Food: Slow Roasted Tomatoes

We had some unusual early-September weather this past weekend.  First it stood its ground like a provoked mid-July, presenting us with a scorching day, followed by windy, wet, and unpredictable storms (this was a bizzare way to kick-off college football season...with multiple game delays at multiple venues).  Then Mother Nature went for the "shocking the system factor," dropping the temps by 50 degrees (yes, I said 50) and giving us a day filled with dreary, cold, and gray cloud cover.  It was definitely not Labor Day picnicking weather in either case.  So like any sane person would do, on Saturday, when it was almost 100 degrees out, I decided I absolutely had to heat the house up by running the oven for hours upon end...just so I could make this sandwich.  Reasonable, right?  You'll understand once you try it.    

I had a ton of large green tomatoes when we left for a week in the Carolinas mid-last month, hoping they wouldn't turn bright red and rot on the vine while we were away.  But when we came back home, to my surprise, nothing was ripe yet!  So here I am, a week later, with a major stash of German beefsteaks, Cherokee purples, and Hillbillies.  I started digging through my recipe files and decided some of them should be roasted immediately; freezing for sauce and fresh tomato soup were to be saved for another day. 

When I made these slow roasted tomatoes, Jonathan said the house smelled like summer.  It was truly heavenly.  I liken the scent to an Italian grandmother's homey kitchen with a hint of garlic and olive oil and oregano mixed together with the sweet and juicy potency of a red ripe tomato.  If only it could smell like this everyday!

After what seemed like an eternity (we'd only been smelling them for half of a very hot day), when they were finally out of the oven, I served the tomatoes on toasted peasant bread with a touch of crumbled goat cheese.  And upon first bite you'll truly see, to quote my husband, that "these tomatoes are unreal."  I ate them three days in a row (one of those days for breakfast).  And if I ever had a restaurant, they would most definitely be on the menu (not surprisingly, the original source for this recipe is a restaurant).  So if you're looking for the perfect way to enjoy a ripe summer tomato, it is warmed by an oven with flavor condensed by hours of roasting.  Sometimes perfection is as simple as this.  

Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Adapted from Adam Roberts and Orangette

INGREDIENTS

• 1 T Sugar
• 1/2 T Kosher Salt
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Garlic Infused Olive Oil (if desired)
• 2 T Dried Oregano
• ~ 1 Dozen, Medium-sized Tomatoes, washed and towel dried

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
• If you're using smaller tomatoes, plum for example, slice them in half; Otherwise slice your tomatoes into thick slices (I used cherokee purple tomatoes cut into thirds)
• On two baking sheets, drizzle enough EVOO to coat the bottom of the pan
• Place your sliced tomatoes in one layer on top of the oil and then drizzle a little more oil on top (I found a touch of garlic infused oil on the top is a nice flavor enhancement)
• Next, sprinkle sugar, salt and dried oregano over the tomatoes
• Place the pans in oven and cook for 1 hour
• After one hour, turn the tomatoes over, and cook for another hour
• Turn the tomatoes a second time and cook for 1 final hour
• Transfer to a pretty serving dish and serve alongside toasted crostinis (toasting is key so the bread doesn't get soggy)
• These tomatoes go great with a little goat cheese, but you really don't need the extra flavor to enjoy them - they hold up just fine on their own 
• Regarding storage, roasted tomatoes will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, but I highly doubt they'll last that long :) You can freeze extras too but will probably want to pop them back in the oven a little bit once you defrost them this winter.  I also like to drain off the oil the pan and store it in a jar in the fridge - it's great to add a flavorful drizzle to eggs or a soup, etc.  You get the picture.

Gardening & Food: Labor Day Weekend at Home

I've been a little behind in my postings...I've had material and ideas for a lot of entries and am not very quick in sharing them with you. If only work didn't take up so much time ;) Seeing as the leaves are now changing and falling to the ground and we've had a killing frost to eliminate any hopes of more fresh items from our gardens, I think it's about time I share photos from visiting my family's place on Labor Day weekend.

