Michael's Best Ever Tomato Sandwich

 

         

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Michael's Best Ever Tomato Sandwich

Source: Michael Hopkins who shared a video by Jim Behymer on TikTok

ripe, in season, and flavorful tomatoes, cored and sliced

good bread

butter

mayonnaise

salted and roasted sunflower seeds (I've used unsalted and they taste good, too)

generous amounts of fresh basil and/or fresh dill

salt and pepper

Heat a griddle or skillet on your stove-top to medium to medium-high heat.

Spread the tomatoes on a tray or cutting bard and season well with freshly ground pepper and salt on both sides. 

When griddle is hot, butter both sides of your bread and brown both sides on your griddle.

Spread each slice of bread with a good mayonnaise. Sprinkle one slice with sunflower seeds until well covered. 

Place tomato slices on top of the sunflower seeds until the sandwich is covered by tomato. 

Top with a large handful of fresh basil and dill. (I confess I haven't had enough dill to use it this season.) I've had an abundance of basil so I have been generous with these sandwiches. I recommend putting on as much as your sandwich will hold.

Tomato and Pomegranate Salad

I feel lucky that I still have some cherry tomatoes and pomegranates from my garden. But both are available from the grocery store, as are the herbs, so you don't have to wait until summer.

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Tomato and Pomegranate Salad   

Source: Yotam Ottolenghi on NYTimes Cooking

serves 6

2 pints mixed small or cherry tomatoes, of varying colors if possible

seeds of one pomegranate

2 teas za'atar spice mix 

3 1/2 T olive oil

1/2 yellow or red bell, pepper, seeds removed and very thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced

1/3 c loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn (optional if you can't find it)

1/3 c loosely packed fresh mint leaves, torn (optional if you can't find it)

1 1/2 teas freshly squeezed lemon juice

sea salt, as needed

3 1/2 oz of feta cheese, crumbled

Cut the tomatoes in half  and place in a salad bowl. Mix the spice mix with half of the olive oil and set aside.

Add the pomegranate arils, sliced pepper and onion, herbs, lemon juice to the tomatoes. Stir and then add the remaining olive oil and some salt. Mix the salad gently and sprinkle it with the cheese. Spoon the za'atar mixture over the salad just before serving.

Note: If you absolutely can't get your hands on fresh herbs, use some dried versions. If you don't have any basil or mint, you can substitute oregano but use about one third as much, or to taste.

Canned Oven-roasted Marinara

A flavorful sauce for the nights a pantry meal is called for.

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Canned Oven-roasted Marinara

Source: The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving pg. 204
Yield: about 8 pints or 4 quarts

20 pounds plum tomatoes
1 1/2 c chopped onion (about 2 medium)
vegetable cooking spray
1 c dry red or white wine
1 T salt
1T dried oregano
1 tsp black pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 tsp Ball Citric Acid or 1/2 c bottled lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375F. Wash the tomatoes. Cut them into halves or quarters, as necessary, to create uniform size and arrange in a single layer on large rimmed baking sheets. Bake, in batches, at 375F for 45 minutes or until tomatoes are very soft and beginning to brown. Cool.

Spread onion on a separate large baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes or until onions are golden brown, stirring occasionally. 

Press tomatoes, in batches, through a food mill into a large bowl; discard skins and seeds. Place tomato puree and caramelized onion in a large stainless steel or enameled stock pot. Stir in wine and next 5 ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until reduced to desired texture. Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in citric acid or lemon juice.

Ladle hot marinara sauce into a hot jar, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim until completely clean and center lid on jar. Apply band and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling-water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled. Ensure that there is at least one inch of water over the top of the jars. Bring water to a full boil.

Process jars 40 minutes adjusting for altitude, (adding 10 minutes for 4000-5000). Turn off heat; remove lid, and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Ensure each jar is sealed and store. 

Braised Zucchini with Cherry Tomatoes

This quick recipe may not be truly seasonal at the moment but we can almost always find zucchini and cherry tomatoes in the supermarket. Of course, in few months, it will be seasonal.

