TOM- A- TOES, TOM- AH- TOES...TECHNICOLOR HEAVEN!

Heirloom tomatoes are a dream come true for a foodie/food historian.

First of all, there is the controversy whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. The most sensible answer I have found is that it is botanically a fruit, but it's use in cooking makes it a vegetable.

Then, what makes it Heirloom? Again, there are many definitions. Mostly, it means they are a unique variety which is difficult to grow commercially. Some have a very old heritage from the 19th century, some are family secrets, some have occurred naturally through cross-pollination. They have unusual shapes and colors and variegation of colors, purple, yellow, red, green, zebra striped, etc. Let the historians and botanists battle it out! They are delicious and beautiful and fun to eat and cook! So let's go..

The Eggplant, Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Salad was always prepared with golden and red tomatoes and had a balsamic, basil vinaigrette. In this version, I have used Yellow, Red and Purple Heirloom tomatoes from SunCoast Organics, Fresh Mozzarella, Grilled Eggplant also from SCO and a White Balsamic Vinaigrette. The White balsamic keeps the colors untainted and lets the Heirloom Varieties shine!

GRILLED EGGPLANT, TOMATO AND FRESH MOZZARELLA SALAD

1 Medium Eggplant 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

2 cloves finely minced or granulated garlic

Toss the eggplant slices in a mixture of oil, vinegar and garlic and let marinate for a few minutes. Dark Balsamic is fine here, as the eggplant will be grilled and darkened anyway.

Grill each slice until softened, but not mushy. I use an indoor two-sided grill for this, but a grill pan or outdoor grill is also suitable.

Set aside.

Slice fresh mozzarella  and tomatoes.

Place a layer of mixed greens on a platter and alternate slices of eggplant, tomatoes and mozzarella in an attractive pattern. ( I omitted the greens in my photo in order to emphasize the tomato colors.)

In a mini-chopper, blender or food processor, combine 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil. Blend. Add salt, pepper and 2-3 fresh basil leaves. Pulsate until basil is chopped.

Pour dressing over salad and serve at room temperature.

The following recipe I used to prepare with Gruyere or Cheddar Cheese, but this version uses Feta blended with egg for the same effect as Tiropeta.

Unbaked Tart

TOMATO, ONION AND FETA TART

2 large onions, sliced thin, (white, red or sweet)

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces feta cheese

1 egg 

Sliced tomatoes

Kalamata Olives

1 recipe buttery pie dough enough for a 12 inch one crust pie

Cook onions in olive oil slowly, in a covered skillet until softened. Uncover and cook until golden and liquid is gone. Cool slightly.

Blend feta cheese with egg.

Make Pie Dough or use a good quality commercial unbaked pie crust.

PATE BRISEE
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
pinch salt
1 cup chilled butter
1/4-1/3 cup cold water


Blend salt and flour together.
Mix in butter in a food processor or by hand until resembles coarse meal. Slowly add water just until dough comes together. Do not over mix.
Form into 1 or 2 discs and chill for an hour until ready to roll out.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Fit pie dough into a round or square 12 inch tart pan with removable bottom. Spread onions over dough. Top with feta/egg mixture.

Arrange tomato slices over the cheese and dot with olives. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for about 45 minutes until crust is browned, cheese is set and tomatoes are cooked.

Baked Tart...like a warm Greek Salad!

May be served warm or at room temperature.

"BAGNA CAUDA" CAULIFLOWER, PEPPERS AND POTATOES

One of my favorite dishes in Italy is Bagna Cauda, literally "hot bath". This delicious concoction is a warm bath for crudites and bread, traditionally served in Piedmont and Val d'Aosta in the Alps, as a appetizer. I have been known to make it DINNER with no regrets!


It's so simple, olive oil, butter, garlic and anchovy. Mash the anchovy and garlic and warm it in the oil and butter. It was probably the creation of a farmer trying to use up his harvest with ingredients on hand and it's one of the most memorable flavors in the world!


Later I learned that in Southern Italy that combination, minus the butter but with the addition of hot pepper, parsley and lemon, is a "bath" for cooked vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower and also makes a great pasta sauce for linguine.


