Tomato Time
For anyone who missed my cooking demo at Krankies Farmers Market on Tuesday, here are the recipes I prepared:
Tomatoes Murray
This recipe comes from my uncle Murray Hooper, who said the former Palmer House restaurant in Baltimore served a similar dish years ago. The secret ingredient here is ricotta salata, a sheep’s-milk cheese with a mild, slightly sweet, milky and nutty flavor. It is tender yet firm, made in wheels, and is very different from the ricotta used in lasagna. Ricotta salata is found in specialty shops and some supermarkets, such as Whole Foods Market. Asiago or a very mild feta is a good substitute.
2 medium, ripe tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
Red-wine or other vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces ricotta salata, grated
1 tablespoon basil chiffonade (very thinly sliced)
1. Core tomatoes and slice about 1/3 inch thick. Place in single layer on large plate and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle onion evenly over tomatoes. Splash about 1 teaspoon vinegar over tomatoes, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon or so of olive oil. Sprinkle with ricotta salata, then garnish with the basil. Serve at room temperature.
Makes 2 generous servings.
Fresh Tomato Salsa
Though even the same variety of hot pepper can vary in spiciness, one jalapeno here usually makes a mild salsa. To make it hotter, keep and use the seeds of the jalapeno, or gradually increase the amount of jalapeno to 1 1/2 or 2 peppers.
3 medium, ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound) or 6 to 7 plum tomatoes (See Note)
1/4 cup white or red onion, diced
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)
Salt to taste
1. Core tomatoes and cut crosswise in half. Holding over the sink, poke out seeds with a finger or small knife and discard seeds. (This is optional for plum tomatoes, because they have relatively few seeds.) Chop tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. In a small bowl, mix tomatoes with onion, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro, if desired. Add generous amount of salt to taste. If possible, let sit up to 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend. This salsa is best served at room temperature within 2 hours.
Makes about 2 cups.
Note: Plum tomatoes, widely used in Mexican cooking, make salsa with a good firm texture. If using very juicy tomatoes, or simply for a salsa that’s less liquid, try salting and draining the tomatoes as follows: Sprinkle seeded and chopped tomatoes with salt and toss in a colander. Let colander sit in sink, or on a plate, for 30 minutes to drain excess liquid, then mix with other ingredients.
Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Feta Cheese
Recipe adapted from A Mediterranean Feast (William Morrow, 1999) by Clifford A. Wright.
8 ripe but firm plum tomatoes (about 11/4 pounds), sliced
2 cucumbers, peeled, cut in half, lengthwise, seeded, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced’
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled into large chunks
18 imported black Kalamata olives, pitted
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. In a large mixing or salad bowl, toss the tomatoes, cucumbers, green pepper, feta and olives together.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and mint together. Pour over the tomato mixture. Toss to coat evenly, and season with salt and pepper. Toss again and serve at room temperature.
Makes 6 servings.
Michael’s Spicy Corn and Tomato Salad
2 ears fresh corn (for 2 cups kernels)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons cider or red-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or chopped regular tomatoes)
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Shuck the corn, then add to the boiling water. Cook 1 to 2 minutes for a crunchier texture that works well in salads, or cook to taste. (Leftover corn also can be used.) Drain corn and let cool.
2. Holding a corn ear upright, shave off kernels with a sharp knife. Repeat with second corn. Break up kernels, then add to bowl.
3. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss well. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate.
Within an hour of serving, toss tomatoes into salad, and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Salad is best served the day it’s made.
Makes about 8 servings.