Visiting my parents' place in peak harvest season is definitely a treat. After all, who can resist fresh veggies and fruit? And when items are in abundance you can guarantee you'll be taking some wonderfulness home with you. This year the garden was even more bountiful than usual. My parents had so many tomatoes for example, my Mom took excess heirlooms to school with her to give away. Can you imagine? Free heirloom tomatoes?!? I hope her co-workers appreciated how much those would have cost at a grocery store :)

Some highlights from our garden-fresh weekend meals include grilled pizza in traditional style (i.e. homemade dough and sauce from scratch with fresh veggies from the garden), my dad’s famous omelets (his version of a Western with bacon, green pepper, onion and cheese) topped with delicious fresh salsa and served with toast and homemade jam (blueberry, grape, and raspberry!), Hamburgers with fresh salsa (including tomatillo), and fresh basil pesto with heirloom tomato mozzarella caprese. My mom has been really busy with her canning this year too – salsa, banana peppers, pickles, sauerkraut, jams - and their garlic was so successful, my dad braided it into a rope for storage.

Here are some photos to show the fruits of their labor. Maybe some day I'll have my own beautiful canning closet and braided garlic rope...

Food: Deep Dish Pizza

My first experience with deep dish pizza wasn't actually in Chicago but in Detroit at a place in Greektown called Pizza Papalis. Being one of my first comforting food discoveries after moving to Motown, this became a place I occasionally took visiting friends and family. Over the years I've discovered other restaurants and developed new favorites. But the deep dish pizza remains something I crave when I'm in need of comfort. It's warm and hearty and flavorful and crusty. And I can't think of something more perfect than this dish, served with a bold bottle of red wine and some candlelight to help you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and forget about the stresses of the outside world. Yes, it IS that good.

Over the years, not every deep dish pizza I've tasted has met my standards. For example, I sometimes think restaurants get carried away with the amount of cheese they use, even if the excuse is to try to keep it together when it's sliced. With that said, I've tried and tweaked several recipes and finally arrived at something that very closely resembles perfection. The crust has a biscuity texture to it and is great to sop up the flavorful (and quick) sauce. And other than baking in the oven as part of the pizza, the sauce doesn't require any cooking! What could be more simple than that? (My quick sauce trick is to combine a favorite condiment of mine (Trader Joe's Red Pepper spread with Eggplant and garlic (I mentioned it previously here)) with some chunky style crushed tomatoes and a touch of Italian style spices.)

If you're making this in a smaller pan than the recipe calls for, I'd recommend reducing the amount of sauce you use just to prevent a mess when you cut the pie into slices. And feel free to modify the toppings as desired. This time around I used roughly chopped and pitted kalamata olives and fresh baby spinach (two things I had in the pantry/fridge). Some variations to try:

• Roasted garlic and pineapple (trust me...it's WONDERFUL)
• Fresh mushrooms and mini meatballs
• Shredded roast chicken and artichoke hearts
• Ricotta cheese and caramelized onions
• Tuna (mix into the sauce) and asparagus
  

Deep Dish Pizza
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Ingredients

• 3 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c very warm water
• 1/2 c cornmeal
• 1/2 c neutral-flavored cooking oil
• 1 t sugar
• 1 t salt
• 1 package active dry yeast (~2 1/4 t)
• 28-oz can chunky style, crushed tomatoes
• 2 T freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 t dried basil
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1 t crushed red pepper
• 1/4 c pitted kalamata olives, finely chopped
• 2 c fresh baby spinach leaves
• 5 T Trader Joe's Red Pepper Spread with Eggplant & Garlic
• 1 1/2 c grated mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to low for 10 minutes and then turn it off.

In a mixing bowl, add water, salt, sugar, yeast, flour, cornmeal. Mix for a couple of minutes until dough comes together and then slowly add the oil. Mix for a few more minutes until the dough is wet and smooth (not sticky).

Place dough in a clean bowl, cover with a towel and place in warm (turned off) oven). Let the ball rise until it is about doubled in size, approximately 45 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a draft-free area on the counter.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Coat the bottom of a 15-inch deep dish or spring form pan with cooking spray. Place the dough ball in the center of the pan and press it out until it covers the entire bottom and using your fingers, pull the dough up the sides of the pan. Cover the bottom of the dough with cheese, add toppings and then sauce. Top the pie with some grated parmesan cheese and spices.

