Tomatoes – Page 2 – Bead Yarn & Spatula

Tomato and Corn Custard Pie

A few weeks ago I posted about a Tomato Fontina Torte with Rosemary Crust that was quite delicious. I got the recipe from a recent issue of Food Network Magazine, well, when I went to put the recipe back into my recipe binder (I’m one of those super-organized individuals) I noticed another recipe that I must have overlooked when I flipped through the magazine, a recipe for a Tomato and Corn Custard Pie that I knew I had to try and finally got around to it earlier this week. It ended up being the perfect combination of sweet and savory.

To begin I baked the pie crust. I wish I had used my crust cover while baking the crust so it wouldn’t have browned as much during the final cooking with the actual pie in it.

While the crust was in the oven I prepped all of my ingredients. I began by coring the tomatoes and slicing them into quarters. I then tossed them with kosher salt and spread them on a paper towel lined baking sheet so they could release their juices.

Next I chopped up 6 scallions and divided them into two bowls and lightly beat three eggs. I took two major shortcuts for this recipe… I used pre-shredded sharp cheddar cheese and instead of using fresh corn I opted to use frozen corn that I steamed in the microwave.

Following that I reserved 1/2 cup of the cooked corn in a large bowl and placed the remaining corn, about 1 1/2 cups, in a sauté pan with heavy cream and brought it to a simmer on medium heat.

I then poured the mixture into the bowl of my food processor and blended it until it was smooth.

I transferred the pureed corn-heavy cream mixture to the bowl with the reserved corn and whisked in the eggs, half of the cheese and scallions and some fresh ground black pepper.

I poured this mixture into my cooked pie crust and placed it in a 350 F oven for 35 minutes until it was just set.

While the custard was cooking in the oven I mixed the remaining scallions and cheese along with panko breadcrumbs and seasoned it with paprika, salt and pepper.

I reserved 1/4 cup of the mixture and tossed the remaining mixture with the tomatoes.

Once I removed the pie from the oven I increased the oven temperature to 400 F…

And then topped the pie with the reserved mixture and placed the coated tomatoes on top of the pie and topped it with the remaining panko mixture left in the bowl. Finally I dotted the top of the pie with a tablespoon of butter.

I placed the pie back in the oven for another 15 minutes, until the top was golden, and let it cool for a bit before slicing into it.

Final verdict… Absolutely delicious! The custard is a tad bit sweet because of the corn and the panko breadcrumb topping is on the savory side because of the addition of the scallions, paprika and cheddar cheese. This is a definite winner I can see myself making many times to come!

Tomato and Corn Custard Pie

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 round refrigerated pie dough (half of a 14-ounce package)

2 beefsteak tomatoes (about 12 ounces)

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 ears of corn, kernels cut off (1 to 1 1/2 cups) *I opted to use a 10 ounce bag of frozen corn that I steamed in the microwave)

1 cup heavy cream

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

6 scallions, chopped

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme*

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper*

*I omitted these two spices from my version

Directions:

1. Position racks in the middle and upper third of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the dough, crimping the edge with your fingers. Poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Line with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake on the middle rack until golden around the edge, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights; continue baking until golden all over, about 10 more minutes.

2. Meanwhile, core the tomatoes and cut into 1/2-inch wedges; toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels to drain until ready to use.

3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the corn and cook stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup of the corn to a large bowl.

4. Add the heavy cream to the saucepan with the remaining corn and bring to a simmer. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blends and puree until smooth; transfer to the bowl with the corn. Whisk in the eggs, half each of the scallions and cheese, and a few grinds of black pepper; pour into the crust. Bake of the middle rack until the custards is just set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 400 F.

5. Mix the remaining scallions and cheese, the panko, thyme, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the mixture on top of the pie. Pat the tomato wedges with paper towels to absorb the excess moisture, then coat with the remaining panko mixture and arrange on top of the tart. Sprinkle any remaining panko on top; dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Return to the oven on the upper rack and bake until the top is golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes before slicing.

