Zucchini "Lasagna"

A massive glut of zucchini and an avoidance of carbs led to an experiment with using zucchini as a substitute for pasta for a meatless lasagna. I think I'm on to something here but the method still needs some work.

Zucchini is full of water so simply slicing zucchini and layering it with the other ingredients would just lead to a soupy mess. I've had a lot of success using fully dehydrated zucchini rounds in veggie stuffed frittatas where I simply toss the dried zucchini in with the rest of the veggies and don't even bother to reconstitute the zucchini. The zucchini slices absorb moisture and flavor from the other veggies and the eggs as the frittata bakes. I tried using partially dehydrated zucchini to try to mimic al dente pasta in the lasagna. This version was very good but it was still a bit too soupy.

I didn't weigh how much zucchini I used but it was 5 good sized Romanesco zucchini about 8 to 10 inches long and about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

For my first attempt I sliced the zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices using a mandoline. Then I salted the slices (no measuring, a few generous 5 finger pinches of kosher salt) and let them sit for 1/2 hour to draw out some moisture. I then rinsed and dried the slices and let them dry in a dehydrator set to 125ºF for almost 2 hours, they were still moist and quite pliable, maybe about half the volume of the fresh slices.

I layered the zucchini with 2 cups of tomato sauce, 12 ounces of sheep's milk ricotta, 8 ounces of buffalo mozzarella, and an unmeasured amount (fairly generous couple of handfuls) of finely grated parmesan, and some drizzles of extra virgin olive. I used an oval gratin pan that's about 9 x 12 inches.

The "lasagna" baked at 350ºF for 30 minutes and then another 10 minutes at 325ºF until the top was nicely browned. We at it after it sat for about 30 minutes.

Adjustments for the next attempt:

- Allow the zucchini to sit with the salt for an hour and then increase the time in the dehydrator. 3 hours perhaps?

- Bake at 325ºF for the entire time. 45 minutes?

Lettuce Gazpacho

A surfeit of lettuce and extra warm weather inspired this refreshing mash up. It also proved to be an opportunity to raid my stash of dehydrated vegetables from last year. I've noted the varieties of veggies that I used for my own info only. I'm not sure if it is the lettuce or using dried peppers and tomatoes, but the soup has a nice texture and doesn't need something like bread to give it body.

For the soup:
1 ounce dried sweet red peppers (a mix of varieties)
1 ounce dried tomatoes (Pomme d'Amour)
16 ounces cold water
1 small sweet yellow onion (Yellow Granex), coarsely chopped, about 3.5 ounces after cleaning and chopping
2 anchovy filets
2 tablespoons salt preserved capers, no need to rinse
8+ ounces of fresh crisphead lettuce (Joker), washed but not thoroughly dried, torn into pieces
2 to 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive, a mild one that isn't peppery is good (California Olive Ranch)
1 to 2 cups ice water

For the garnish:
1 small avocado, diced
About 1/2 cup each diced fresh sweet red pepper, tomato, and cucumber
Fresh basil leaves, slivered
Extra virgin olive oil as needed
Small cooked cold shrimp

Soak the dried peppers and tomatoes in 16 ounces of water overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain the peppers and tomatoes, reserving the soaking water. Combine the peppers, tomatoes, onion, anchovy filets, and capers in a large blender (I use a VitaMix). Blend until coarsely chopped, drizzling in the reserved soaking water to help things along. Add the torn lettuce a few pieces at a time and blend until all the lettuce is incorporated. Blend in a couple of tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a teaspoon of sugar. Slowly blend in the olive oil and then a cup of ice water. Taste the soup for seasoning and add more vinegar, salt and sugar to taste (I adjusted to the full amounts noted in the ingredients). Blend at a high speed, but not the highest until the soup is very smooth. Strain through a fine strainer pressing on the solids (shouldn't be much, mostly tomato seeds) to extract most of the liquid. Add more ice water if the soup is too thick. Chill thoroughly.

Mix all of the garnish ingredients except the shrimp adding enough olive oil to moisten the mix. Chill. To serve pour some soup into a chilled bowl or cup, add a few spoonfuls of the garnish and top with a few shrimp.

Makes about 1 3/4 quarts without the garnish.

Tomatoes Preserved in Olive Oil

Inspired by a recipe in La Cucina: The Regional Cooking of Italy.

