What will I do with all the plum tomatoes I'm going to have from garden soon. This was a surprise!

M

marsha-tbay

Well-known member
I had tomatoes planted in a container garden and soon realized some looked quite different from what I'd always grown. There are 10-18 tomatoes per branch that has little 'chandeliers' extending at the end with all these plum tomatoes danging from. Unbelievable.

I supposed just eat them as fast as they ripen, eh?

 
Send them here! Otherwise, make Blue Cheese Broiled Tomatoes or Tomato Cheese Pie w/ Crumb Crust ...

(Will post either of these if interested).
Or..chop and toss with pasta dishes. Or use in bruschetta recipes. The list goes on and on and on - you're soooooo lucky!!!

 
Some faves...

Chopped Vegetable Salad with Feta and Olives

1 large head romaine lettuce, finely chopped (about 8 cups)
4 medium plum tomatoes, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup pitted halved Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Drizzle oil and vinegar over. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Mix in feta cheese and olives and serve. Serves 4.

Source: Bon Appetit

Pat’s note: Sooo good, especially with fresh summer tomatoes. Sometimes I add yellow or orange bell pepper – very pretty.

*********

Moyn’s Tomato Salad

In a big bowl combine:

5 or 6 luscious plum tomatoes cut in 1/8's
about 5 scallions, sliced or a small red onion, thinly sliced
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, minced
zest one lemon
about 7 or 8 large leaves of fresh basil, chopped
oregano to taste (I used fresh)
some chopped parsley
drizzle the whole thing with extra virgin olive oil
add some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
and mix up the whole mess.....
Allow to marinate for a few hours (not overnight, or the tomatoes will "lose" their fresh taste), and stir every now and then to redistribute the marinade.
At the very last minute I added some crumbled feta cheese...but it would be great with grated Parmesan or Asiago or even Manchego

Moyn’s notes: It’s wonderful..... and delicious to sop up the juices with some French bread or crusty roll

Pat's notes: I find I only have to let this sit about 20-30 minutes for the flavors to marry, then add the feta and combine just before serving. Goes great with bbq. Sometimes I also add some kalamata olives and/or serve on a bed of chopped romaine or other lettuce which also picks up the extra dressing.

**********
Grilled Salmon with Tomato-Olive Salsa

1 1/2 cups diced seeded plum tomatoes (about 10 ounces)
6 tablespoons olive oil
12 Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives, pitted, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
6 6-ounce salmon fillets

Combine tomatoes, 4 tablespoons oil, olives, basil, capers, garlic, and shallot in medium bowl; stir to blend. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush salmon with remaining 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill salmon until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer salmon to plates. Top with salsa.

Makes 6 servings.
Source: 7/01 Bon Appétit
"My husband, Don, and I both like to cook," writes Lisa Pendelton of Pasadena, California. "We run our own architectural firm. The business is rewarding but stressful, so spending time in the kitchen is a wonderful distraction. Lisa's salmon is also great with her lemon cream: Mix 2/3 cup sour cream with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

Pat’s notes: Delicious.

********
Pineapple-Avocado Salsa

1 cup 1/4-inch-dice fresh pineapple (in a pinch I've used canned)
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 firm-ripe California avocado, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño chile, including seeds
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Stir all ingredients together and season with salt.
Serves 6. Source: 4/00 Gourmet

Pat’s notes: The salsa is EXCELLENT with the following pork tenderloin. It’s a nice cool contrast to the spiciness of the pork. I’ve found the salsa is equally nice with grilled fish and grilled chicken.

Spiced Pork Tenderloin and Avocado Salsa

2 1/2 tbsp coarse salt (definitely recommend cutting back on the salt)
1 tbsp ground allspice
1/2 tbsp cayenne (orig. recipe called for 1 tbsp)
3 (3/4-lb) pork tenderloins
1 tbsp oil

Accompaniment: pineapple-avocado salsa
Preheat oven to 400̊F.
Stir together salt, allspice, and cayenne. Pat pork dry and sprinkle spice rub all over pork, pressing to adhere.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork, 1 tenderloin at a time, on all sides, about 1 minute each. Transfer as browned to a large roasting pan and arrange 2 inches apart.

Roast in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center of each tenderloin registers 155̊F, 20 to 25 minutes. Let pork stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6. Source: 4/00 Gourmet

Pat’s notes: After reading the reviews I cut the cayenne in half...have since cut back on the salt. Delicious dish...very tender.

 
I forgot to say, I have 4 plants!!! Can you believe that...I'm going to be inundated!

These recipes look fantastic, Meryl and Pat. Thank you so much.

I always thought of plum tomatoes for Italian cooking, I've never them in a salad...Your info is wonderful.

 
Meryl, yes, I'm interested. I'll write you a PM when they start getting bigger and turn color, you

can send me your addy.

