Mo' Tomatoes

In my search to find more stuff to do with the surfeit of tomatoes I find myself wallowing in, and inspired by a half loaf of leftover French bread, I recalled a simple but scrumptious appetizer I first tasted when we visited Italy a few years ago and have enjoyed since in some of the better Italian eateries. Bruschetta (pronounced broo-skeh-tuh) are, (It's always plural. I guess you'd never order one "Bruschetti."), delicious little morsels of toasted bread topped with what amounts to an Italian tomato salsa. I looked on-line for a good recipe, one for which I had all the necessary ingredients on hand, and, not coming up with exactly what I was looking for, I took a bit of this one, and a bit of that one, and created a version that I think is just about the bomb.

I used three different colored heirloom tomato varieties, (Green Zebra, Kellogg's Breakfast, and Brandywine), because that's what I had on hand, and it does make for a beautiful presentation with the green, yellow and red tomatoes bathed in olive oil and sprinkled with little white flecks of garlic and onion. However, I'm quite sure it would be almost as good with any fresh tomatoes.

As for the bread, if you can buy it the day before so it's slightly stale it's best and easier to slice but, if not, no worries. (BTW, Bruschetta actually refers to the bread itself, which can theoretically be topped with anything, or nothing at all, and still be called Bruschetta.) Some purists brush the bread with olive oil before toasting, but I prefer a quick spritz of I Can't Believe It's Not Better spray. (It's less messy and less fattening, and has quickly a staple in my kitchen for all kinds of stuff. You'll like it!)



HEIRLOOM TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

4 large tomatoes, assorted heirloom varieties, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
2 cloves garlic, minced (or put through a garlic press)
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1 French baguette bread loaf
Margarine spray or olive oil for bread

Combine tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to combine flavors.

Cut baguette on the diagonal into 1/4 inch slices. Brush each side lightly with olive oil or spray with margarine spray (preferred). Place on large baking sheet (lined with tinfoil to minimize clean-up) and toast in oven, turning once, until lightly brown on both sides.

Serve tomato mixture on toasted baguette slices.

My Tomato Thumb

I have never been accused of possessing a green thumb, (in fact my house has been known as a place where plants go to die), and all my previous efforts at growing tomatoes having resulted in a paltry, if tasty, harvest of a handful of hard-won fruits, I was totally unprepared for the bounty the five plants I set out this year would yield.

Either I have developed the proverbial tomato thumb or discovered the sweet spot for growing them, in a cleared out sliver of earth, (previously known to neighborhood cats as the biggest little outdoor litter box on the street), between the house and our neighbor's busy driveway. Most likely the latter, since I really didn't do anything except put them in the ground and provide a little fertilizer and lots of water. (And may I say they must thrive on car exhaust.)

Not expecting much, I chose hardy varieties, mixing hybrid and heritage vines, and hoped for the best. I got better. The Green Zebra was the most prolific, followed closely by Early Girl and then Better Boy, but the prize for size (and flavor) has to go the venerable Brandywine, and the medal for sheer beauty to the golden, inexplicably named, Kellogg's Breakfast tomato, which, really can be eaten any time, just so you know. (My thanks to friends George and Cindy Martin at The Tasteful Garden for the links to tomato photos and commentary. Check them out, they're the best.)

For the past few weeks I've been rolling in the glories of too many tomatoes. I've made quantities of tomato sauces and stowed them in the freezer. I've shared tomatoes with family and friends. I've served tomatoes in every imaginable fashion, and searched for new ways to prepare them, making some delicious discoveries along the way. However, one of my favorites remains that tried and true, often overstated but never over-rated, delicacy -- fried green tomatoes.

Like many iconic southern dishes there are probably as many ways of frying green tomatoes as there are cooks who fry them. Some swear by a cornmeal crust, others insist only flour will do. Some use vegetable shortening for frying, others prefer peanut oil, canola oil or even pure bacon grease. I've taken a little of all the best and come up with my own formula. I think a mixture of flour and cornmeal makes the crunchiest crust and a little bacon grease, for flavor, mixed with peanut oil is tops for the frying. I call them Fried Green Tomatoes A La Annie, and they're really, really good.

May we all always have too many tomatoes.


FRIED GREEN TOMATOES A LA ANNIE

5 medium green tomatoes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white or yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 cup milk
2 eggs
6 bacon strips
Peanut oil for frying

Cut tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Beat eggs with milk in a shallow bowl.

Combine flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper in another shallow bowl.

Dip tomato slices in the egg mixture, then dredge them in the flour/cornmeal mixture. Dip again, dredge again. Place slices on a baking sheet and chill for a few minutes while you fry the bacon.