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Braised Zucchini with Cherry Tomatoes

Adapted from Cook's Country Magazine

Serves 4

4 zucchini (8 oz each), scrubbed,  quartered lengthwise and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c water

2 springs fresh basil or substitute 1/2 teas dried oregano

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1/2-1 teas salt 

1/4 teas freshly ground black pepper pepper

1/4 teas red pepper flakes

3 oz (1/2 c) cherry tomatoes, halved (if you use grape tomatoes, you may leave them whole)

lemon wedges to serve

It's recommended you don't use zucchini larger than 8 ounces because they can be overly seedy, more watery and less flavorful. If you grow your own and have just picked them from the garden you may find them to be just fine in spite of their size. 

Place the zucchini, oil, water, basil sprigs, garlic, salt, black pepper, and pepper flakes to boil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium and cover. Simmer. Use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture every 3 minutes or so (the rubber spatula will be more gentle with the zucchini which tends to break apart). When the zucchini is fork tender (approximately 8-10 minutes) add the tomatoes and cook, uncovered for a couple of minutes until they have softened. Remove the basil sprigs and serve, passing lemon wedges. You can drizzle the finished dish with lemon juice if you prefer. 

Spicy Italian Sausage with Polenta

Another use for all the cherry tomatoes from my garden.

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Spicy Italian Sausage with Polenta

Adapted from Cook's Country Magazine
Serves 4-5

1 batch of cooked polenta kept warm (cheesy grits can be subbed, see original recipe)

1 pd sweet Italian sausage, either in bulk or with casings removed
1 onion, chopped fine
approx 3/4 pd cherry tomatoes (the recipe calls for 10 oz but I used nearly 1 pd)
2 T chopped jarred hot cherry peppers or pepperoncini plus 1 T of the brine, see note below
3/4 c chicken broth, see note below

Over medium-high heat, cook sausage and onion in a large skillet until lightly browned. Break up the sausage as it cooks. When cooked, remove from the skillet and hold the mixture in a bowl. Retain 1 T of the fat in the skillet and discard the remainder.

Place the tomatoes in the hot skillet and cook without stirring. Allow them to start to brown and then stir in the chopped peppers. Continue cooking for a few minutes until tender. Add the broth, brine, and the reserved sausage mixture. Check for seasonings and add salt if needed. Cook approximately 5 minutes the sauce thickens until slightly and serve over the polenta. Top with basil chiffonade and/or grated parmesan cheese.

Notes:

I believe using pepperoncini will create a less spicy sauce which may be just what some diners need.

I added some crushed fennel seeds because the brand of sausage I used was light on that spice.

I used water and a few bay leaves as a substitute for chicken broth because I didn't want the added salt. 

Tomato Fritatta

I'm trying to use up a fall glut of tomatoes after a fast, freezing storm compelled us to strip our tomato plants of their bounty. Of course, this can be made any time of year. If you are buying the fruit out of season, cherry tomatoes taste better than others. 

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Tomato Frittata

Source: NY Times Cooking

Serves 6-8

1 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, the best you can find

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

salt

freshly ground pepper

1 T fresh marjoram leaves or 2 teas fresh thyme leaves

8 large eggs

2 T milk

1 T extra virgin olive oil

Slice half of the tomatoes about a third of an inch thick and set aside (if you use cherry tomatoes, I advise slicing all in half). Halve the remaining tomatoes, squeeze to remove the seeds and chop. Mix these with the garlic in a bowl or retain on your cutting board until needed. 

In another bowl or large measuring cup whisk the eggs and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the milk and half of whichever herbs you choose. Add the chopped tomato and garlic. Stir to mix well.

Place the olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet (oven safe) and heat over medium-high heat until you can feel heat when you hover your hand over the pan. You can test by dropping some of the egg mixture in and if it sizzles the pan is ready. Add the egg mixture to the skillet and tilt the pan until it evenly covers the bottom. Allow to cook a bit; then lift the edges with a rubber spatula while tilting the skillet again, allowing some of the eggs to seep under the cooked bottom. Do this a few times. When the eggs have set somewhat, turn the heat to low and place tomato slices on the top. Cover the pan and cook about 10 minutes; gently shake it a couple of times. You may also want to look at the bottom to ensure it doesn't burn; again use a rubber spatula to lift and check. 