Cook the pizza for 25 minutes, turning the pan 180 degrees mid-way through cooking.

After taking the pizza out of the oven, carefully remove the ring from the spring pan. Allow the pizza to cool for ~5 minutes before slicing.

Food: Summer Pasta

Here in Michigan, it's almost peak vegetable season. So we all know what that means...you can find fresh everything at the store and farmers' markets! A few weekends ago I threw together this pasta for a quick Friday night meal. It's super easy and simple - and would adapt really well to what every veggie you find at the store this week - zucchini, wax beans, etc. Just make sure to include the tomatoes and lemon since that's what helps create the "sauce."

Summer Pasta

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Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Finely Grated Zest from one lemon
• Juice from one lemon
• 4 shakes of crushed red pepper
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, snapped into 1" pieces
• 1/2 t salt
• 10 oz grape tomatoes (i.e. one package)
• 4 oz mushrooms (I used a package of pre-sliced, mixed variety)
• 1 T chives, chopped
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 16 oz Pasta (I used Gia Rusa Whole Wheat Roman Rigatoni)
• 3 oz, crumbled Feta Cheese

Directions

• In a medium-sized, deep saucepan, heat oil over medium heat for a couple of minutes -or- until you can start to smell its aroma. Add lemon zest and crushed red pepper and heat for another 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and increase heat to medium-high.
• After cooking for ~15 minutes, tomatoes should be tender enough to crush. Smash tomatoes with back of spoon (be careful when doing this so you don't splatter yourself - or the walls!), add lemon juice, asparagus, pepper, salt. Heat for another 5 minutes or so until asparagus is cooked yet still firm.
• Meanwhile, heat generously salted water in a large pot on high heat. Once water is boiling, add pasta. Cook for 10 minutes (or until al dente - according to pasta instructions). Drain pasta. Pour "sauce" over pasta, add feta cheese, toss to coat.
• Garnish with fresh chives.

Food: Easy Egg Sandwiches

This past weekend I was looking to make a quick lunch (when you work inside a boring office all week, time outside on the weekends is certainly precious). We had some left over cheese bagels in our freezer, so I decided to throw together some easy egg sandwiches. Once I fried up the eggs, I layered them on toasted bagels with fresh, steaky tomatoes, thinly sliced sopressata and a touch of mustard. This was so much better than any breakfast sandwich at the coffee shop chains - and it maybe took 10 minutes to prepare. I think I should start making egg sandwiches more often!

Food: Simple Spring Dinner - Porterhouse, Caprese Salad, Grilled Asparagus

This past weekend I made a quick and easy dinner (yes, I know it's a week later...I just didn't get around to posting it!). And since I took photos to show off the pretty plating, now some of you can see the Lenox plates I teased Jonathan about when we first started dating. Being the "Captain Obvious" that I am, I said to him "Did you know your plates have flowers on them?"

Here are my "basic" instructions.

Porterhouse Steaks - Pre-heat grill to medium heat. Rub each side of the steak with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Grill direct for 5-6 minutes/side for medium (1" thick steak).

Simple Caprese Salad - Wash and slice some on-the-vine tomatoes (I used yellow ones this time around). Since we're going to create a tomato stack, you may need to leave off the rounded slice from bottom to make the tomato sit flat on the plate. Create your stack by alternating layers of fresh mozzarella slices, basil leaves, and tomato slices. Drizzle with a simple dressing consisting of 2 Tb white balsalmic vinegar, 4 Tb evoo and 1 Tb olive tapanade (preferably kalamata). (BTW...I had caprese served this way when I was working in Indianapolis last year. The one main difference is the chef at Agio took a kitchen torch to the skin of the tomato. It was fabulous. I'll try it sometime and let you know if I can perfect his technique...need to buy the torch first though.)

Grilled Asparagus - Wash asparagus and break off the woody bottom parts. Toss the tips with olive oil, salt, pepper. Grill for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, turning once while cooking. (You want the asparagus to still be crisp - not mushy!)