 
Here ya go, Marsha: Blue Cheese Broiled Tomatoes:

BLUE CHEESE BROILED TOMATOES

INGREDIENTS:

4 large Tomatoes (I used plum tomatoes, about 7 large)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt (I used 1/8 tsp)
dash pepper (I used more)
1 cup soft bread crumbs (I used fine dry breadcrumbs)
2 tbs melted butter
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (I used a little more)

*(Note: Second time I made this, I preheated oven to 350 F. Placed tomatoes with blue cheese topping on baking sheet lined with foil, then baked about 5 minutes on lower middle oven rack, until the tomatoes were just heated through. I then turned on the broiler and broiled a few minutes, until the topping was golden brown).

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut stems off tomatoes and cut each tomato into two thick slices (in half). Put on broiler rack.
2. Combine sugar, basil, salt and pepper and sprinkle little of mixture on each tomato slice.
3. Add bread crumbs to melted butter and toss lightly with a fork. Add blue cheese and toss again lightly. Spoon on tomato slices and slip under broiler until crumbs are nicely browned, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.
 
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Tomato Cgeese PIe With Crumb Crust:

TOMATO CHEESE PIE WITH CRUMB CRUST

In addition to the spices listed, I added some onion powder and a few pinches of oregano.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs (I used dried)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted (I used butter)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided (I used Parmigiano Reggiano)
2 large firm tomatoes, sliced (The first two times I used 5 medium to medium/large plum tomatoes - the last time I used 5 Campari tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 green onions, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half (I used lowfat milk)
1/2 cup grated swiss cheese (The last time I made this, I used a combination of extra sharp cheddar, soft goat cheese, and Parmigiano Reggiano)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) Parmesan cheese.
3. Press into greased 9" pie plate and bake for 10 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack.
5. Reset oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
6. Spread tomatoes in a layer on the crumb crust (I made two layers).
7. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, pepper, basil, garlic powder, and green onions.
8. Mix eggs with half and half and the grated Swiss cheese, then pour over tomatoes. (I added some salt and pepper to the egg mixture).
9. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top.
10. Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 6 side-dish servings or 2 main dish servings.
 
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You're very welcome! Here's another great one that uses plum tomatoes: Vegetable Couscous Paella:

VEGETABLE COUSCOUS PAELLA

"Saffron lends authenticity to this fragrant dish, which draws its inspiration from the paellas of Spain. Serve a green salad alongside, and uncork a bottle of Pinot Grigio."

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (I used a little more)
2 cups chopped onion (I used a lot more)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I used a lot more)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 cups canned vegetable broth (I used low sodium chicken broth, about 2 1/2 cups)
3 large plum tomatoes (about 10 ounces), seeded, coarsely chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup drained canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (I used more)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups (about 9 1/2 ounces) couscous

6 canned artichoke hearts, quartered (I omitted this)
Sliced red bell pepper rings (I omitted this)
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges (I omitted this)
Chopped fresh parsley (I used fresh cilantro)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and chopped bell peppers; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and paprika and sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth and next 6 ingredients. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix couscous into vegetable mixture. Cover and simmer 1 minute. Remove pot from heat. Let stand covered 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork. Let paella stand covered 5 minutes longer; fluff with fork again. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Arrange artichoke hearts, red bell pepper rings and lemon wedges atop paella. Sprinkle parsley over and serve.

Serves 6.

From Bon Appétit

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/4688

 
Rick Bayless Fire Roasted Salas - Uses 1 1/2 pounds of tomatoes

This is one of my favorite recipes...so easy to throw together and very flavorful. I made the salsa and the companion recipe with the baked cheese and it was the 1st dish to go....With or without the cheese, this is a great salsa.

roasted jalapeno-tomato salsa with fresh cilantro

This is our salsa closest to the classic home-style Mexican salsa de molcajete that's made from roasted garlic and chiles pounded in a lava-rock mortar (molcajete) with roasted tomatoes. Even though we've updated the equipment for the modern American kitchen, that perfect blend of sweetness (roasted garlic and tomatoes) and raciness (roasted jalapeños) is what you'll spoon out. The final addition of fresh cilantro and a drizzle of vinegar focuses the whole experience: This is just what most Americans wish they were getting when they open a jar with that ubiquitous "salsa" label. Made with plum tomatoes, your salsa will have a more homogenous texture — just right for using the salsa as an ingredient in other dishes. Because round tomatoes give a looser texture, choose them when you want a condiment to set on the table.

Servings: Makes 2 1/2 cups.



Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 10 medium), preferably plum
2 to 3 fresh jalapeño chiles (1 to 1 1/2 ounces), stemmed
Half of a small white onion (2 ounces), sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, loosely packed
1 generous teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Preparation
1. Heat the broiler. Lay the whole tomatoes and jalapeños out on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Set the pan 4 inches below the broiler and broil for about 6 minutes, until darkly roasted — even blackened in spots — on one side (the tomato skins will split and curl in places). With a pair of tongs, flip over the tomatoes and chiles and roast the other side for another 6 minutes or so. The goal is not simply to char the tomatoes and chiles, but to cook them through while developing nice, roasty flavors. Set aside to cool.

