Love Thy Tomato

Here are two recipes I've made recently which feature herbs and tomatoes from my garden at home.   ROASTED TOMATO SOUP and QUICK BRUSCHETTA.  Simple, but oh so tasty.  Hope you enjoy!



Ingredients for the brushetta



Quick Bruschetta

1.5 lb of roma tomatoes, washed, seeded, and diced

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1t of balsamic vinegar

1T of extra virgin olive oil

pinch of kosher salt

several large basil leaves, rolled and sliced (approx 3T packed). 

Baguette, sliced thin on the bias, toasted



Toast, ricotta, and brushetta

Ricotta cheese (if desired)

Method:

Place diced tomatoes in a strainer over a large bowl to rid of any excess juice, leave for 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile in a medium bowl combine garlic, olive oil, salt, and vinegar, whisk until combined.

Add tomatoes and basil, stir gently to combine.

Leave at room temp up to an hour before serving (if longer, cover and refrigerate).

Eat:  Place about a teaspoon of ricotta on your toasted baguette, put a big mound of brushetta on!

Cooks notes:  Even better the next day!  Many traditional bruschetta recipes call for blanching (peeling) the tomatoes beforehand, since this is 'quick', that step is omitted.  Brushetta comes in many forms, experiment!  I have three kinds of basil in my herb box, and I used a mix of all three in this one.  It was tasty and fresh, we both liked it alot.

Roasted Tomato Soup

The barefoot contessa, or Ina Garten is one of those chefs I don't like to watch on TV too often (Sorry Ina) but I have to say, she has some fantastic recipes.  I tried this one for the first time last night and it was worth the work.  DELICIOUS.  Here's the link:

I made 2/3 of the original recipe stated on her website, with a bit less basil, and two special ingredients (I'll save you the suspense, it was a chipotle pepper and some parsley)
Ingredients
2 lb of roma tomatoes
3T olive oil


Ingredients simmering away.....

2t kosher salt

1t fresh ground pepper

1 19oz can diced tomatoes

2 1/2 C of chicken broth

1T butter

1T olive oil

1 large onion diced

4 cloves of garlic minced

1/4t of chili flakes
2 cups of mixed basil leaves and parsley, packed


Roasting the tomatoes



Method:

Preheat oven to 400 F

Cut your roma's in half and place in a large bowl, add the 3T of olive oil, salt, and pepper, stir gently with hands

On a large rimmed baking sheet place the tomatoes seed side up

Roast in oven for 40 minutes

Meanwhile...
In a large pot over medium heat melt butter, add the 1T of olive oil
Add the onion and garlic, stir around for several minutes (7 or 8) until golden and soft.
Add canned tomatoes, broth, chili flakes, and herbs and give it a stir.
Add the roasted tomatoes, juice, skins, char and all.
Put in the chipoltle.


Served with parmesan, YUMMY!



Bring to a boil

Simmer for a half hour with the lid off, kill the heat
Pulse mixture with an immersion blender until chunky smooth

To serve:
Place in bowl, eat.  Top with parmesan for a nice flavour.  Italian bread or ciabatta makes for excellent dipping.

Cooks notes:  The flavour of this is fantastic.  I like tomato soup with seeds but I think this soup would benefit from seeding the tomatoes beforehand (the original recipe calls for a foodmill which I think would help take care of that, I don't have this tool so immersion blender for me).  Also, you could for sure use more basil.  I would even add a carrot or some celery to make it into a tomato vegetable.  Don't skimp on the olive oil, it makes the soup.  Also the leftovers, like many soups, are even better.