Once the eggs are mostly set place the skillet under the broiler about 6 inches from the heat. Cook until the top browns slightly and puffs a little. Remove from the broiler and give the skillet a shake to ensure the frittata doesn't stick.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining thyme or marjoram leaves over the top. Slice the frittata with a plastic knife while in the pan (you don't want to scratch the surface) or slip it carefully on to a cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve hot, although it tastes great at any temperature.

Leftovers are best used within a couple of days.

I'm thinking of trying this with chopped cooked bacon and/or cheese, shredded and mixed into the eggs or grated Parmesan on top. But it is good as it is.

Chicken with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Black Olives in a Slow Cooker

This past summer I had huge amounts of tomatoes when I came home from a long trip in Europe. It was too hot to roast and freeze them and to complicate matters I didn't have an oven anyway. So I looked for slow cooker recipes that used healthy amounts of tomatoes. This is one. 

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Chicken with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Black Olives in a Slow Cooker

Adapted from THE MEDITERRANEAN SLOW COOKER by Michele Scicolone

Serves 6-10

2 T olive oil
6 sweet Italian sausages (about 1 pd)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 c dry red wine
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes, or 4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes run through the food processor
6 whole chicken legs, skin removed if preferred, or 12 thighs, boneless or bone-in
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-1 1/2 c pitted Kalamata olives, halved
3 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, or basil sliced in chiffonade, or chopped fresh oregano 

If you are using chopped fresh tomatoes, you may want to cook them by themselves in the slow cooker for about an hour on high to help break them down more completely.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet and place the sausages into the hot oil and cook them until they are brown on all sides. Place them in a large slow cooker. In the oil, cook the chopped onion until it is softened. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper. Cook for a minute and add the wine. Bring to a boil but turn down to a simmer and cook for about a minute.

Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker and add the crushed tomatoes if you haven't used fresh tomatoes. Place the chicken pieces into the sauce in the slow cooker. Turn them over and spoon some of the sauce over the top. Cover and cook on high for an hour and then for approximately 3  hours on low until the chicken is very tender. The meat may start to separate from the bones. You can also test the meat with a thermometer and make sure it is at least 165F.

Check the sauce. It should be about the texture of a spaghetti sauce. If not, remove the chicken and sausage and place the sauce into a shallow saucepan or a skillet and cook over medium heat until it is reduced to your preference. Return the sauce, chicken, and sausages to the slow cooker, stir in the olives, and return to heat. Check for seasonings and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve the chicken and sausage garnished with one or the other of the fresh herbs. I believe it would be good accompanied by pasta or polenta, as well.  

Grandma Betty's "Old Fashioned" Barley, Tomato, and Vegetable Soup

When I was a teenager my mom, a competent and frequent canner, canned this soup every fall and used jars of it for quick meals. It was much better than something from a red and white can. Later I did the same, when I could get tomatoes in large quantities (the canning recipe calls for a bushel). On those harried days when our family arrived home with everyone really hungry, bottles of this soup saved my life. Both my mom and I usually added cooked ground beef but it isn't necessary if you want a meatless meal.

In the last decade or so the USDA and extension agents have determined that modern tomatoes do not have enough acid to make them safe for canning in a water bath canner like my mom used. She added copious amounts of sugar and vinegar in an attempt to help preservation but I'm told by my local extension canning authority that the only safe way to can this soup is with a pressure canner which I do not have. So when my brother Sam, who also remembers the soup fondly, asked me about it, I decided to reduce the old canning recipe (which yielded 17 quarts) and tweak it a little so we could enjoy the flavor of the soup without canning. 

Recently Sam and I cooked the soup together with some of the last of my summer tomatoes and we are happy to report it tastes just like our mom's home canned vegetable soup.  