2. Turn the oven down to 425 degrees. Separate the onions into rings. On a similar pan or baking sheet, combine the onion and garlic. Roast in the oven, stirring carefully every couple of minutes, until the onions are beautifully browned and wilted (even have a touch of char on some of the edges) and the garlic is soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes total. Cool to room temperature.

3. For a little less rustic texture or if you're canning the salsa, pull off the peels from the cooled tomatoes and cut out the "cores" where the stems were attached, working over your baking sheet so as not to waste any juices. In a food processor, pulse the jalapeños (no need to peel or seed them) with the onion and garlic until moderately finely chopped, scraping everything down with a spatula as needed to keep it all moving around. Scoop into a big bowl. Without washing the processor, coarsely puree the tomatoes — with all that juice that has accumulated around them — and add them to the bowl. Stir in enough water to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Stir in the cilantro.

4. Taste and season with salt and vinegar, remembering that this condiment should be a little fiesty in its seasoning. If you're planning to use your salsa right away, simply pour it into a bowl and it's ready, or refrigerate it covered and use within 5 days.

***

salsa-baked goat cheese

I'd say this is one of the most perfect American appetizers for a group: warm and creamy, full of flavor, easy and spreadable. Toasted pita triangles and crisp toasts are my favorite choices to offer guests to slather this rich mixture on. No matter what you select, you'll probably find this recipe as versatile as I do.


Servings: Serves 4 to 6 as a nibble with tortilla chips, pita triangles, crackers or crispy toasts.

Ingredients1/4 cup pine nuts or coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
1 4-ounce log goat cheese (there are flavored goat cheeses available, some of which can be good with the salsa, but think about the flavor combination before making your purchase)
1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup Roasted Jalapeño-Tomato Salsa
A tablespoon or so chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preparation
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread out the nuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until lightly browned and very fragrant, 7 or 8 minutes (the pine nuts will brown quicker than either of the others). Remove and slide them off into a medium-size bowl.

2. Add the cheeses to the bowl and combine thoroughly with the nuts. Scoop it in the center of a baking dish (I like to use a decorative 9-inch pie pan) and form it into a 5-inch-diameter disk. Spoon the salsa over and around the cheese. Place the dish in the oven and bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle on the cilantro and set it out for your guests to enjoy as a dip or a spread.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ROASTED-JALAPENO-TOMATO-SALSA-WITH-FRESH-CILANTRO-105450

 
Rec: Baked Tomatoes au Gratin

Baked Tomatoes au Gratin

Cut tomatoes in half and place in baking dish. On top of each tomato place:

A pat of butter
Italian dressing
Garlic powder
Fresh ground Parmesan cheese
Slivers of fresh basil or sprinkle of dried basil

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

 
Try oven roasted tomatoes. Cross between sun-dried and stewed . . .

When our tomatoes come in, big time, there comes a point when there are just too many to store or even give away so I picked up this preparation years ago . . .

Preheat your oven to 225 degrees F.

Place any kind of rack in a Pam-sprayed, rimmed baking pan. Halve as many same-sized romas as will fit, spaced closely together, CUT-SIDE-UP. (I've found you can get in the neighborhood of 20 on a standard baking pan.)

Drizzle the tomatoes with some good extra-virgin olive oil, a light sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper then put in the oven on the middle rack and walk away for 6-8 hours (sometimes you can actually do these overnight).

When they're ready, (and times WILL vary based on size, ripeness, water content, etc.) you'll have reduced the tomatoes by nearly 3/4, transforming them into bite-sized, "flavor-bombs." Because the slow roasting dehydrates the fruit, the sugars become concentrated, which results in a unique end-product. Treat yourself with one right out of the oven.

The tomatoes will store in the refrigerator for at least a couple of weeks and as they reduce dramatically in the roasting, you can keep quite a few in a single container.

These are terrific on sandwiches (think meatloaf, roasted chicken)chopped with pasta (oven-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, a dash of red-pepper flakes and a little prosciutto) in salsas, risottos, etc. Go crazy, use 'em anywhere you'd use tomatoes. A favorite around here is sliced, garden tomatoes with oven-roasted tomato mayonnaise on lightly toasted sour-dough with fresh basil leaves.

 
Thank you each and everyone for the recipes and ideas. I'm really looking

forward to trying Steve's oven-roasted method. Your idea sounds terrific to say the least.

I feel better having read these ideas. I went out this AM to count the tomatoes on any given stem I stopped somewhere around 26 and hadn't even done half them either...that's on one stem, one 'chandelier' of tomatoes. I've never seen anything like this tomato plant.

 
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