Tomato-Fontina Torte with Rosemary Crust

There is nothing like home-grown fruits and vegetables! When I was younger we used to always grow cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, string beans, strawberries (the only fruit with its seeds on the outside) and my favorite, tomatoes. I remember picking the tomatoes, rinsing them and biting into them like they were an apple. Unfortunately store bought tomatoes don’t invoke that same zeal in me. I strictly use those for sandwiches and salads. But, there is one store-bought tomato that does come close to that memory of my childhood… Heirloom Tomatoes. You may or may not have seen them at your local supermarket. They are usually not the perfect round tomatoes that many of us have come accustomed to seeing and they come in an array of colors – red, orange, yellow, green and purple. Recently I came across a torte recipe – Tomato-Fontina Torte with Rosemary Crust – incorporating these tomatoes and I knew I had to try it. It took visiting a few different supermarkets, but, I finally found decent heirloom tomatoes to use.

I started the torte by making the crust… I combined flour, sugar, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper in the bowl of my food processor.

After I pulsed it until it was just combined I added in 12 tablespoons of cold butter cut into small pieces and pulsed the mixture until it looked like coarse meal.

I then added in eggs while the food processor was running so the dough could come together.

After kneading the dough on a lightly floured surface I pressed it into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. I then covered it and refrigerated it overnight.

The following day, while the crust was still in the refrigerator, I prepped the heirloom tomatoes by slicing them, spreading them on baking sheets and sprinkling them with kosher salt so they could release some of their juices.

I also got my other ingredients together… shredded fontina and parmesan cheeses and capocollo.

I combined the 3 cups of shredded fontina with 7 tablespoons (1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon) of shredded parmesan along with a teaspoon of fresh chopped rosemary.

As you can see my tomatoes did a great job of releasing their juices. I should note that I did let them sit for about an hour as opposed to the recipe recommended 30 minutes.

After patting them dry it was time to start assembling the torte. I finally took the very cold crust of out the refrigerator and sprinkled it with a tablespoon of panko breadcrumbs.

Next I topped the breadcrumbs with about 1/3 of the tomatoes and then topped the tomatoes with the capocollo.

On top of the capocollo I scattered half of the cheese mixture.

I repeated the layering once again.

And finally I used up the rest of my tomatoes for the very top layer and then sprinkled it with a tablespoon of shredded parmesan cheese.

I placed the torte on a baking sheet and baked it in a 375 F preheated oven for 40 minutes. I wanted to be sure that the crust was completely cooked through so I dropped the temperature of the oven to 350 F and baked the torte for another 7 minutes. While the recipe did call for 35 minutes in a 400 F preheated oven I didn’t want to run the risk of over-cooking the torte at such a high temperature. And I am happy to say that my temperature and time adjustment was just perfect…

I let the torte cool for about an hour before removing the ring from the springform pan.

This was absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to make it again! There’s isn’t one flavor that overpowers the torte… In every bite you get a hint of the rosemary, the tomatoes, capocollo and best of all the cheese.

Tomato-Fontina Torte with Rosemary Crust

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

2 1/2 to 3 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes

3 cups shredded fontina cheese (about 12 ounces)

1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese or parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/3 pound thinly sliced capicola (capocollo) ham, cut into strips

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine the flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a food processor and pulse until just combined. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.

2. Whisk the eggs and egg yolk in a small bowl. With the motor running, add the eggs to the food processor and process until the dough just gathers into a ball. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until soft and pliable. Press the dough into the bottom and about halfway up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Cover and refrigerate the crust until very cold, at least 1 hour or overnight.

3. Slice the tomatoes and spread them out on 2 baking sheets in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside until they release some of their juices, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the fontina and all but 1 tablespoon of the pecorino (parmesan) in a bowl; add the remaining 1 teaspoon rosemary.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Pat the tomatoes gently with paper towels to absorb the excess moisture. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon panko in the crust, then top with one-third of the tomatoes. Scatter half of the ham over the tomatoes, then half of the cheese mixture. Repeat with the remaining 3 tablespoons panko, another one-third of the tomatoes and the remaining ham and cheese. Top with a final layer of tomatoes and sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoons pecorino (parmesan); drizzle with olive oil.

