Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

18 Jul

With the plethora of tomatoes I’ve been receiving from my CSA box, I needed a way to use them up in quantities before they went bad – because in a week’s time I would be receiving another huge batch.

Organic Tomatoes

I have been a fan of sun-dried tomatoes for a while now… it was my first “foodie” grocery purchase about 10 yrs ago.  I remember we went to this gourmet store called Domenico’s, which is no longer in operation.  I went to buy sun-dried tomatoes, but left with my first piece of Gruyere cheese too.  It was a good day.

So I decided how it would be if I made my very own version of sun-dried tomatoes… they’ll not completely dry, but the flavor is definitely intensified by roasting them low and slow. 

 

        oven roasted tomatoes 1

OVEN-ROASTED TOMATOES

As many tomatoes as you can fit in a baking sheet – halved and seeded
A drizzle of olive oil – about 1 tbs for the whole thing
A sprinkling of Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
About ½ tbs of balsamic vinegar
A few leaves of thyme – optional

                                      

  1. Place the halved and seeded tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle the salt, pepper and thyme leaves if using.  Drizzle a very small amount of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar.
  2. oven roasted tomatoes - prep
  3. Mix all the tomatoes to make sure they’re evenly coated with all the ingredients we added.  Make sure they’re all cut side up before placing them in the oven.
  4. Roast slowly in a 250F oven for about 1 ½ to 2 hours.  Don’t let the tomatoes burn too much or they’ll taste bitter.

 

Use them in your favorite tomato application… they’ll impart an intense tomato flavor to pastas, salads and sandwiches.

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Green Goddess Dressing

16 Jul

This is a dressing I have been making for the Yoga Center Saturday buffets for a while now…  And a new resurgence of retro recipes has made it popular and chic once again…

I make several different version of this dressing, with the pale green color being the common denominator.

 

 Green Godess Dressing

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

½ cup buttermilk
½ cup plain yogurt
3 tbs of white wine vinegar
2 tsp honey
¼ cup fresh spinach leaves
¼ cup fresh basil leaves
2 scallions, chopped
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped a bit
2 tsp mustard – Dijon or grain mustard will do
¼ tsp salt
A few grinds of black pepper
1 cup canola or olive oil

 

  1. In a blender, mix all the ingredients except the oil.  Blend well and add the oil thru the blender cap while the blender is still running in a thin stream.

 

Use it to dress your salad or as a dip for crudités…  if you’re using specifically for crudités, I may blend also 4oz of cream cheese to make it thicker.

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Tortilla Sandwich

12 Jul

It’s super typical to see on Spain lots of prepared sandwiches or “bocadillos” already made in the windows of bakeries and quick service shops.  They’re prepared daily for people to grab something quick for breakfast or lunch…

One of the most traditional and peculiar ones are the Bocadillos de Tortilla… which is as simple as it sounds – a piece or Spanish Tortilla in between 2 breads and eaten as a sandwich.  Where I first saw this on the menu was in the Spanish sandwich chain Pans & Company…  and carb-phobics might think this is too much carbs in one single bite, but let me tell you, it’s awesome…

 In Barcelona, they serve them with “pan con tomate” and the tortilla inside.  In Madrid, I saw them with just tortilla and a slather of mayonnaise on the bread.  Either way, I had to wait until reaching home to have my very own version.  The wait was well worth it…

 Bocadillo de Tortilla

 

TORTILLA SANDWICH

1 serving of Spanish Tortilla – cut to fit the bread
1 whole grain demi-baguette
Egg-less mayonnaise
2 slices of tomato, optional but highly recommended
Salt and Pepper to taste
Spanish Olive oil
 
  1. Toast the bread as you wish.  Slather both bread halves with eggless mayo.
  2. Place the pieces of tortilla on the bottom half of the sandwich.  Add the tomato slices, if using. 
  3. Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper and add a small drizzle of olive oil.

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Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Manchego Cheese

11 Jul

This is as simple as it sounds…   This is inspired by the Made in Spain show from Chef José Andrés, where in one episode was celebrating the cuisine and ingredients of Navarra; and Navarra is where Pamplona is located.

This tapa is made originally by chef Andrés with Roncal cheese.  Unfortunately I was not able to locate Roncal without animal rennet.  So my variation on it uses Manchego cheese, not as traditional to the region, but delicious nonetheless.

The original recipe includes a light vinaigrette dressing which I forgot to make the day I took the photos… but I include the ingredients so you can make it at home if you like.  I have tasted it without the vinaigrette and it is just as delicious.

 

 Piquillos rellenos de Manchego

PIQUILLO PEPPERS STUFFED WITH MANCHEGO CHEESE

4-5 roasted Spanish piquillo peppers
4-5 slices of Manchego cheese
About 3 tbs Spanish olive oil
About 1 tbs sherry vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ scallion, sliced – optional
½ shallot, chopped finely – optional

 

  1. Take the piquillo peppers and blot them dry.  This will help them sear better in the pan.  Place the slices of cheese inside each pepper.  Set aside.
  2. To prepare the vinaigrette, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Whisk to combine.  Add the scallions and/or shallots, if using.  Set aside.
  3. In a small non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, place a tiny bit of oil.  Place the peppers filled with cheese on the skillet to sear the outside of the pepper and to warm up the cheese.  Manchego is softer than Roncal and will melt more rapidly. 
  4. Take the peppers out onto a plate and drizzle the vinaigrette on top.  The cheese will harden back slightly after its removed from the heat.

 

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Rioja-style Potatoes

10 Jul

This recipe is an adaptation from a recipe presented by chef José Andrés in his PBS show Made in Spain and made by him later on at the Martha Stewart show.

I’ve been fascinated with Spanish cooking all my life, but after my recent trip to Spain 2 years ago, I’ve become a fan of chef Andrés and his cooking.  The thing is that most these recipes are not vegetarian per sé, but we just need to give them a few nudges to make them perfect for us.  Besides, he’s so passionate about Spain and its cuisine it’s contagious.  I TiVo his show every weekend and already know many episodes by heart.

What I liked about this recipe is that it’s simple and hearty.  You can eat it as a tapa, alone or even over rice – very versatile. And the ingredients you probably have already in your pantry.

 

 Papas a la Riojana

RIOJA-STYLE POTATOES

2 medium-sized potatoes, russets work fin here – cut into 1-inch cubes, but cut them haphazardly to get some rough edges on them
½ onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 link of Tofurky kielbasa-style sausage, sliced on a bias into ¼ inch pieces
1 tsp Spanish sweet pimentón – paprika in English
½ tomato, grated
Salt and Pepper to taste
Spanish olive oil
Filtered Water
 
  1. In a medium sized skillet with tall sides over medium heat, heat olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic.  The idea is to cook and soften the onions, not necessarily to get color on them.
  2. Add the pieces of tofu sausage and cook to get a golden brown color on them.
  3. Papas a la Riojana 1
  4. Now we add the potatoes…  stir them into the onions, garlic and sausage pieces and cook for about 10 minutes.  Add the pimentón and enough water to almost cover the potatoes. 
  5. papas a la riojana 2
  6. Cover for a few minutes to bring the water to a boil.  After water is boiling, uncover and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the water is reduced in half.

 

Very easy to do and very delicious… Gracias José.

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