Tomatoes, Tomatoes, & More Tomatoes!

Tomatoes, tomatoes, and more tomatoes. This year there seems to be a bumper crop of tomatoes. Not only in quantity, but also in quality. We have had perfect weather for growing in our area this year. This week we are featuring recipes to use those tomatoes. Some fresh eating, some canning recipes.

We are still looking for canning recipes to publish. Many people are choosing to can or freeze this year. If you have a favorite canning recipe that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you! Recipes, with photo (and a short story/history), if available, can be submitted to ads@thedrummer.com.

Ultimate Caprese Salad

4 servings

1 pt. mixed cherry tomatoes, preferably heirloom, halved

7 T. (or more) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Flaky sea salt

2 lbs. mixed med. & lg. tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into thin slices and/or wedges

8 oz. buffalo mozzarella or mozzarella, room temp., torn into pieces

Coarsely ground black pepper

Sm. basil leaves and toasted country bread (for serving)

Toss cherry tomatoes with 1 Tbsp. oil in a small bowl; season with salt.

Arrange tomato slices on a platter, slightly overlapping; season generously with salt. Arrange mozzarella over tomatoes; lightly season mozzarella with salt. Spoon cherry tomatoes over salad and drizzle with 6 Tbsp. oil; season with pepper. Let stand 30 minutes to let flavors meld and release juices from tomatoes and mozzarella.

Top salad with basil and additional salt and oil, if desired. Serve with bread alongside.

Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pie

Makes one 9” pie

2-1/2 lbs. mixed heirloom tomatoes, cored, sliced 1/4” thick

3 T. olive oil

3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more

6 garlic cloves

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter

9 oz. whole grain crackers

2 lg. eggs

10 oz. Taleggio cheese, rind removed, coarsely grated (about 1-1/2 c.)

2-1/2 oz. finely crumbled Parmesan (about 1/2 c.)

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1 T. chopped thyme, plus 1/2 tsp. leaves

1 sm. shallot, thinly sliced

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 475°. Arrange tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, covering entire surface (it’s okay if they overlap). Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until tomatoes begin to look dry on top, 25–30 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, cook garlic and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling often, until butter foams and milk solids turn golden, 5–8 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring cup; transfer garlic and toasty bits to a cutting board. Finely chop and set aside.

Reduce oven temperature to 375°. Pulse crackers and ¼ tsp. salt in a food processor until fine crumbs form (you should have about 2 cups). Add eggs and 6 Tbsp. garlic butter and pulse until mixture is the consistency of wet sand. Transfer to springform pan. Using a flat-sided measuring cup, press crumbs firmly onto bottom and 1½” up sides of pan. Bake crust until fragrant and edge is just starting to take on color, 8–10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let crust cool.

Mix Taleggio, Parmesan, mayonnaise, chopped thyme, remaining ½ tsp. salt, remaining ¼ tsp. pepper, and reserved chopped garlic in a medium bowl. Gently dollop half of cheese mixture over bottom of crust, then spread into an even layer with an offset spatula (don’t press too hard or you will break the crust). Layer half of tomato slices over and press down to even out layers. Repeat with remaining cheese mixture and tomatoes. Brush remaining garlic butter over tomatoes. Top with shallot, then scatter thyme leaves over.

Bake pie until filling bubbles vigorously and crust is browned, 60–75 minutes. Let cool 1 hour before serving.

Do Ahead: Pie can be made 1 day ahead. Cover loosely and chill (it’s really good cold).

Tomato Juice

Prep Time: 1 hr.

 Cook Time: 25 min.

 Total: 1 hour 25 min.

Yields: 7 quarts

23 lbs. tomatoes

1/4 to 1 c. water

7 tsp. salt

6-1/2 tsp. onion salt

1-3/4 tsp. celery salt

Wash, core and remove blemishes from tomatoes. Cut into small sections.

In a large stock pot, add tomatoes and very little water (at most 1 cup). Bring to a boil.

Put through colander to remove seeds and skin. Discard seeds and skin.

Return juice to the stock pot and bring to a boil again, adding salt, onion salt, and celery salt according to how many quarts of juice you have yielded.

If canning, pour 2 T. lemon juice into sterilized quart-sized jars. Add tomato juice leaving about 1/2” air space at the top. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath canner, pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes. Discard seeds, and skin.

Pizza Wraps

1 pkg. (8 oz.) sliced pepperoni

4 flour tortillas (8”), room temperature

1/2 c. chopped tomatoes, de-seeded if taken in lunch box

1/4 c. each chopped sweet onion, chopped fresh mushrooms, & chopped ripe olives

1/4 c. chopped green pepper, optional

1 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Arrange pepperoni off center on each tortilla. Top with remaining ingredients. Fold sides and bottom over filling and roll up. 4 wraps

Stuffed Tomatoes

Total: 1 hr 20 min.

Prep: 20 min.

Inactive: 30 min.

