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Totally Local Tomato-Based Meals

Posted at 2:26 PM on August 25, 2008 by Autumn Long (1 Comments)

Tomatoes occupy a central role in my life these days: harvesting, cooking, slicing, chopping, drying, canning, and, of course, eating them. Although it has been a rather poor tomato year due to unusually cool weather, there are still plenty of delicious, juicy heirloom tomatoes to eat fresh and some to cook and can, too. Here are two ideas for tasty, all-local summertime meals that involve minimal cooking and maximum tomato indulgence:

1. Grilled Pizza Breads
Pizza is a staple food in our household. In cold weather, when the woodstove is fired up, Dan The Pizza Master mixes up a large batch of pizza dough at least once a week. His pizzas are superb. But our wood-fired oven sits cold and empty during warm weather, and so we got creative this year and came up with a satisfying summertime alternative to
traditional pizza. All the ingredients are local, and the result is a quick weeknight supper perfect for munching on the deck as the sun goes down.

First, acquire some fresh, crusty Italian bread from your local baker (or bake your own). Fire up your grill, and while the coals are heating, prepare your ingredients. Thinly slice and lightly sauté some onions, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, and/or whatever vegetables you have on hand. Slice some fresh tomatoes horizontally (prepared tomato sauce can be substituted in non-tomato season) and chop some fresh basil and oregano. Cut the bread lengthwise to make several long, flat slices. Grill one side of the bread ­-- the side you plan to use as the top --­ until it is golden brown. Then top the grilled side of the bread with the sliced tomatoes, sautéed vegetables, grated mozzarella cheese, pepperoni (for the carnivores), and a sprinkling of fresh herbs and parmesan cheese. Grill the breads with the cover on the grill for several minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasty. Voila! All local, and all delicious.

2. 'Mater Sammidges
I cut out an AP article from the local paper last week featuring this first-place winner in a tomato recipe contest. I made these "sammidges" for dinner the next night, and they were obscenely good. But the prep is very messy, and the results are pretty greasy, so I won't be adding this recipe to my regular meal rotation. For special occasions, though, it's a delicious treat.

First, fry some bacon. Meanwhile, set out several ounces of soft herbed cheese on the counter to soften (I made my own spreadable herbed cheese by adding chopped garlic, fresh herbs, and a grating of parmesan to cream cheese). Cut matching, 1/2-inch-thick horizontal slices from large heirloom tomatoes. Pat the tomato slices with paper towels to soak up extra moisture. Spread each tomato slice with cheese, and place strips of bacon on half the tomato slices. Then bring the two halves together to make a "tomato sandwich" with cheese and bacon in the middle. Place flour (seasoned with salt and pepper), several lightly beaten eggs, and Italian-style breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Dredge each sandwich in flour, dip it in egg, and then coat it thoroughly with the breadcrumbs. Sauté the sandwiches in a skillet with olive oil until they are golden brown on both sides. Now dig in!

Who wants to share their favorite summer recipes? Let's hear 'em!

Comments (1)

I cannot remember where I got the recipe but we have made grilled pizzas before.....I am a pretty mediocre with the grill so I only have tried this three or four times and not at all this year.....but I made a regular pizza dough,heat the grill, slice all your fresh stuff really thin, then you put the pizza dough on the grill (brush the Grill with oil????),flip it over after a couple of minutes, put your toppings on (I am remembering moving fast here), then let it cook for a couple of minutes. The thing I remember about this recipe is that the crust is REALLY INCREDIBLE, super crispy with a wood fired taste and nifty little crunchy bubbles, really good, I think it was best with slices of tomatoes, basil and a sprinking of fresh Mozz., I like to drizzle a little olive oil and black pepper...of coures some chile pepper flakes are always nice.....hmmmm.maybe I ought to give this grilling thing another go now thatI am making my own fresh Mozzarella. Your tomatoe recipe
sounds wonderful........certainly not a puritan offering.

Yum-Yum, Vera

Posted by vera schabicki | August 29, 2008 4:12 PM