That pasta was on the menu at a Happy Cookers event, a Jewish/Italian wedding at a beautiful Inn on the seacoast. It was a traditional pasta from the bride's side of the family and they carefully gave me the recipe and instructions on exactly how they liked it served, al dente, of course!


It happened that I was working with a staff,  some of whom were quite new to me. I needed my "regulars" to run the restaurant in my absence. Then, my catering partner became ill at the last minute. No one could replace her, but I asked one of my students from an Italian cooking class I had given some time ago if he could help. He was happy to accept the challenge..he was a writer/publisher by profession and this was an adventure for him! So with a positive attitude we went to work.


All was going smoothly, we had a timetable so that each item would be perfectly cooked when it was served, etc. The water was put on to boil for the pasta and the ovens preheated for the tenderloins. Suddenly we heard a commotion and saw frantic movement at the site of the ceremony. The bride was rushed to the hospital...she had cut her foot on the "glass smashing" which was the Jewish part of the ceremony! Everything was on hold, the cocktail hour had to be extended and dinner postponed.


Well, as usual, it all went smoothly once the bride returned and everyone was in an especially thankful mood. My student liked the excitement so much, and he performed so admirably, that he became a regular "back-up" on the Happy Cooker/White Rainbow team!


The flavors of Bagna Cauda and the anchovy pasta and it's memories inspired the following recipe.

Here are all the ingredients (no parsley, though!)

BAGNA CAUDA CAULIFLOWER, PEPPERS AND POTATOES

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets

4 or more small red or white potatoes, cut into quarters

red, green and yellow or orange peppers, cut into chunks

extra virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup total)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 crushed anchovy fillet, or more to taste

sprinkle of hot red pepper flakes

juice of 1/2 lemon

1-2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley

salt and pepper

Put the cauliflower florets and potatoes in an oven proof pan with a lid and about 1/4 cup water and a drizzle of oil. Roast covered for about 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven, until they are softened.

Mash garlic and anchovy together in a bowl. Whisk in lemon juice and the olive oil. Add red pepper flakes and the parsley.

Uncover the cauliflower and potatoes, add peppers and continue roasting, uncovered, until browned, adding more oil if necessary.

Toss,oops, I mean BATHE them with the anchovy garlic mixture when done and serve. Colorful, savory and nutritious!

Mmm..can you smell the garlic and the peppers??

COLORFUL "RAINBOW" OF RECIPES FROM THE "WHITE RAINBOW" CHEF*

Back to Portugal and Spain for these recipes inspired by SunCoast Organics wonderful veggie (and fruit!!) delivery last week..gorgeous Rainbow Carrots

Aren't they BEAUTIFUL??

 Antipasti in Italy, Tapas in Spain, Tira Gosto and  Conservas in Brazil and Portugal, all savory dishes eaten before dinner or with cocktails.

In Brazil and Portugal the dishes tend to be "vinegary" little bites offered at the table while you wait for dinner: Quail Eggs, Brined Olives and Peppers, Vegetables, etc.

It was in the little fishing port of Lagos in the Algarve in Portugal where I encountered Conserva de Cenoura. I love towns with an ancient history, and this one dates back to the Carthaginians in 400B.C. It was an important trading center from the 13th -16th centuries, but today little remains of it's importance save the quaintness of the town and the wonderful, unpretentious food served at the local restaurants. 

We found one on a pedestrian walking area in the middle of town (no chickens blocking the road here!) and were attracted by a local specialty, Smoked Swordfish! We were escorted in and seated and regaled with an array of "nibbles" which would have sufficed for lunch! One of them was a tiny bowl of garlicky carrots..my eyes opened wide and the brows raised as I bit into one..WOW! I immediately took notes to investigate the dish.  The rest of the meal was equally remarkable including the swordfish, but the carrots were something I wanted to recreate at home or for catering events.

All in all, it was one of the best restaurant experiences I've had in with great service, ambience, food, etc. and we had to check the bill over and over, thinking they must have missed something, it was so reasonable! 

