3.  Thinly slice the bread, on the diagonal, into
about ½-inch thick slices.  Brush with olive oil and place on a sheet pan.  Place in the oven at 350°F, until they are crisp, about 15 minutes. 

4.  Dice the tomatoes into small pieces, about ¼ inch.  Combine with eggplant mixture. 

5.  At this point, you can top the bread with the eggplant tapenade or set them out separately and allow your guest to top the bread as they desire.

As to which one I would do, it depends on how much time I have.

Simplicity

Oftentimes, I struggle to get my students to understand that there is nothing wrong with simplicity.  Simplicity can be a beautiful thing.  That is no more true than with fresh summer produce.  Good, fresh food needs little adornment. Sometimes all you need to do is wash, cut and eat.  To borrow a phrase from Ina Garten, "How easy is that".

When I think of simplicity and summer foods, I think of a tomato sandwich.  Yes, a tomato sandwich.  This must be a Southern thing, because my Midwestern friends look at me like I'm nuts.  If the idea of a tomato sandwich seems a little odd to you, think of it as a BLT without the B and the L.

Here is how you get started with a tomato sandwich.  First of all, you need good quality bread. You need a sturdy bread to soak up all those tomato juices.  I used challah.  You also need good tomatoes.  This is when you get out of bed in time to hit your local farmers market or your garden.  I like mayonnaise on mine, maybe with the addition of garlic.  If you really want to get fancy, top it with a little of your favorite cheese, such as Parmesan, sharp cheddar, or a fresh goat cheese.  You can also add chopped basil, capers or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  Those additions sound really great.  But I am going to stick with my simple version.

Working on My Wish List

It seems that all bloggers have a wish list.  There’s the old saying that if you can’t beat’em, join’em.   So join them I did.  I came up with my own wish list.  While some bloggers focus on things they want, (aka, gifts), I decided to focus on dishes I want to make.  At first I chose things like breads, cakes, and chocolate ice cream.  Well, my student helper spoke up, “Why, Dr. Jones, you don’t have any vegetables on your list.  You only have baking stuff”.  So I relented and decided to add some healthy vegetables to the wish.  And yes, these are vegetables that I really want to cook.

If you notice, I have crossed out a few things on my list, like chocolate ice cream and mac & cheese.  But ratatouille remained on the list.  So at the end of this gardening season, I finally got around to ratatouille.  I’m not sure why I wanted to make ratatouille.  Other than, I just did.  I suppose after seeing the movies, Ratatouille and Julia and Julie, I have become somewhat fascinated with French food. 

Ratatouille is an eggplant casserole originating in the Mediterranean.  It can be served hot or cold, as an accompaniment to meat or as an hors d’oeuvre.  I looked all over for a recipe.  I found some that grilled the vegetables, some that threw all the vegetables together in a casserole dish and allowed them to simmer.  Some that included basil and parsley and some that omitted them.  I was in a real quandary as to what to do.  Other than zucchini, tomatoes and eggplants, I knew nothing about making ratatouille.  So, I went to the ‘source’, Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  On page 503 of volume 1, is a recipe for ratatouille.   

Here is Julia Child’s recipe for ratatouille.  I did make a few changes.  I hope she won’t mind.

Ratatouille

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

½ pound eggplant

½ pound zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons olive oil
½ pound thinly sliced yellow onions, about 1½ cups
1 cup sliced bell pepper, preferably green
2 garlic cloves
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, about 2 cups
Salt and pepper
3 Tablespoons minced parsley

Directions:

1.     Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes.  Set aside.  Cut zucchini into a similar size and set aside.  Toss each vegetable with ½ teaspoon salt and allow to sit for 30 minutes.  Drain and towel dry.

2.     Sauté the eggplants in olive oil, one layer at a time.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Place eggplants in a bowl and set aside.  Sauté zucchini in the same manner as the eggplant.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Combine eggplant and zucchini.