5. Transfer the pan to a baking sheet and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool about 1 hour, then remove the springform ring.

One Can of Crushed Tomatoes = Two Meals

One item in my kitchen that is completely underutilized is my slow cooker. It’s one of those kitchen items that doesn’t ever seem to make it on to a coveted kitchen counter spot so it’s usually in a cabinet somewhere behind other things, at least that’s where it lives in my kitchen. It’s not like I forget I have it, it’s just getting it out involves moving quite a few things. Nevertheless it’s always worth the effort.

While at my local Barnes & Noble recently I picked up a slow cooker recipe book and immediately went through it and flagged some recipes that I wanted to try. I’m a bit of an organized nerd when it comes to cookbooks… I go through them and flag the recipes I want to try with mini post-its and then write down the recipes on another post-it and stick it in the front of the book.

This time around I decided to try out the slow cooker version of Country Captain Chicken. In all honesty prior to writing this post I wasn’t aware that it was a traditional recipe found in the Southern part of the United States. I thought it was just something that was created for the cook book. Oops! To start I sautéed a green bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic with olive oil over medium-high heat until the vegetables were tender. I then placed that in the bottom of my slow cooker.

I then browned chicken thighs, which I coated with flour, and placed them on top of the vegetables inside of the slow cooker.

I then poured water into the skillet where I cooked the vegetables and chicken and scraped up any brown bits that were left in the pan. While the recipe called for chicken broth I didn’t want to open up a whole can of broth when I just needed a 1/4 cup of it. I poured this over the chicken and then added in the rest of my ingredients: crushed tomatoes, raisins, curry powder, salt, paprika and black pepper. The recipe only called for 2 cups of crushed tomatoes and unfortunately crushed tomatoes only come in 28 oz. cans (Does anyone know where I can find them smaller?) so I had about 2 cups of tomatoes leftover which I refrigerated for a later day.

I covered this up and let it cook on low for 3 hours and one of the perks of cooking with a slow cooker is the wonderful aroma that fills your house from it. The final product was delicious and went perfectly with just some plain white rice.

Country Captain Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 large onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Coat chicken with flour; set aside. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add bell pepper, onion, celery and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Place vegetables in slow cooker.

2. Heat remaining 1 tbsp. oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes per side or until browned. Place chicken in slow cooker.

3. Pour broth into skillet Cook and stir over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet. Pour broth mixture into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, raisins, curry powder, salt, paprika and black pepper. Cover; cook on LOW 3 hours.

I wasn’t too sure what I was going to make with the leftover crushed tomatoes, but, after a day or two it finally came to me… Pizza. I attempted to make pizza before but it wasn’t all that successful. Mainly because I didn’t properly cook the pizza dough, or I should say I overcooked the pizza dough so that the crust of the pizza was a little too crispy bordering on hard. I had pretty much given up on trying to make it again until I came across Pillsbury’s Thin Crust Pizza dough in the refrigerated section of my local supermarket. I know some may be shaking their heads at this point by my super short-cut in making pizza, but, I figured it was worth the try. I did have my doubts though… Would my pizza just taste like a jazzed up crescent roll?

To start I rolled out the dough onto a lightly greased 15 x 10 inch cookie sheet.

I then spread my sauce on to the dough making sure to leave a small border. To make the sauce I mixed together about 2 cups of crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp. of tomato paste, 2 garlic cloves finely chopped, 1 tsp. of dried basil, 1 tbsp. of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

And finally I thinly sliced some fresh mozzarella for my one and only topping.

I then baked it in a 425 degree preheated oven for about 12 minutes and it was perfect. I definitely will be taking this short-cut again when I make pizza in the future.

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