The results of my research were that the carrots, called Consesrva de Cenouras is a traditional Portuguese dish served througout the country but with regional variations. Some versions have green or black olives, some are cooked with a bay leaf, fennel seeds and onion. The one we were served had the olives, I did not detect the bay or fennel, but they sound like good additions.

Here is the version I think comes closest to what I savored at Dom Sebastiao.

CONSERVA DE CENOURA

approx. 2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced*

3 tablespoons cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

5 tablespoons fruity olive oil**

1 -2 cloves garlic, finely minced or crushed

pinch of paprika

dash of piri piri*** or hot sauce

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1/4 cup black olives (Mediterranean, not California)

salt

Cook the carrots until crisp tender. (I used the microwave for 4 minutes). Mix together oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, paprika and hot sauce.

Cool the carrots slightly and pour the vinegar mixture over them Toss. Add olives and sprinkle with parsley. Cool and serve room temperature. 

The carrots taste even better the next day. The flavors actually mellow and meld together. They will last for several days.

*I did not peel the rainbow carrots, just "brushed" them clean.

**Portuguese olive oil is the most fruity and adds a distinctive flavor, so probably extra virgin is the best substitute.

***See earlier post "Frango Piri Piri"

Cut and cooked and cooled carrots

Conserva de Cenouras

One further note: I omitted the olives because the rainbow carrtos were colorul enough and used Aleppo, Turkish Pepper in place of Paprika

My only regret is that the carrots were so delicious themselves, next time I will order 2 bunches in order to enjoy one simply steamed!

*  Another note for new comers: "The White Rainbow" was the name of my restaurant in Gloucester, MA

ITALIAN SAUSAGES al FORNO and SAUTEED GREENS

This old recipe for Italian sausages suddenly came to mind while I was trying to think of something to make which would be compatible with my sauteed greens. 

Thirty odd years ago I interviewed a Sicilian woman in Gloucester, MA to get some perspective and  recipes for the traditional foods prepared for the Festival of San Giuseppe (St. Joseph's Day, March 19) for an article I was writing. Since there are many Sicilian and Portuguese families in Gloucester, their traditional European Holidays play a prominent role in the life of the city.

Frances K. invited me into her home, fed me lavishly, and held me rapt with stories from the past. Her husband, Lebanese, had become fluent in the Sicilian dialect and helped so many in the community during difficult times that he was much revered and earned the name, "San Antonio". 
She also told me how the women covered their furniture with clean, white sheets in order to make room to dry the traditional pasta served to all on St. Joseph's Day. Those stories and the pasta will be the subject of a later tale, but for now, back to the sausages.

Frances took me under her wing, (I had, afterall, been to Sicily and was in love with all things Italian). "When the fuss about "fiesta" is over, this is what I feed my family and they love it!" (her Sicilian dialect pronounces "festa" as "fiesta" and pasta as "baista").


She then gave me the following recipe for Italian Sausages. She, of course, made her own sausages, but the rest of us were not at a disadvantage. There were (and I hope still are) several local Italian food shops with homemade sausages, breads, etc. Trupiano's, Virgilio's and Cafe Sicilia come to mind. One more aside, the Semolina Bread at Cafe Sicilia was the best I have ever tasted and, of course, very popular. The owner was like the "Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld. He would sell you the bread if he liked you, and  if you were there when he decided it would be available!

FRANCES' ITALIAN SAUSAGE AL FORNO
1 pound Italian sausages*
1 onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced in strips**
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 large potato, thinly sliced
1 8 ounce tin San Marzano whole tomatoes, or chopped fresh plum tomatoes
olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano


Cook sausages in skillet with a little water. Prick to release fats. Remove and slice into 1 inch pieces. Place on a baking sheet.
Add potato slices, onion, peppers and mushrooms, and toss with olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Crush tomatoes over sausages and add a pinch of oregano. Bake at 400 degrees for about 1/2 hour until potatoes are done. 

I love this recipe. Simple, and the entire house has the magic aroma of an Italian restaurant while it cooks!

 * I now use Publix Greenwise Chicken Italian Sausages, healthier but still flavorful and moist.
**A combination of Green, Red, Yellow or Orange Peppers make this really attractive and adds the sweetness of the colorful peppers.