Preserved Jaune Flamme Tomatoes

Start with small fresh tomatoes, Jaune Flamme produces tomatoes that are generally 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Slice them in half and dry them in a dehydrator until dry and soft, they should be more moist than they would be for keeping as dried tomatoes.

For about 3 1/2 to 4 ounces tomatoes dried as described above:

1 cup good red wine vinegar, warmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
Chopped fresh mint or dried oregano to taste
Olive oil as needed

Soak the tomatoes in the warm vinegar for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and toss with the salt, garlic, and olive oil as needed to dress them generously. Pack them in a clean jar and add olive oil to cover. These keep well at room temperature.

Serve these with a dollop of fresh goat or sheep milk cheese as an appetizer. They're tasty added to sandwiches or eaten straight from the jar.

Sablefish in Tomato Broth with Amaranth Greens

This turned out to be a great use for some very ripe and soft tomatoes that were sitting on the kitchen counter. The broth can be made well in advance and refrigerated or frozen. The final dish goes together fairly quickly if the greens are cleaned and ready to go. Baby spinach can be substituted for the amaranth greens. The tangy tomato broth is a nice foil for the rich sablefish (aka black cod or butterfish). Halibut would make a good substitute for the sablefish.

Tomato broth:
2 carrots, about 4 oz., sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
3 cloves garlic or more to taste, crushed
2 lb very ripe tomatoes, cut in chunks or 1 quart canned tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 large bay leaf
8 or 10 sprigs of fresh flat leaf parsley
1 dried mild New Mexico type chile, seeds removed
A large pinch of saffron
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

The fish and greens:
Sablefish filets, skinless, cut into serving sizes
Olive oil, a tablespoon or two
1 large shallot, finely chopped
12 oz. fresh green amaranth leaves or baby spinach
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Chopped fresh cilantro

Make the tomato broth:

Sweat the onions, carrots, and celery in a couple tablespoons of olive oil with a large pinch of salt over medium low heat in a heavy pot, covered, until they release some juices and begin to soften. Add the crushed garlic and continue to saute with the pot uncovered a few more minutes, until the juices evaporate. Add the tomatoes, wine, stock, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, bay leaf, parsley, pepper, and saffron to the pot, cover the pot and bring the contents to a boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes. Strain the contents through a fine mesh seive, pressing on the vegetables to extract all the liquid but don't force the solids through the mesh. Discard the solids and set the broth aside. The broth can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen. The recipe makes more than is needed to cook the fish.

Prepare the fish and greens:

Put 4 bowls in a 180°F oven to warm while you prepare the greens and fish.

Put about 3 cups of the tomato broth into a 12-inch skillet or whatever size skillet that will comfortably hold the fish filets, use enough broth so that the filets will be barely immersed. Bring the broth to a strong simmer. Taste for salt, add a generous grind of black pepper and adjust the flavor with lemon juice if the broth tastes sweet, you want a little bit of tang but not too sour, a tablespoon or so of lemon juice may be enough.

While the broth is heating, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a 10-inch saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallots to the pan with a large pinch of salt and stir until they soften, then add the greens to the pan and toss, using tongs, until the greens are wilted. Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the greens are done, place the fish filets in the hot broth, the largest pieces first and poach them over low heat for a few minutes, not allowing the broth to come to a boil, until the fish is just done and starts to flake but not fall apart. Turn the heat off and assemble the bowls.

Place 1/4 of the greens in each bowl, arrange cherry tomato halves around the perimeter of each bowl. Place the fish filets on top of the greens and add broth to fill the bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Baked Tomatoes with a Crispy Sweet Pepper Breadcrumb Topping

Feel free to leave out the dried sweet peppers. I used to make this dish with a pinch of dried chile pepper flakes, but one time when I was making the crumbs I had a few newly dried sweet peppers sitting out and I threw those in instead of the spicy peppers and now I prefer the sweet pepper flavor in the crumbs. Maybe next time I'll add the spicy peppers as well. The last time I made these baked tomatoes I added the drizzle of pomegranate molasses for the first time and my husband remarked that the tomatoes seemed to be especially flavorful so I think that it may become a regular addition to the dish.