Cook: 30 min.

2 vine-ripened tomatoes

Salt

1/2 c. bread crumbs

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. grated Parmesan

1/4 c. olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice tomatoes in half horizontally and scoop out pulp and seeds. Salt insides and rest upside down on a sheet pan lined with a wire rack to extract juices, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together bread crumbs, garlic, basil, pepper, 1/4 cup of the grated Parmesan and oil. Stuff tomatoes with the filling, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan, and bake until tomatoes are cooked through and tops are golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Fire Roasted Salsa

Prep Time: 40 min.

Cook Time: 45 min.

Total Time: 1 hr. 25 min.

 Yield: 5 pint jars

5 lbs. tomatoes

3 poblano peppers

2 jalapeños, finely chopped ~ wear gloves!

1 lg. white onion, chopped, 1-1/2 c.

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 c. apple cider vinegar

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

2 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. kosher salt

1 to 2 T. sugar

Heat gas grill on high. If using charcoal, do not use lighter fluid or the tomatoes and peppers will pick up that taste!

Rinse tomatoes and peppers. Core tomatoes and score a small “X” in the blossom end. Place tomatoes and peppers on hot grill and close lid. Turn frequently until peppers are charred and blistered and pretty much black all over. Tomatoes should have some blackened spots and blistered enough to remove the skins. Remove from grill. Place peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam for several minutes. Let tomatoes cool a bit on a cutting board until you can handle.

Peel and chop the tomatoes and place in a large bowl, being sure to include all the juices. You should have 7 to 8 cups of chopped tomatoes and juices from 5 pounds of tomatoes. You need at least 7 cups for safe canning purposes.

Wearing gloves, peel poblano peppers, the blackened skins should come right off. Pull out stem and discard. Cut poblanos open and remove seeds. Finely chop peeled and seeded poblanos. You should have 1 cup, and no more than 1½ cups, again, for canning purposes.

Place fire roasted tomatoes and poblanos in a large pot and add the remaining ingredients, adding just 1 tablespoon of sugar to start. Bring to a boil and then turn down and simmer for 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or food processor, carefully purée the salsa to a smoother consistency. In a food processor and working in batches, pulse 8 - 10 times and when all finished, return to the pot. Taste for seasonings and if too vinegary, add another tablespoon or so of sugar. If too sweet, add a little more vinegar to balance. Bring blended salsa back to a boil and simmer a few more minutes.

Have sterilized pint jars and lids and screw caps ready (they should all be washed in very hot water). Use a canning funnel and ladle hot salsa into jars, leaving a 1/2-inch head space. Wipe rims clean with a damp cloth and carefully place lid on and screw cap in place. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, then place upright on counter for 24 hours. You will hear popping sounds as the jars seal. If after 24 hours, any haven’t sealed, put in refrigerator to use now.

Store jars of salsa in pantry and use within a year. Enjoy!

Farmers Market Breakfast Bowls

Prep time: 20 min.

Cook time: 10 min.

Total time: 30 min.

Yield: 2 large servings

Spiced “Riced” Carrots:

2 med. carrots

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. coriander

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt Green Goddess Sauce: (makes extra)

2 c. whole milk Greek yogurt

2 T. lemon juice

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/3 c. chives, reserve some for garnish

1/3 c. fresh basil

1/4 c. fresh mint

Freshly ground black pepper

For the bowls:

Handful of salad greens

1 med. beet, shredded or very finely diced

4 radishes, thinly sliced

2 sm. tomatoes, sliced into wedges

2 soft boiled eggs*

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the spiced carrot salad: Grate the carrots (easiest using the grating plate in a food processor). Transfer the carrots to a small bowl and toss with the lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, coriander, and pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside and wipe out your food processor.

Make the yogurt green goddess sauce: In food processor, puree the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and salt until combined. Add the chives, basil, and mint and pulse until just combined.

Assemble the bowls with the salad greens, carrots, shredded beet, radishes, tomatoes, and soft-boiled eggs. Drizzle the bowls with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Serve with dollops of the yogurt sauce.

Chill remaining yogurt sauce for 3 to 4 days. It’s great for dipping vegetables, spreading on sandwiches, or dolloping onto salads.

*Notes: To make soft-boiled eggs: Fill a medium pot with water and heat to a gentle simmer, just below boiling. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the eggs into the water and let simmer for 7 minutes. Remove and chill immediately in a bowl of ice water for about 3 minutes. Once the eggs are cool, tap the bottom of each egg to crack a little bit of the shell. Take a small spoon and carefully slide it in and around the egg to loosen and remove it from the shell. Set the peeled eggs aside.

Quote of the Week:

“The attacks of September 11th were intended to break our spirit. Instead we have emerged stronger and more unified. We feel renewed devotion to the principles of political, economic and religious freedom, the rule of law and respect for human life. We are more determined than ever to live our lives in freedom.”

~ Rudy Giulian