I had some dandelion greens, arugula and spinach left after making a few salads, so decided to make sauteed greens or Verdura Mista.

SAUTEED GREENS
Wash, stem and cut any combination of greens you have. A mix of bitter and sweet greens works best. 
Boil them in a little water until slightly wilted, 5 minutes or so, drain.
Heat olive oil and a large clove of garlic put through a press and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes in a skillet. Add the greens and some salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until softened. Serve with some grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon. Heaven!!

 The photo does not do this meal justice. You must imagine the aroma of garlic, olive oil, herbs, sausage, peppers and the greens!

Buon' appetito!! and Thank you Frances!

OH, OH, POMPANO! AND MESSY MAHI TOSTADAS

These meals go from heaven and then back to earth, and both delightful!
We were lucky to find some fresh Pompano. My Dad was an avid sports fisherman and dedicated himself to Striped Bass on Cape Ann. We often enjoyed "tinker" mackeral and flounder when in season, only moments off the boat. When Dad went to Florida, though, only Pomano would do. It is delicate and delicious and, I understand, the most expensive Gulf fish to purchase. 

My favorite treatment of a delicate, exquisite fish, is to adorn it with Beurre Blanc. Sometimes, fish such as Dover Sole, needs only butter and lemon, but I love playing with the variations of a Beurre Blanc.

For this one, I used white wine, shallots, white wine vinegar and tarragon. I have never had a recipe for Beurre Blanc, but have never failed using this process:
Reduce white wine with shallots and/or herbs to about  1/4 cup in the pan. Start with at least 1 cup.
Remove from heat or lower to minimum and add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time whisking constantly until smooth and thickened to consistency desired. (you don't want a watery sauce, just unctuous)
Some people add cream and you can add flavors with orange, lemon or grapefruit juice.


Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper or maybe a seafood rub.
Saute them in butter or olive oil until browned and flaky.
Ladle with sauce.


Pompano, Flounder, Halibut, Orange Roughy or any delicate non-oily fish is superb with this sauce.

I have been fortunate enough to find a source of local organic produce delivered to my home, suncoastorganics.net, so rounding out the meal is now easy. I love it! The produce changes weekly, so you can organize menus around the selections, or just create as you go along. ( you also have the option of choosing a la carte, but I like the challenge of having to figure out what to do with what you get!)


For this meal, I added some wild rice cooked in chicken broth and a salad of arugula, dandelion greens, cucumber and tomatoes in a red wine vinaigrette.


Vinaigrette
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil whisked in 

Then for dessert, I mixed the wonderful berries received in the order, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries with some triple sec and whipped cream.


Simple, simple, simple, divine, divine , divine!

Now for the Mahi Tostadas

Season Mahi fillets with a seafood rub such as Old Bay or Paul Prudhomme
Saute in an oiled skillet until just done (flaky)


Fry corn tortillas in oil until crispy (or if you can find tostada shells without hydrogentated oil, USE THEM!)


Spread tartar sauce on the tortillas, top with lettuce and tomato and then the Mahi fillets, add some hot sauce or salsa or more tartar sauce. Serve. Picking them up in your fingers works best. They are messy, but good!!

I served them with some sauteed zucchini, colorful peppers, red onion and oregano.  Good meal, had to share!

THE CASE OF THE MISSING EGG: SOLVED

My catering partner and I entered the lovely waterfront home of our new client to inspect the kitchen and lay out of the party area.  This home was meticulous in every detail, not a wrinkle, nor a speck of dust nor a misaligned object was visible.

The phone rang and our client excused herself to another room giving us permission to inspect everything in the kitchen. We opened the refrigerator door to check on the space and configuration and, oops! an egg dropped out  onto the brick floor and shattered.

Surprised, we looked at each other and then down at the gooey mess and began searching frantically for paper towels, napkins or anything capable of removing the offending mess. All we could see were crisp linen towels, neatly folded and carefully positioned. It was obvious that not much cooking went on in this pristine room!