4 medium to large ripe but firm tomatoes of any color (beefsteak tomatoes are excellent)
Pomegranate molasses (unsweetened syrup), optional
4 thick slices of stale rustic bread
2 cloves garlic, minced
fresh or dried herbs of your choice, such as fresh basil, thyme or tarragon, dried oregano, a couple tablespoons of fresh or a teaspoon or 2 of dried, chopped or crumbled
1 or 2 dried sweet peppers without seeds, such as Sigaretta Dolce, Jimmy Nardello, or Melrose, broken into a few pieces
a pinch of hot pepper flakes (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
extra virgin olive oil


Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Remove the stems and cores from the tomatoes and cut them in half horizontally. Arrange the tomato halves in a baking dish that will hold them all without crowding them, I like to use one of my terra cotta cazuelas. Season them with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a bit of pomegranate molasses on each slice for a bit of additional tanginess.

Cut the bread into chunks and grind it in a blender to make coarse crumbs. Add the garlic and herbs and blend in. Add the dried peppers and blend just until the peppers are finely chopped and mixed in but not ground into a powder.

Mound some of the breadcrumb mixture onto the top of each tomato half using all the crumbs, don't worry about crumbs that fall into the dish. Drizzle olive oil over each mound of crumbs to thoroughly moisten them and drizzle a bit into the baking dish as well.

Bake for about 30 minutes, more or less depending on the size and ripeness of the tomatoes, they should hold their shape when they are done and the breadcrumbs should be crisp. Serve immediately.

Tomato Steaks

These were inspired by a dish that I had years ago at Oliveto restaurant in Oakland when Paul Bertolli was in charge of the kitchen there. He served something similar to this at one of the tomato dinners that we enjoyed there. I've taken the dish in my own direction.

2 large beefsteak tomatoes
8 thin slices prosciutto
butter and/or olive oil
balsamic vinegar
fresh ground black pepper
slivered fresh basil leaves

Remove the stems from the tomatoes and core them if desired. Cut the shoulders and the bottoms off of the tomatoes and then cut the tomatoes in half horizontally into two thick slices each. Lay a slice of prosciutto out on a work surface and top it with a tomato slice and pull the ends of the prosciutto slice over the top of the tomato slice. Lay out another slice of prosciutto and flip the half wrapped tomato slice over onto the second slice of prosciutto and pull the ends of the second prosciutto slice over the top of the tomato so that the tomato is completely encased in prosciutto. Set the slice aside and wrap the rest of the tomato slices in the remaining prosciutto in the same way.

Warm 2 plates in a 200ºF oven.

Heat a skillet that is large enough to hold all four tomato slices over medium high heat with a 2 or 3 tablespoons of butter and/or olive oil. When the pan is quite hot but before the butter burns, add the tomato slices to the pan and quickly sear them on both sides. Remove the tomato slices to the hot plates before the tomatoes get soft. Turn the heat off and deglaze the pan with balsamic vinegar and pour the hot juices over the warm tomatoes. Grind some fresh black pepper over all and sprinkle with the slivered basil leaves. I don't season this dish with salt because the prosciutto is already quite salty. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as an appetizer.

Roger Verge's Sautéed Cherry Tomatoes with Basil

This is from Roger Verge's Vegetables in the French Style. A friend of mine calls these Tomato Poppers, each little warm cherry tomato pops in your mouth when you eat them.

1 generous pound cherry tomatoes
1 garlic clove, peeled
20 basil leaves
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme leaves

Wash the tomatoes, dry them thoroughly and remove their stems. Chop together the garlic, basil, and parsley. Warm a serving dish in a 200ºF oven. Put the oil into a skillet over high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the sugar, salt, and pepper and toss briefly. Add the garlic mixture and the thyme and mix well. Serve immediately in the hot serving dish.

Tomato Gazpacho

This is my own version of tomato gazpacho that I've come up with after adjusting and refining various versions. Some versions are thickened with bread and I find that I prefer breadless versions. Other recipes make a rather piquant soup with lots of vinegar and I prefer mine more mellow so I use a sweeter vinegar and less of it. I also like less bite from alliums so I use sweet onions and no garlic. This gazpacho is all about the vegetables. I also discovered that it's a great way to use up the tomatoes that I threw into the freezer whole at the end of the season when I was sick and tired of dealing with tomatoes or just didn't have time to deal with them before they went bad. Just run the frozen tomatoes under warm water which will loosen the skins, peel them and cut them into chunks, the frozen tomatoes are surprisingly easy to cut through. Puree the vegetables without thawing out the tomatoes and the soup will be cold enough to eat right away.

