Our romance with summer
tomatoes doesn't stop at this issue's
Quick
Entertaining -- we're going back to
one of our very first Wine Skinny Cooks
features:
Vine-ripened, naturally
grown, tomatoes are so much better than
the hydroponic tasteless red things that
are available the rest of the year, that
we just go tomato crazy in summer. Check
out these recipes that highlight summer
tomatoes:
Grilled Tuna Salade Niçoise
Lots of Crusty French Bread
Lots and lots of Pinot Noir -- Burgundy,
Oregon, California, your choice!
A wonderful summertime treat and beautiful
for special occasions - it's a meal in
itself. It looks like a lot of ingredients,
but you don't really have to do anything
to them - just arrange and enjoy. Serves
8.
1 pound small waxy potatoes
1 pound fresh, small green beans - blanched
and run under cold water
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 head Romaine lettuce, separated into
leaves and rinsed and patted dry
1 pound ripe summer tomatoes, sliced &
sprinkled with salt
1 large red onion, very thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, roasted, peeled,
and very thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, and
very thinly sliced
2/3 cup black Niçoise olives
1 tin of oil-packed anchovy villets
1/2 to 3/4 cup tightly packed fresh basil
leaves
2 pounds fresh tuna steaks, about 2 inches
thick
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon drained capers, rinsed
Scrub and boil the potatoes
until tender (but not mushy). Drain and
rinse with cool water, and then immediately
dress the potatoes with about 3 tablespoons
of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon red wine
vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.
Set aside.
Prepare the grill or preheat
the broiler.
Arrange the lettuce leaves
as a bed for the other ingredients, then
arrange the ingredients on a large platter,
leaving room in the center for the fish.
Pile the tomatoes at one end of the platter.
Pile the dressed potatoes at the other
end and arrange the green beans along
both sides. Scatter the onion and pepper
slices over all and arrange the olives
and anchovies on top. Add hard boiled
eggs. Strew the basil over everything.
Grill or broil the tuna
steaks for about 8 minutes on each side,
turning once. When done to your taste,
place it in the center of the salad platter.
While the tuna is cooking,
prepare the dressing: Mix garlic and 1
teaspoon salt together, using the back
of a spoon, until it is a paste. Then,
using a fork, beat in the remaining oil
and vinegar, along with the chives, capers
and additional salt and pepper to taste.
Pour over tuna and vegetables, and serve
immediately.
Fresh Tomato, Basil and Feta Salsa
Hummus (can use store-bought)
Toasted triangles of pita or flat bread
Gaeta olives
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc from California
or New Zealand
This is also great on grilled meat
or fish. Makes about 3 cups.
4 or 5 very ripe tomatoes
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1/3 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves,
slivered
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cut the tomatoes in half
and squeeze out and discard the seeds.
Dice the tomatoes and toss them with the
onion, garlic, basil, oil and vinegar.
Combine well. Taste and add salt and pepper.
Add feta and toss lightly
Well, a tomato is technically a fruit,
isn't it? In any case, this is an old
favorite combination:
Slices of perfect summer
tomatoes, lightly sprinkled with salt
Gorgonzola cheese
Any red wine you can get your hands on,
like Chianti, Ribera del Duero or Bordeaux
Pasta
with Summer Tomatoes & Basil
Sauteed
Potatoes with Rosemary, Grape Tomatoes
& Black Olives
Chopped
Salad with Manchego, Tomatoes & Sherry
Vinaigrette
Couscous
Salad with Tomatoes & Arugula
Greek
Tomato Salad
Summer
Tomato & Goat Cheese Salad
Summer
Corn & Tomato Saute