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Grandma Betty's "Old Fashioned" Barley, Tomato, and Vegetable Soup

Yields approximately 4 quarts

1/2 c pearl barley, soaked for 2 hours and cooked in water until al dente (don't over cook because it will cook  more later) 

1 T vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped or 2 cups 

5 medium cloves garlic, minced 

4 sticks of celery, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

4 carrots, diced

about 4 pounds fresh tomatoes chopped or  2 28-oz cans crushed or whole tomatoes (squish these a bit)

2 bay leaves

1 quart water

1 T sugar (I think this is why we all liked this, including children)

1 1/2 teas salt, to taste (ditto)

1/2 teas freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c chopped parsley

2 T  cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 pound ground beef cooked in a skillet while soup cooks, optional

Soak barley in the same saucepan in which you will cook it. Drain the soaking water and add more and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat and cook the onions with a good pinch of salt until beginning to soften and become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add celery, carrots, and green pepper and cook while occasionally stirring until they soften somewhat. 

Add tomatoes (I used fresh but found a blender was faster than chopping), bay leaves, water, sugar, salt, black pepper. Bring to a strong simmer and turn heat down to a lower simmer and cook for about 45 minutes.  (I believe you can cook it for around 30 minutes if you use canned tomatoes.) Add the parsley, cooked barley, and the cooked ground beef and cook for 10-15 minutes more. Stir in the vinegar and serve. This is awfully good with grilled cheese sandwiches.

Note:

I think you could add other vegetables to this soup; green beans and corn come to mind. I wouldn't add summer squash until the last 15 minutes or so. 

I think you could reduce the amount of tomatoes to 3 pounds if you don't have four. You might want to increase the amount of water if you do. 

Ratatouille

This vegetable stew is one of my favorite things to eat in late summer when I have an abundance of vegetables in my garden. But it can be cooked any time if you choose to use canned tomatoes.

The author of this recipe utilizes a method that keeps all the flavors fresh tasting by keeping the parts separated a bit while cooking so it doesn't turn into a mushy mess.

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Ratatouille

Source:  The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook by Kim O'Donnel
Serves: 6

1 large globe eggplant (about a pound) or 3 thinner Asian eggplants
salt for leaching eggplant
5 T olive oil, divided
2 medium onions sliced thinly (about 2 cups)
3 red or yellow bell peppers, seeded and julienned (about 2 1/2 c)
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 large yellow or green zucchini, cut into half moons (about 2 1/2 c)
ground black pepper
6 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 3 c) or 1 (28-oz) can plum tomatoes
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teas dried
1 teas dried oregano
chopped fresh basil and/or parsley, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 450F.

Dice the eggplant into half-inch cubes (about 5-6 c). Sprinkle with salt and place on a rack or in a colander to drain for about 30 minutes. (This leaching step is not required but it will reduce liquid.)

With a towel pat the eggplant dry. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 T of the olive oil. Toss and spread into a single layer. Put the eggplant in the hot oven and roast for 15 minutes until the eggplant browns and shrinks substantially. Take it out of the oven and set aside.

You'll need a large skillet as well as a large lidded saucepan or Dutch oven which you can keep on a burner on the lowest warm setting.

Heat another 2 T oil in the skillet over medium heat. Cook the onions until tender and stir in the peppers with a generous pinch of salt. Cook until the peppers are soft.

Add half the garlic and stir for a minute and transfer all from the skillet to the Dutch oven (or saucepan).

In the skillet heat 1 T olive oil over medium-high heat and add the zucchini and some salt and pepper. Cook until the zucchini is tender but still retains its color. Add the remaining garlic; cook for a minute and then add the mixture to the Dutch oven. Stir the vegetables together.

Chop or mash the tomatoes with a potato masher so they are broken up. Add them to the vegetables along with the thyme and oregano. Stir in the eggplant. This mixture will be thick but as the tomatoes release liquid it will loosen up. If it remains thicker than you like add a few tablespoons of water. Raise the temperature to medium-low and mix the ingredients well. Cover and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes until heated through. Taste for seasonings and remove herb sprigs. Serve.