1 1/2 lb. fresh tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (whole frozen tomatoes work well also)
1 large cucumber, about 8 oz., peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large sweet red pepper, about 8 oz., cores and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
1/2 large sweet onion, about 6 oz. coarsely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbs moscato or late harvest sauvignon blanc wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
fresh ground black pepper

Garnish:
about 3 oz. each finely chopped cucumber and sweet red and/or green pepper
about 8 ounces finely chopped tomatoes, add some quartered cherry tomatoes to the mix
diced avocado (optional)
fried bread cubes (optional)
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling


Combine the chopped tomatoes, cucumber, sweet pepper, and sweet onion in a large bowl, stir to combine. Blend the chopped vegetables in batches with the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper until quite smooth. Strain into a large bowl and refrigerate.

Mix the finely chopped cucumber, sweet pepper, and tomatoes together and refrigerate.

Taste the chilled soup and adjust the seasonings if needed to your preference. You can mix in the vegetable garnish and serve the soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or serve the soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil with the garnishes on the side to be added as desired by the diners.

Makes about 4 to 6 servings.

Tomato Tart with Seared Tuna and Caramelized Onions

This is based on Cal Stamenov's recipe which is in the recipe booklet that I received when I attended the 1998 TomatoFest at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California.

1 lb. puff pastry (Dufour is a good brand, it's 14 ounces which is enough)
2 medium onions, sliced thin - 1/16 inch crosswise
2 tbsp olive oil
1 branch of fresh thyme
1 tbsp sugar (or 1 tsp if using sweet onions)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp vinegar (rice vinegar works well)
1 lb. Ahi Tuna (I've also used local Albacore tuna), sliced 1/2 inch thickness
fresh lemon or lime juice
1 tbs vegetable oil
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Roll the cold puff pastry into a rectangle onto a floured surface, approximately 1/8-inch thick. Trim the edges off and cut into four equal portions (squares or squarish). Place the portions on a baking sheet. Prick each piece 12 times with a fork and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and keep them on the baking sheet.

Sauté the onions with oil, thyme, and sugar for 20 to 25 minutes, until light brown. Deglaze with soy sauce and vinegar. Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.

Season the tuna slices with salt, pepper, and lemon or lime juice. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, swirl in the vegetable oil and sear the tuna on both sides for 20 seconds. Remove from the pan.

Assembly: Spread the onions evenly over the cooked puff pastry squares (do not remove from the baking pan). Slice the cooked but rare tuna diagonally into 1/4-inch thickness. Arrange the tuna evenly over the onions. Arrange the tomato slices over the tuna and warm them under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and drizzle with the garlic vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a main course, or slice into smaller portions and serve as an appetizer for more.

Winter Tarragon Tomato Soup

1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup butter 
1 quart canned tomatoes or 2 pounds peeled frozen tomatoes or 2 pounds peeled fresh tomatoes 
1/2 cup dry white wine 
1 tablespoon sugar 
1 teaspoon dried tarragon 
salt to taste 
sour cream or creme fraiche 

In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the onion in the butter until it starts to turn gold, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, juice and all, and mash them down with a potato masher. Add the wine, sugar, and tarragon and stir. Cover, turn the heat down and simmer the soup for 45 minutes. Puree the soup and push it through a sieve back into the saucepan. Add salt to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream in each bowl.

Serves 4.

Bacon, Basil, and Tomato Sandwich (BBT)

I like to keep the BBT simple - a toasted La Brea ciabatta roll drizzled with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil, thick sliced tomatoes from the garden sprinkled with a touch of salt (I'm enamoured of Murray River flake pink salt at the moment), a generous grind of black pepper, 4 or 5 pieces of crisp bacon, and a generous sprinkle of chopped fresh basil. Sometimes, when I'm feeling decadent, I add a bit of homemade mayonnaise. I like to hollow out the roll so that the contents don't squish out of the sandwich when you take a bite.

Charred Tomato Salsa

3 fresh green New Mexico type chiles, OR 3 dried Ancho chiles
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 pound sweet onions, peeled, trimmed and cut crosswise into 3 thick slices
4 serrano or other hot chiles (optional)
2 pounds ripe tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
sugar if needed, to taste
Sriracha sauce if the hot chile were omitted (optional)

Heat a griddle or large cast iron skillet over medium heat.