3.     In the same skillet, cook onions and peppers.  Stir in garlic.  Add tomatoes and cook until most of the juices have evaporated.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4.     Assemble the casserole:  in a 2½ quart casserole, place ⅓ of the tomato mixture.  Sprinkle one tablespoon of parsley over tomatoes.  Arrange ½ of eggplant and zucchini mixture over tomatoes.  Place another ⅓ of tomatoes over eggplant and zucchini mixture.  Sprinkle one tablespoon of parsley over tomatoes.  Arrange remaining eggplant and zucchini mixture over tomatoes.  Place remaining tomatoes over eggplant and zucchini mixture.  Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

5.       At this point the casserole can be refrigerated until ready to cook. 

6.       To cook, place casserole in oven at 350°F.  Cook until hot.

What I Changed:

1.      I did not peel the eggplant.  Thought I might need those antioxidants in the peel. 

2.       I also used red bell pepper, since that is what I prefer.  I also cooked mine in the oven and not on a stovetop.

Heirloom Tomatoes - What's Old Is New Again

While taking a stroll through my local farmers market, I discovered a wide array of tomatoes.  Some are red and round, red and oblong.  There yellow, orange, green and purple tomatoes.  Through visiting the farmers markets, I have discovered a whole other world of tomatoes. 

These “new” tomatoes have been around for quite some time.  It’s just that many heirloom tomatoes are not necessarily good for shipping.  Therefore, they don’t show up at your local supermarket.  However, local farmers grow for flavor and taste.  Long distance shipping is not a major concern for them.  This frees up farmers to grow what they like and most importantly, what we like. 

Local farmers are more likely to grow what is referred to as heirloom varieties.  An heirloom variety is generally a variety that has been passed down, through several generations of a family.  Many heirloom varieties are pre-Columbian and some are pre-European.  Some heirloom varieties can be traced back to Africa and Asia.  Heirloom vegetables come in a myriad of shapes, flavors, textures that are so different from commercial varieties seen in large grocery stores. 

This tomato salad recipe is a perfect place to show off heirloom vegetables.  If you like, capers, olives and a cheese, such as goat, or blue can also be added.

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

6 ½-inch thick slices crusty bread

1½ Tablespoons red-wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
3 pounds mixed tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces

Directions:

1.    Slice and toast the bread.

2.      Whisk together vinegar, salt, mustard, and pepper.  Add oil in a slow steady stream, whisking until dressing is emulsified. 

3.     Add onion and tomatoes.  Toss gently to coat.  Season with salt and pepper. Place bread on plate.  Top with tomatoes and serve.

Tomatoes - At Their Prime

I decided that tomatoes should have their very own posting. And why not? Farmer’s markets are overflowing with lots of varieties of tomatoes. They are a perennial favorite of home gardeners. Tomatoes are everywhere – for now. In a few weeks the good ones will be gone until next year. So why not enjoy them in their prime.

Botanically speaking the tomato is a fruit. We consume the tomato primarily as a vegetable. That means tomatoes are usually found in savory dishes. Tomatoes are consumed raw, cooked in sauces, soups, as part of a sandwich, and salads. Occasionally, tomatoes are used to make jams and preserves.

When most of us think of tomatoes, we think of the basic red or maybe the cherry or grape tomato. There are thousands of varieties of tomatoes. They range in color from green, to yellow, to orange, to red and probably a few others.

• Most tomatoes found in the grocery store are referred to as “slicing” or “globe”.
• Beefsteak tomatoes are large and are often used for sandwiches. Although these are grown by home gardeners, they are found less frequently in commercial use.
• Plum or paste tomatoes have a higher solids content and are good for sauce.
• Cherry tomatoes are small and round. These are often sweet and generally eaten in salads.
• Grape tomatoes, the newest commercially available tomato, are small and oblong. They too are frequently used in salads.

Give some of these other tomatoes a try. You may be surprised at how different the flavors really are.

Recently home gardeners and farmer’s market vendors have been showing off heirloom tomatoes. These are varieties that have been passed through several generations. These generally have some characteristic that the grower likes. Heirloom varieties include Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, Brandywine and Mortgage Lifter. There are several companies such as Seed Savers (http://www.seedsavers.org/) that are good sources of heirloom seeds. 

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon mayonnaise

½ teaspoon black pepper

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine salt, mustard, mayonnaise and black pepper. Slowly stir in the vinegar. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking constantly to emulsify. Toss with tomatoes and serve immediately.