This can be served with couscous, quinoa, or orzo. Crusty bread would be great, too.

Note:

If you can't entertain the idea of heating your late summer kitchen with a 450F oven, you can pan-roast the eggplant before you start cooking everything else. Heat the olive oil in your large skillet (can be nonstick if you prefer) over medium high heat and cook the eggplant after leaching and patting dry. Stir from time to time so it doesn't scorch and cook until browned and tender. Set aside in a bowl. Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and begin cooking the onions as instructed above.

If I'm in a rush, I'll employ more than one skillet and cook onions and zucchini at the same time but in separate pans and you'll be able to control how "done" each vegetable becomes. This will speed preparation somewhat but will make for more pans to wash, of course.

Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, and Tomato Wrap

This wrap feels summery to me, pairing nicely with corn on the cob and/or sliced watermelon.

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Chicken, Bacon, Avocado, and Tomato Wraps

Adapted from How to Cook Everything Fast by Mark Bittman

bacon and some hot, rendered bacon fat
rotisserie chicken
cherry tomatoes
avocado
lime
tortillas or sandwich wraps

Cook 1-2 slices of bacon per wrap in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. While bacon is cooking, halve some cherry tomatoes and slice some avocado. I like about a quarter of a large avocado in my wrap. Tear chicken into pieces with your fingers. Prepare tortillas if necessary.

Construct the wraps. Place chicken pieces in the wrap first, then top with bacon slice(s), tomatoes, and avocado. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Squeeze some lime juice over the top, then drizzle some hot bacon fat over all of it. Wrap it up like a burrito and enjoy.

The lime juice and bacon fat is key to this recipe. Don't leave it out!

Huevos Rancheros--Three Ways

Here are three methods for cooking this pantry/refrigerator friendly meal. The most flavorful method calls for roasting tomatoes, chiles, and garlic. But in the summer, when there are tomatoes in the garden, I don't like heating the oven (and kitchen). I've included a couple options so Huevos Rancheros can be a year round meal.

Note:

Anything you like on a taco would be good with this dish. It almost goes without saying, avocado is great. I also like to use crumbled queso fresco and/or Mexican crema if I have either on hand.

Sweet and Spicy Green Tomato Bread

Some years we end up with tomatoes that ripen so late in the season that I have a bumper crop of green tomatoes. I've tried all sorts of recipes to use them up and found this one last year published in a Salt Lake City newspaper. I thought the altitude would be close enough to my own (the city is about 650 feet lower) but I had to tweak this recipe some to achieve correct rising results. I baked about 10 loaves of this bread and finally got one batch that had a bit of a rounded top. I'm not sure how this recipe will work at any altitude other than mine. If you are interested in trying the bread and you live at an altitude of 4300-4500 ft. go to the link below and follow the original recipe. I believe this particular recipe will fail at sea level.

I think I like this bread better than zucchini bread.

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Sweet and Spicy Green Tomato Bread (High Altitude, 5000 ft)

Adapted from Deseret News

Makes 2 loaves (8x4)

2 c finely chopped green tomatoes complete with skins and seeds (I processed these in a food processor until they looked like green mush. I measured 2 cups and let the liquid drain until the solids measured about 1 2/3 c.

1 c plus 1 T granulated sugar 

3/4 c brown sugar

1/2 c plain yogurt, any kind but non-fat

1/2 c oil

3 eggs
1 teas vanilla

1 teas salt

2 2/3 c wheat flour
2/3 c unbleached flour

1/2 teas baking soda

1/4 teas baking powder

1 teas cinnamon

1/2 teas ground cloves

1/4 teas nutmeg

1 c chopped walnuts (your preference)

Note:  I cooked this with frozen chopped tomato, already drained, and it worked just fine.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour the loaf pans.

Making the batter can be done by hand. Mix the tomatoes, sugar, yogurt, oil, eggs, vanilla, and salt together in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Mix dry ingredients (remaining ingredients except for walnuts) in a medium bowl. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just moistened. Stir in the walnuts.

