Oven Roasted Tomatoes

I love this recipe because a) it can help get rid of excess fresh tomatoes especially towards the end of the summer and b) the end result is versatile. By that I mean you can serve it as a side dish, or mash up the cooked tomatoes and serve it as an appetizer spread with a good rustic bread and a glass of red wine. Also, I've pureed the cooked tomatoes as the base for soup.

INGREDIENTS

2 lb small to medium tomatoes - usually tomatoes on the vine
10 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Cut the tops off all the tomatoes and placed them in an ovenproof baking dish (not metal - glass or ceramic) that has been lightly sprayed or wiped with olive oil.

• Sprinkle tops of tomatoes with garlic, then salt and pepper.

• Next, drizzle olive oil over tops of tomatoes and then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

• Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately as side dish or cool and use for other purposes such as appetizer or soup base.

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Bolognese Sauce

Ok - here it is. This is one of the dishes that I am most known for with friends and family. If you have a Saturday afternoon where you want to putter around the house and also check in periodically on its progress, this is the recipe for you.

I don't make this during the summer months - too much work and too much heat in the kitchen.

Mom made great pasta sauce but would usually start with some Prego or Ragu that she doctored with ground beef, onions and spices.

Bolognese Sauce is enchanting - an Italian mistress that you can't ignore - rich layers of red wine, beef, pork, tomatoes - all in a beautiful body.

Ingredients:

2 large onions, chopped (should be 2-3 cups of onions)
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork (or a mix of beef/veal/pork)
2 cups red wine (dry red wine such as chianti, cabernet – no zinfandel!)
3 cans tomato puree (28 ounces each)
1 small can tomato paste
1 tbsp beef broth base – concentrated beef broth or veal demi-glace
1 tbsp Salt
1 tbsp Black Pepper
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp chopped garlic (optional)
Various cooked meats - chicken breast, pork chops, Italian sausage (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large (7-8 qt) dutch oven, brown the meats and then drain off the resulting grease.

2. Chop the onion and place in large dutch oven with oil and butter. Cook over high heat for 3 minutes or until soft. Add all the browned meat.

3. Add wine and cook for 1 minute – deglaze the pan. Add tomato puree and tomato paste. Add Salt and Pepper.

4. Bring to boil. Lower heat to a simmer – the sauce should bubble slowly for the next 3 hours. Stir occasionally = every 30 minutes.

5. If using garlic, add the garlic during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

6. If using sausage or other meats – sear them on all sides in a frying pan or on a grill and then add during the simmer stage. They must cook for 2-3 hours.

7. This sauce is best served with a corkscrew, cavatappi or orichette style pasta – no long pasta or tubes (ziti, rigatoni).

Photo: Bolognese Sauce by Pat Kight, Flickr

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Roasted Tomatoes

Well, the first frost of the season has hit us here in Chicago - and it was about time! This has been one of the longer growing seasons this year. From what I've read, the standard season is 121 days but this one has been closer to 135! So, if you still have tomatoes on the vine or have brought the green ones in to ripen (my great-grandmother used to wrap them in newspaper which helps speed up the process), here's a tasty way to put them to good use.

This is another great appetizer and I seem to make it almost every weekend once tomatoes arrive in the markets around June. Sometimes I serve the tomatoes whole or mash the roasted tomatoes in a large bowl and serve with fresh bread to dip into the resulting tomato sauce. This recipe is originates in Spain and is great for a simple "salad, wine & cheese" dinner.

Ingredients:

6 medium tomatoes
Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
Chopped Garlic
Breadcrumbs
Olive Oil

Instructions:

1. Cut off the tops (1/4 inch) of the tomatoes so the flesh is exposed. Tomatoes should be ripe to very ripe.

2. Place tomatoes in light oiled casserole dish - tomatoes should not be too tightly packed nor should they slide around.

3. Sprinkle tops with fresh pepper, salt and as much chopped garlic as desired.

4. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil - 1/2 tsp per tomato

5. Cover each tomato with 1 tbsp of bread crumbs

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes but don't let tops get too dark. Tomatoes should be mushy but still hold some shape.

Serving: Place in a large bowl with pieces of breach - mash tomatoes slightly and spread on bread as a "tapa" dish.

Photo: Roasted Tomatoes by stuandgravy on Flickr

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