Fry the bacon in a large cast iron or other heavy skillet. Remove bacon and set aside to drain.

Add enough peanut oil to the bacon grease to make about 2-inches depth. (Deep enough to cover tomato slices.) Heat on medium high to about 360 degrees, or until fat sputters when flicked with cornmeal. Fry tomatoes in batches, turning once, until golden brown on both sides (about 1 to 2 minutes per side). Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Never one to waste good bacon, I crumble the reserved bacon strips over the top!

Creamed Corn with Leeks and Bacon

Food-wise, I'm of the opinion that there are very few dishes that can't be improved by the addition of bacon; with the possible exception of a few dessert items, and even then I've found some very credible recipes for bacon ice cream, bacon candy, and even bacon cupcakes, although I'm not sure I want to go there.

Let's face it, very few foods have achieved the cult status of the humble strips of pork belly that we've come to love for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are entire websites devoted to that particular cut of the pig, bacon blogs galore, and more bacon flavored products, some more dubious than others, than you can possibly imagine, or want. There's a bacon chocolate bar, bacon breath mints,

bacon lip balm,

and gummy bacon strips.

Cocktail time? Have yourself a bacon martini.

Or if you really want to go whole hog, pun absolutely intended, check out this link to a heart attack on a platter recipe for bacon cheese roll.

If you want your BLT with the flavor, but not the fat, of the B, try Baconnaise, whose web site proudly proclaims, "everything should taste like bacon." I couldn't agree more.

Although it's hard to improve on the flavor of fresh summer corn, which just may be my favorite "vegetable", adding a little bacon can definitely take it over the top. This recipe for fresh creamed corn with bacon and leeks is one of my summertime specialties, and you should know if I'm going to the trouble of actually cutting corn off the cob, (a messy and often thankless task), it has to be really, really good. There are some cute little devices which claim to make the task easier. This smiley face corn zipper for instance, which works pretty well, but I'm still just as happy using a nice, sharp paring knife. Another option might be using fresh frozen corn. I haven't tried it, but I'm betting it would work just fine in a pinch or when the fresh stuff is out of season. But then, what's the fun in that?


FRESH CREAMED CORN WITH BACON AND LEEKS

6 to 8 ears fresh corn (about 6 cups)
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 pound bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped leek (about 2 leeks)

Cut kernels from and scrape ears of corn. (Or use 6 cups fresh frozen corn)

Place half the corn (about 3 cups) in blender or food processor with milk, cornstarch, sugar, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Set aside.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet until crisp. Remove bacon and drain. Drain drippings leaving about 1 tablespoon in pan.

Add leeks and cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pureed corn mixture and the remaining corn to pan. Bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until slightly thickened. (If mixture gets too thick before the corn is done add a little more milk.)

Crumble bacon and sprinkle on top before serving. Serves 6. (Unless you like it as much as I do, in which case, it serves 4!)

NOTE: The original version of this recipe came from Cooking Light magazine and calls for 2% milk and only 4 slices of bacon. I've made it using 2% milk and can't tell the difference. However, bacon being bacon, 4 slices just won't do!

Your Cheatin' Brownies

Everybody loves brownies. And perhaps because they're not particularly hard to make, people typically don't want to have to fuss over them very much, more of a bake 'em and go sort of thing. Still, that doesn't mean they can't be an outstanding dessert.


To me the ideal brownie is quick, easy, deadly rich with chocolate, and finished with a slight nut crunch. I've come up with a way to get the brownie I want without having to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and now you won't have to either.

This is my quick go-to dessert for picnics, potlucks and parties, and it makes a great everyday treat if you're craving a big chocolate fix or just want to pig out. I've even put them in an interesting container -- say a vintage lunch box, old fruitcake tin or plastic beach pail, and given them as a gifts. Either people love them, or they're lying.

It's the Cliff Notes of Brownie Recipes, so easy it's almost like cheating, (maybe it even is), so rich the chocolate oozes out between bites, and totally foolproof unless you burn them. That having been said, it starts out with a box so if anybody asks, you didn't get this recipe from me.


YOUR CHEATIN' BROWNIES

1 1-pound box brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips

For best results use a premium brownie mix with a chocolate syrup pouch in the box. I recommend Betty Crocker Hershey's Dark Chocolate brownie mix.

Combine brownie mix with water, oil and eggs according to package directions. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

Pour into an 8" square baking pan prepared with baking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean.

Cool completely. Cut into squares. Dust with cocoa and/or powdered sugar.

If you really want to add a "wow" factor and dress them up, serve them with fresh strawberries and creme fraiche. Elegant, decadent, simply yummy.