Divide the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for 45-55 minutes. Test with a toothpick and when it comes out with just a few crumbs, the loaves are done. Let sit on cooling rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans and allow to cool completely before slicing.

In one of my tests, I divided the batter and cooked 12 muffins and one loaf . The muffins turned out wonderfully and had a shorter baking time, 25 minutes. In my most recent baking, I put a streusel topping on the muffins more for appearance than anything else.

Here's a suggested streusel recipe (or you can search the Internet for others). This made enough for the 12 muffins as well as a topping for the loaf. It increases the sweetness of the muffin and depending on who you are that can be a plus or a minus.

1/3 c sugar (either white or brown)
1/2 teas cinnamon
1 T butter
1/2 c finely chopped walnuts

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Work the butter in with a fork, smashing it until the butter is mostly incorporated. Stir in the walnuts and sprinkle over the batter in muffin tins.

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Occasionally, I (along with thousands of other home cooks) volunteer with America's Test Kitchen to give my impressions of how soon-to-be-published recipes work for a non-professional. About a year ago, I tested this salsa recipe and thought it the most flavorful canned salsa I had ever tasted. I've canned it several times since and America's Test Kitchen has now published their canning book.

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Roasted Tomato Salsa

Adapted from Foolproof Preserving: A Guide to Small Batch Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Condiments & More by America's Test Kitchen
Yields four 1-cup jars

Note: I checked with my County Extension Agency about using less chile if the salsa is too hot, like it is for me (to my shame). You may want to reserve some of the chiles until time to cook the salsa since it is easier to add than to remove. However, don't add more chiles than the recipe calls for. I have also reduced the salt (I find it still plenty salty but use salt free chips). I was told neither change would affect the safety of the recipe.


2 1/2 pds tomatoes, cored and halved
5 red jalapeno or Fresno chiles, stemmed and halved lengthwise, seeds removed
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 onion, sliced into 1/2-in thick rounds
1/3 c bottled lime juice (do not use fresh)
2  teas salt (the original recipe calls for 2 1/2 teas salt)
2 teas sugar
2 teas chopped fresh cilantro
1 teas ground cumin

Prepare the jars for canning by washing and heating in the canning pot. Allow them to remain in the pot until ready to use. Wash the lids and bands.

Place the onion slices and tomatoes, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. (You may want to cover the sheet with aluminum foil to facilitate cleaning. I don't because it seems wasteful.) Place chiles (also cut side down) and garlic on another.

Place the sheet with the tomatoes and onions under the broiler 4 inches from the heat. Place the chiles and garlic on a rack below the tomatoes. Turn on the broiler (or preheat if that works better in your oven) and cook until vegetables are blistered and charred and have softened somewhat. Remove the tomatoes and onions from the oven when they are charred to your liking. Continue to cook the chiles and garlic until they are softened and beginning to char. I find it difficult to get everything to char "just right" at the same time, so I check frequently and remove vegetables one by one from the baking sheets if necessary. At this point the oven may be turned off.

Place the onions into a food processor and process until they are about 1/4-inch in size. Remove about half the onions and reserve. To the onions in the food processor, add all the garlic, half the tomatoes and all the chiles (or fewer if you wish) and run until all is well pureed. Pour into a large pot on the stove top. Place remaining tomatoes and reserved onions and pulse until all is chopped about 1/4-inch, only a few pulses. Add these to the pot.

To the tomato mixture, stir in the lime juice, salt, sugar, cilantro, and cumin. Taste it and if you want more heat add some of the reserved chiles. Cook over medium-high heat until the salsa has reduced and thickened slightly. It should measure slightly more than 4 cups.