Notes on This Recipe

This is a variation on a recipe I found on a website. It was quite interesting reading the comments. One reader added parmesan or blue cheese. Someone else added red onions. While others added basil and yellow bell peppers. That’s the fun thing about cooking, you can change a recipe to meet your tastes and it is all perfectly fine. I found this dressing to be a bit acidic. If you prefer less acid, just reduce the amount of vinegar.

What’s Wrong with Something Old?

A few days ago, I checked out an online video on what’s new at the grocery store. Cooking Light - http://bit.ly/d6Y8cH. And I got to thinking, “what’s wrong with the old stuff”. Before you become upset, I have nothing against new foods. I am all for advancement and improving the nutritional value of one’s diet. It’s just that I believe we sometimes undervalue foods that have been around. We always seem to be looking for the next great fix. So today, I am taking the time to talk about a few old favorites of mine.

Let’s start with the much maligned potato. The poor potato gets no respect. It’s about time we paid the potato it due. One serving (about 5.3 ounces) contains 110 calories, 620 mg of potassium, and 45% of the daily vitamin C requirements. When consumed with the skin, you get 2 g of fiber. As an added bonus, potatoes are a fat free food. For a new take on potato salad, try the recipe for lemon chive potato salad - http://bit.ly/9T3V1H. I tried it. It’s great!

Now is a great time to reach for a fresh tomato. And added bonus, tomatoes don’t require cooking. One medium tomato contains 35 calories, 100 IU of vitamin A, and 24 mg of vitamin C. Try this recipe for Caprese Salad http://bit.ly/d6Y7wy. Also give this Greek Salad a try. They both come together in a snap!

Greek Salad
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 cucumber
2 medium vine ripened tomatoes
½ small red onion
¼ cup Kalamata olives
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces feta cheese, block or crumbles
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 to 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 to 4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
Oregano, for garnish

Directions:
1. Peel and dice cucumber. Core tomatoes and dice tomatoes. Combine cucumbers and tomatoes. Slice onion and add to salad. Add olives, salt, pepper and oregano. Toss ingredients together.

2. Top with feta cheese. Pour a small amount of olive oil over salad. Add vinegar. Garnish with a little oregano. Fresh oregano can be used if desired.

And last, but certainly not least, try green beans. They do not need to be smothered in bacon fat, however, as a good Southerner; I would not turn them down. One serving (100g) of green beans contain only 31 calories; almost 3 g of fiber, 690 IU of vitamin A, 12 mg of vitamin C, and 33 mg of folic acid. A simple method to prepare green beans is to steam them and add a vinaigrette dressing. This makes a terrific salad. Or try this recipe for Green Beans with Bacon-Balsamic Vinaigrette. http://bit.ly/bKKzWl.

Enjoy some these old favorites. If you have a favorite oldie, we would love to hear about it.

Winter Salads – No Tomatoes Needed

I like salads even in the winter when the temperature dips below the freezing point. But iceberg lettuce and cardboard tomatoes just don’t do it for me. Okay, maybe I’m something of a salad snob. I used to always put tomatoes on my salads. One day I complained to a friend about the cost and flavor of winter tomatoes. Her remark was “well, why do you use them?” I answered back “It’s a salad, so you must use tomatoes”. She immediately wanted to know where that rule came from.

Well, needless to say, her comment got me to thinking about my salad making philosophy. I finally decided she was right and a salad could be made without tomatoes. Making a salad without tomatoes has just unleashed my creativity. I now make a salad according to what is in season. During the winter I choose things that are readily available in the winter. The good thing about this is that foods normally taste better when eaten during their growing season. Varying ingredients gives me a little more variety.

Here are my basic rules for a winter salad. Start with a nice lettuce, like romaine or spring greens (I know this probably breaks the winter thing, but oh well). Check your local supermarket and be a little adventurous. I like to use apples, Cheddar cheese and maybe dried cranberries. And if I am in the mood, I may add a few toasted walnuts.

Winter Salad

Per Person
Use about 1 to 1½ cups lettuce
1 Tablespoon grated or crumbled cheese (Blue, Cheddar, Parmesan)
1/4 of a fresh fruit (apple, pear, orange, grapefruit, avocado)
1 Tablespoon chopped nuts
1 Tablespoon dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins)

Season the salad with a little salt and pepper and add your favorite salad dressing. I think you can get the point of my salad. Be as creative as you desire. You are only limited by your imagination.