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    Thursday, March 18, 2010

    Fabulous Tomatoes, Two more ways

    Two more ways of using my Fabulous Tomatoes. I have to get out to Riverhead again, to get more  before the season is finished.
    Pasta Sauce for dinner and Roasted Tomato Soup for the freezer
    This pasta sauce was so good, I defy any Italian to tell me that it isn't as good as anything they make!
    I am going to make it again today.
    For 2 people

    6 med tomatoes, core removed and roughly chopped
    2 tablespoons of Olive oil
    1 med onion sliced
    1 clove garlic fine dice
    2 anchovies
    Sea salt and Freshly ground black pepper
    1/2 carrot cut into small dice
    1/2 red pepper cut same size
    1 stalk celery cut into small dice as well
    1 chili finely diced
    2 teaspoons dried oregano


    200 gms spaghettini cooked till al dente
    Grated Parmesan Cheese

    Fine dice the vege just like below


    Place oil in med heat pan
    Add onions and cook gently till translucent
    Season with S & P
    Add garlic and anchovies
    Throw in carrots. red pepper and celery
    Cook gently till the vegetables are almost tender
    Don't brown we are not caramelizing these vege.
    Add chili, oregano and tomatoes

    Cook another 10 minutes this will give you a lovely rich thick sauce.
    Check seasoning and adjust if necessary

    Meanwhile cook pasta
    Drain and add to sauce

    Serve liberally topped with Parmesan cheese

    Perhaps a little basil torn over the top, if you have any.


    Roasted Tomato Soup
    So for the soup... this made about 1.5 litres of soup
    It is so beautifully rich, in fact, I think it is going to need a little cream when I serve it
    Very intense flavour.
    To get this extra flavour I decided to roast the tomatoes
    Heat oven to 200C
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 large onion sliced
    Slosh balsamic vinegar
    Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1.5 kgs tomatoes cut in half horizontally
    2 tablespoons Extra virgin Olive oil
    Sea salt 
    Good pinch of red chili flakes 

    1 litre Water

    Oil a baking sheet
    Place tomatoes face down on the sheet
    Season with some salt and pepper
    Roast about 15 minutes
    Turn over season with a bit more salt and the chili flakes
    Cook another 20 minutes

    Meanwhile place onions into pot with olive oil
    Season with salt and pepper
    Cook till tender about 10 minutes
    Add balsamic and cook another 10 minutes

    When the tomatoes are done add to onions
    Make sure you get all of the juices off the baking sheet
    Add water you may need more the vege need to be well covered
    Bubble away for about 20 minutes
    Cook a little and put through a food mill if you have one
    If not just pop into blender.
    Check your seasoning and adjust if necessary
    Cool and in my case into plastic containers for the freezer

    Or eat right away. As I mentioned above some cream drizzled through will just add the finishing touch.

    1 comment:

    Katie Zeller said...

    I am so looking forward to tomato season... We live in the tomato growing heart of France.... I think I'll go to the garden store...