When salsa is ready and jars are hot, remove from water and ladle the salsa into the jars leaving 1/2-inch head space. Bounce a skewer up and down in each jar to remove bubbles. Clean the rims with a dampened paper towel and top with the lids. Screw the bands on and tighten with your fingertips. Return the water in the canner to a boil. Then place the jars in the water making sure you use a rack so the bottles do not touch the bottom of the pot. Also ensure that there is an inch of water over the tops of the jars. Cover the pot and bring back to a boil and keep water boiling. Timing is according to altitude:  15 minutes for up to 1,000 feet; 20 minutes for 1,001 to 3,000 feet; 25 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 feet; 30 minutes for above 6,000. After the time has passed, remove the lid, turn off the heat, and let jars sit in the pot for 5 more minutes. Remove jars from pot and place on a towel and allow to cool for 24 hours. Remove bands and check seal. Sealed jars can be stored up to 1 year.

I have doubled this and canned 4 pints. I looked up recipes on National Center for Home Food Preservation and it recommended the same processing time for half pints and pints. I also checked with the Extension agent and it is fine to use full pints. But I figured I'd add another 5 minutes in the water bath just in case.

If you choose not to preserve, the salsa can be refrigerated for up to a month according to ATK.

Betsy likes less than one poblano chile for a double batch.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Mint and Lemon

This is a simple and easy salad made delicious by the lemon and mint dressing.

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Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Mint and Lemon

Serves: 4-5

Use this recipe as a guide. If you like more or less of anything change what you add.

Serves 4-6

2 medium cucumbers (about 1 pd), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and cut 1/4-in thick slices
1 teas salt
4 ripe tomatoes (about 1 pd) and cut into 3/4-in thick wedges, or halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
8-10 large fresh mint leaves , cut into thin strips
2 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 T fresh lemon juice
freshly ground pepper

Toss the cucumbers and salt in a large colander set over a rimmed plate or a bowl. Fill a zipper-locked plastic bag with ice water and set the bag on top of the cucumber slices. Allow to drain for an hour. Thoroughly rinse the cucumber slices under cold, running water and pat dry with a towel. The salad will be considerably less watery if you complete this step, but in a pinch you could skip it if you taste for seasoning before serving.

Place the tomatoes into a large bowl and add a tiny bit of salt being careful not to overdo it since the cucumbers will remain salty. Add the cucumbers, onion, and mint and toss gently. Drizzle the oil and lemon juice over the salad and toss again. Season with pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Baked Ratatouille

I keep trying to fit in summertime recipes even though it is November.

Many of us Americans think of a rather charming movie when we see the word "ratatouille". I especially liked the movie because there was a character who shares my name (and spells it the same way), the only time I've heard it used in a movie (that is what happens when you have an extraordinarily uncommon name).

When I see the word ratatouille I think of summer and one of the best vegetarian celebrations of garden vegetables there is. I've cooked it following two methods and this is my new favorite because it is so beautiful to look at. It takes some time arranging the various elements in a casserole dish, but the stove top method I follow takes a bit of time, too. (When all the vegetables get thrown together in a hurry, the dish isn't nearly as good.)

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Baked Ratatouille

Adapted from smittenkitchen.com

Serves 4 as a main dish bolstered with some pasta or couscous or 6 as a side dish

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

1 c tomato puree

2 T olive oil, divided

1 small purple eggplant, the more narrow ones work best, although I cut a globe eggplant so it fit

1 thin zucchini, about 2-2 1/2 inches in diameter

1 thin yellow summer squash, about 2-2 1/2 inches in diameter

1 fairly long (and somewhat narrow) red or orange bell pepper

few sprigs fresh thyme, or a teas dried

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375F. Cut a piece of parchment paper that fits closely in an oval baking dish that is roughly 10 inches long. Measure it to fit the top, not the bottom.

Oil the bottom of the dish and pour in the tomato puree; sprinkle the garlic and chopped onion over the top. Stir in 1 T of the olive oil and season it all with generous amounts of salt and pepper.

Remove the ends of the eggplant and the squashes. Remove the ends off the bell pepper and remove the core, leaving the pepper in a tube. 

With a mandoline, if you have one, or with a sharp knife, cut the vegetables into very thin slices, approximately 1/16-inch thick.