Fortunately, my partner had some tissues in her purse and we hastily scooped and wiped and cleared the sticky mess, but where would we deposit the evidence. The glistening trash receptacle was not an option! So, you guessed it, with a grimace, we stuffed the refuse into our purses.

When the client returned, we smiled and continued the tour of the entertaining space with no mention of the egg. "Catering must be so much fun!" she said as we left.


Often we wondered what thoughts went through her mind when she discovered the obvious empty spot on the egg rack..could she have possibly overlooked some detail..a mystery indeed! 


The secret is now revealed..the Happy Cookers strike again!


My thoughts always turn to Spanish cuisine when eggs are mentioned. They are one of the "Threads of Gold" in Spanish, Portuguese and Sicilian cooking, golden hued ingredients prominent and common to all three. They are not "breakfast" food as they are in our culture, but used as entrees, tapas, picnic food, stuffed into meat pies as a surprise, mixed into soups and placed on salads, stews, and breads.

Almost a national dish, Tortilla Espanola, or Tortilla de Patata, is beloved by the Spaniards. The ingredients are few and simple, but when you use the best quality, it becomes a special dish, a work of art.

A Lladro Pitcher is also a work of art

This tortilla has nothing to do with the Mexican tortilla. It is basically an omelet, but it is to an omelet what risotto is to rice. The method of preparation makes it unique.

TORTILLA ESPANOLA

This is an adaptation of the Tortilla De Patata Jose Luis in Penelope Casas wonderful tome on regional Spanish cuisine, Delicioso!

1/4 Cup good fruity olive oil (from Spain if possible)
1 medium Spanish Onion ( I used a red onion because that is what I had!) chopped or sliced thin
2 baking  potatoes or 4 smaller Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin 
Kosher or  Sea Salt
4 Organic, Free Range eggs
Black Pepper (optional)

Simple Ingredients

Heat the oil in a 9-10 inch skillet. Add the potato slices one at a time making layers and salting. Add the onion. Cook over low heat very slowly and gently until the potatoes are tender. You do NOT want to brown them. Lift and turn them gently while they cook. Drain them on paper towels. Leave some oil in the pan.

Beat the eggs in a bowl large enough to accommodate the potatoes and onions. Add some salt (and pepper if using).

Put the potatoes into the bowl and press them into the egg. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes. 

 Heat the oil remaining in the skillet and carefully add the potato/egg mixture. Keep the heat about medium hot. Spread the mixture to fit the pan and brown on one side, pressing to cook and shaking it constantly.
Slide the tortilla onto a plate and cover with a second plate. Invert the tortilla. Add more oil to the skillet if necessary and slide the tortilla into the pan to cook the other side As before.


Here the recipe calls for turning the edges of the tortilla under to make it smooth and round and turning it twice more. I say, "don't press your luck"! If you were successful at moving it onto a plate and inverting it once, be happy and serve it!! An imperfect shape does not affect a perfect taste

Delicioso!

There are variations on the classic recipe some call for the addition of Serrano Ham or red peppers. You can get creative, but the basic is so good, you may want to save the extras for another recipe, such as the one which follows.

BAKED VEGETABLE  AND POTATO TORTILLA

2 Tablespoons good Olive oil

1 spanish onion or red onion thinly sliced

2 potatoes thinly sliced

zucchini, roasted red pepper, yellow tomato (or other vegetables of your choice)

Salt, pepper and grated parmesan cheese

4-5  eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread oil in a round baking dish or quiche pan and cover with onions and potato slices, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake for about 20-30 minutes until potatoes are tender.

I like salt in some of these simple recipes and use French Grey Sea Salt

 

 Slice the vegetables into strips and arrange over the potatoes in a decorative design. Pour beaten eggs over all. Season with salt and pepper and toss on grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake loosely covered for about 10-15 minutes. Remove cover for last few minutes to brown top a little. Let cool slightly and cut into wedges to serve.

This is pretty, delicious and healthy. It makes a great brunch dish, a supper or appetizer or box lunch. 

Note: Although this is prettier and probably more healthy, I personally prefer the classic Spanish version. It brings the exquisite flavor and passion of Spain to your table!