The Food Matters Project: Savory Tomato Crisp

My heart belongs to tomatoes. I love them raw, drizzled with good olive oil, burst in a fresh sauce for pasta, or pureed in a roasted soup with grilled cheese for dunking. So you can imagine my excitement a few days ago when I stopped by the farmer's market to pick up local, organic tomatoes for this recipe.

Today's dish lends itself to improvisation, especially when it comes to the topping. And I suppose this is the right forum to admit that, even though I posted the original recipe below, I made a few modifications myself. I just couldn't resist! I had a handful of toasted pine nuts from earlier in the day, so I added them, as well as more olive oil instead of melted butter, which I conveniently forgot because it was an extra step and extra bowl.

The warm tomatoes make the perfect vegetarian main course for a light spring dinner. I served mine with a salad of roasted asparagus, torn prosciutto, and a bright rose.

SAVORY TOMATO CRISP

From The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman (p. 423)

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing
3 pounds ripe tomatoes (8-10 medium), cored and cut into wedges
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt and black pepper
1 cup bread crumbs, preferably whole grain and homemade
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 chopped pecans or walnuts
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or crumbled feta or blue cheese
1 tablespoon melted butter

1. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square or round baking dish or a deep pie plate with oil; heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Put the tomato wedges in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cornstarch and some salt and pepper. Toss gently and let the mixture sit. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, pecans, garlic, cheese, 3 tablespoons oil, and butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir until thoroughly mixed.

3. Toss the tomato mixture again and transfer it to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until the crisp is as dark as you like on top and bubbly underneath, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool to warm or room temperature before serving. To serve, scoop portions out with a large spoon.

The Food Matters Project: Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables

We're still a few months away from abundant summer produce, but the combination of flavors in this dish had me longing for warmer days. This cassoulet, a hearty vegetable stew, is simultaneously comforting for a rainy night, but filled with fresh ingredients that will have your kitchen smelling like a lazy July afternoon.

For the original recipe, visit Keely's blog.

CASSOULET WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman

I couldn't help but think of summer with the zucchini and tomatoes, so I added basil to enhance the freshness. I omitted any animal products to keep this version vegetarian and vegan.

1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves
2 large zucchini, diced
3-4 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
A few fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 cup homemade tomato sauce
2 cups vegetable stock, or as needed

In a large Dutch oven, heat a few turns of olive oil over medium low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant and the onions begin to soften. Add the zucchini; season with salt and cook for 5-10 minutes, until softened. Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, basil, and stir to combine. Add the tomato sauce and stock and bring to a low simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid has thickened a bit. Serve with crusty bread.

The Food Matters Project: Spicy Tomato Soup with Egg Crumbs

I'll be honest. I'm not the world's biggest curry fan, though I'm certain there's a recipe out there that will sway me. For the time being, though, I'm not keen on adding any extra spices to my pantry if I'm not certain I'll be using them. I've effectively taken the curry out of Mark Bittman's Curried Tomato Soup, but I was really pleased with how it turned out.

First, I sauteed onions in olive oil, then added 1 28 oz. can of whole, peeled tomatoes, 2 small Yukon potatoes, and a couple of chopped carrots. I also added a generous teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, which gave the soup a nice heat. Instead of bothering with stock, just fill up the tomato can about halfway with water and add it to the pot, enough to just cover everything. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, then puree everything in batches in a blender until smooth. For the garnish, add 1 chopped hard boiled egg to a few tablespoons of homemade, toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the soup before serving.

For the original recipe, visit Joanne's blog.

The Food Matters Project: Red Pepper and Walnut Pesto

When I set out to make this week's Food Matters Project recipe, I wasn't ready for the obsession that ensued. In just a matter of hours, I deeply regretted only making enough to last for two days worth of dipping and spreading. This is magical stuff, and almost entirely hands-off, unless you count the few seconds you use your finger to pulse the food processor.



You can find the full recipe for Red Pepper and Walnut Pesto on Heather's website. For my version, I reduced the recipe a bit using just two extra-large red peppers and about 1/4 cup of walnuts (which, as mentioned, I regretted, so consider using more peppers!). When freshly roasted, the peppers will be filled with their own natural oils, so you won't need to add as much olive oil.  After blending it in the food processor, I spread it into a warm pita along with cucumber, avocado, lettuce and feta cheese. It's a spectacularly good lunch, especially when you need something healthy to take to work that will keep you full for several hours. I also recommend sprinkling it with feta cheese and dipping it with crispy pita chips.