On top of the tomato sauce, arrange the slices of prepared vegetables concentrically from the outer edge to the inside of the dish alternating vegetables. It is a little hard to get started  but you can lean the first slices against the edge; when you make the first ring, straighten things up. It will look best if you can manage to place the slices so a little bit of the vegetable shows at the top; this may entail a little bit of leaning, too. Don't worry if you have some vegetables left over.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil (1 T) over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Remove the leaves from the thyme stems and sprinkle them over the top (or sprinkle the dry thyme). 

Cover the dish with the prepared parchment paper.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the vegetables have released their liquid. You want them to be clearly cooked but not totally limp or mushy. Don't brown them at the edges but look for the tomato puree bubbling up around the vegetables.

Serve as a vegetable side. Or for a main dish serve with crusty bread or with a cooked grain, couscous, or a small pasta; I like it best with orzo.

Susie's Pasta

This is a long overdue post, and I thought I'd get it up before fresh basil and tomato season is over. We had snow on the mountains last night, and it's heralding the end of my garden, all too soon.

Susie's Pasta is named after my dear friend from graduate school, and it evokes memories of cozy evenings in Chapel Hill apartments, sharing dinner and good conversation in days long gone now. Susie served me this pasta when we were in library school together, and it quickly became a family favorite. The fresh herbs and tomatoes make a delicious sauce, and the garbanzo beans tend to nestle inside the shell pasta for a nice surprise when you take a bite.

The recipe calls for Roma tomatoes, but I have used a variety of small garden tomatoes and it's worked just fine.

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Susie's Pasta

Source: Susie
Serves 4-6 (generously, I think)

6 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs plum tomatoes, diced
1/8 teas hot red pepper flakes (1/4 teas if you prefer more heat)
2 c garbanzo beans (1 can, or you could cook your own)
1 lb conchiglie pasta
1/4 c parsely, minced
1/2 c basil, chopped
1 c pecorino romano cheese, grated

Heat olive oil in skillet over low heat. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add tomatoes, hot pepper flakes, and salt to taste. Raise heat to medium and saute, stirring often, for 15-20 minutes. The tomatoes will break down and start to form a sauce. Stir in the beans and continue to cook until the beans are hot.

In the meantime, boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta until al dente. Retain 1/2 c of the pasta cooking water before draining. Transfer pasta to a large warm bowl. Add sauce, parsley, basil, and toss. Add cheese and toss, adding cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce.

Fresh Tomato Soup

Yes, I know it's fall now and most people don't have garden tomatoes anymore. However, I came home from my trip to New Mexico to find that a bunch of green tomatoes I picked before the freeze had turned red while sitting in my basement. So, I seized the opportunity to make fresh tomato soup.

Obviously these pictures are two different batches of this recipe. In the top picture, the soup is blended enough to make it soup, but it was still a little chunky. The vegetables were unpleasantly crunchy, so for the second batch, I cooked the vegetables for quite a long time and then blended for maybe 20 seconds.  This soup was pleasingly smooth and lighter in color. Paired with grilled cheese sandwiches, this is a fabulous meal.

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Fresh Tomato Soup

Adapted from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop

2 T olive oil
1 small onion, minced
1 small carrot, peeled and minced
1 small celery stalk, minced
1 teas minced fresh thyme or oregano (or 1/2 teas dried)
3 lbs ripe tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 c chicken or vegetable stock
shredded fresh basil leaves (optional)
croutons (optional)

Prepare the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in boiling water for about a minute, then plunge into a bowl of ice water. Core, peel, and chop the tomatoes. You should have about 4 c pulp. Depending on the size of your tomatoes, this can take a while. About halfway through preparing your tomatoes, and depending on how soft you want your veggies, you may want to start the vegetables.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook over medium heat until softened. (The original recipe says about 5 minutes, but I probably did 15-20 minutes.) Add the herb and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes lose their shape, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the stock and simmer until the flavors have blended, about 5 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender until quite smooth. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately. Basil and croutons sound like a nice garnish, although I've never done it. Also, the original recipe reports that the soup works well chilled.