If using the fresh chiles, blacken them over an open flame or under a broiler, place in a bowl and cover. Set them aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Before putting the salsa together, remove the blackened skins, the cores, and the seeds.

If using the dried chiles, cut them open so that they can lay flat and remove the core and seeds. Press them with a large spatula for just a few seconds on the hot griddle to toast them lightly, don't allow them to blacken. Place in a bowl and cover with very hot water, weight them down to keep them submerged. Set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients. Once the flesh of the chiles has softened, scrape it off the skin and set it aside. Don't try to get every bit of flesh off the skin (impossible) and don't worry about little bits of skin that star with the flesh. If it seems a bit chunky plop it onto your cutting board and mince it into a puree.

Place the garlic, onion, and hot chiles on the griddle, no greasing is required. Cook, turning a few times, until everything is softened and has nice brown spots. Set aside to cool. Remove the stems and the cores and seeds from the chiles.

While the garlic, onion, and hot chiles are browning, char the tomatoes over an open flame or under a broiler until the skin becomes blackened. It's not necessary to blacken the entire tomato and it will not be cooked completely through. Set the tomatoes aside.

To put the salsa together you can mince the garlic, and chop the green chiles (if using), onion, and tomatoes, and mix everything together. OR you can use a food processor. To process the salsa, first mince the garlic and a couple of the hot chiles by dropping them through the feed tube into the processor while it is running, then add the green chiles or ancho chile puree, the onions, and the tomatoes and pulse to a desired consistency (I like mine a little chunky). Put into a mixing bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients. I recommend putting in half of the hot chiles and tasting and adding more minced hot chile to taste. Taste to see if it needs a little bit of sugar.

Oven Candied Tomatoes

Slow roasting tomato halves with olive oil produces something between a confit and a dried tomato. You choose what texture you want depending on how you want to use the end result and how long you want to store them. The drier the consistency the longer the end product will keep. These are best stored in the refrigerator or perhaps even the freezer for longer term storage. This is a great way to turn a big bowl of juicy cherry tomatoes into a modest size jar of candy-like dried tomato nuggets.

Slice tomatoes in half and place cut side up in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with a little salt and fresh ground pepper. Drizzle with a generous amount of good extra virgin olive oil - the bottom of the dish should be filmed with oil. Sprinkle fresh basil on top (optional). Bake in a 200 F degree oven until they reach a consistency that you like, anywhere from a couple to several hours depending on the size of the tomatoes and the desired consistency. I treat cherry tomatoes the same way and bake them until they are chewy. If the tomatoes are baked until quite chewy they will keep in a well sealed container in the refrigerator for a long time.

Tomato Risotto With Goat Cheese

8 ounces Paul Robeson tomatoes
2 Szentesi Semi-hot peppers, charred, peeled and seeded (about 1.5 ounces cleaned)
4 ounces chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.5 ounces diced pancetta (from Boccalone)
1 cup risotto rice (Vialone Nano)
1/3 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
About 2 cups broth (I had duck broth in the freezer), hot
2 ounces boucheron goat cheese without the skin
20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Char the tomatoes lightly over an open flame, remove the peels and stems, don't worry about removing all the charred bits of skin. Puree the tomatoes and cleaned peppers in a blender until there are still small bits of pepper visible, set aside.

Saute the pancetta in the olive oil over medium heat in a 2.5L pressure fry pan until the pancetta starts to brown. Add the onion and cook it until it softens. Add the rice and cook until it becomes opaque. Add the wine and cook until most of it is absorbed. Pour in the tomato-pepper puree - add one cup of the stock to the blender container to get the rest of the puree and add it to the pan. Put the lid on the pan, lock it in place and bring the cooker up to high pressure. Turn the heat down to maintain pressure and cook for 5 minutes. Bring the pressure down using a quick release method and uncover the pan. Continue to cook the risotto over low heat, using the rest of the hot broth as needed, until it is nearly done - about 3 to 5 minutes for al dente. Add the cherry tomatoes and crumble in the goat cheese and stir until it is blended in and finish cooking - about 2 more minutes.

Serves 2 generously.