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disneyginger

What would you make with a whole Flat of Tomatoes!

disneyginger
16 years ago

I have a flat of tomatoes. Does anyone have some recipes that use fresh tomatoes?

The ones we've eaten are really full of tomato bouquet and tasted great, so I would like to use as many as possible rather than can them as salsa or whole tomatoes.

Thanks.

Comments (17)

  • girlsingardens
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I can send you my address and you can send them my way. My mouth is just watering at the thought of fresh tomatoes.

    Ideas to use them up, bruschetta, BLT sandwich, I also have made a BLT dip that is pretty good.

    Stacie

  • hawk307
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Slice them thick and smear some Mayo on them.
    I think you know what to do next. OR

    Bake the slices a little then put cheese on top. Tomatoe Parmesan !!!

    Crush them a little ,Cook 1/2 hour with all the spices you like.
    Then put that on a piece of Pizza dough with your favorite topping.

    Cut in pieces , make a Salad, W. Lettuce, Sharp Provolone, Pepperroni,
    Onions, Artichoke Hearts,Olives, etc. etc.

    You could cut out the center put them on a tin, stuff them and top with Cheese.
    Throw them in the oven for 5 minutes.

    OR you could leave them in the Flat and stare at them !!!

    LOU

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  • dgkritch
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    KatieC's Roasted Tomato Garlic Soup. It's a canning recipe, but you don't have to can it, just eat it!!!

    Roasted Tomato Garlic Soup
    Recipe By :Katie C

    12 tomatoes -- *see Note
    2 carrots -- cut in 1" pieces
    1 large onion -- quartered
    2 whole heads garlic -- peeled (or more, to taste)
    olive oil
    2 cups chicken broth -- (or 3)
    1/2 cup chopped fresh basil -- (or 1 Tbsp. dried)
    cream -- to taste DO NOT CAN WITH CREAM.

    Core tomatoes and cut in half. Place, cut side up, on foil covered cookie sheet with carrots, onion and garlic. Brush with olive oil. Bake at 400F for about an hour, or until vegies are roasted and a little blackened.

    Place in a large saucepan with the chicken broth and basil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Blend with a stick blender (or in small batches in a blender) until almost smooth.
    Add cream to taste.

    To can: Process in a pressure canner, pints for 60 min. and quarts for 70 min.For dial gauge canners use 11 pounds pressure at 0-2000 ft., 12 lbs. at 2001-4000 ft., 13 lbs. at 4001-6000 ft. and 14 lbs. above 6000 ft. For weighted gauge canners use 10 lbs. pressure at 0-1000 ft., and 15 lbs. over 1000 ft.

    *Note: These measurements are approximate...I use whatever it takes to cover the cookie sheet. This makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of soup.

    Mmmmmm.............

    I would be eating as many as possible fresh too! Just big fat slices.....

    Deanna

  • lindac
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My heavens! Where do you live that you are getting tomatoes by the flat?
    I am still dreaming of last summer's bounty when I had several 5 gallon buckets full given to me.
    with the first 5 gallon bucket, I blanched them, peeled and tossed them into a pot turned on the gas and started cooking. Along the way I added a chopped onion, several cloves of garlic and about 4 stalks of celery chopped and a hand full of fresh basil leaves, chopped and another hand ful of parsley. I cooked until they had the consistancy of soup....hit with the stick blender to break the tomatoes up some more and served with a sl;ice of crusty bread....and took about 2 quarts to the person who gave them to me.
    The next 5 gallon bucket, I started with some olive oil in my soup pot and sauteed the onions, celery and garlic, and since at that time I also had a windfall of red peppers, I roasted several of them and addes about2 to the tomatoes. Well that sounded like it needed some ground hatch chili....and that tasted like it needed some Italian sausage, so I ran out and bought some and sauteed it and added that....and cooked it more and served it over bow tie pasta....and froze the rest.
    The next batch I added onion, carlic and more of the red peppers and some green peppers all sauteed in EVOO, then the skinned tomatoes, basil, oregano and parsley all fresh from the garden....and while that was cooking I mixed up some meat balls, added them to sth stuff and added a can of Contadina tomato paste....and ate some over spaghetti and froze the rest.
    Good stuff....and I have 2 small packeges of the sauce with meatballs and the soup without the red peppers.
    Where do you live? I want to go there!!!
    Linda C

  • rachelellen
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh my goodness, a really good tomato?? I'm salivating.

    Thick slices, sprinkled with salt & pepper and drizzled with olive oil. Halves of tomato, topped with cheese and put under the broiler for just long enough to melt the cheese, or filled with buttered stuffing and baked. A tomato tart, with shallots, goat cheese and fresh herbs.

    Ooooh, gazpacho.

    My tomato plants are only about 6 inches high as of yet. Sigh. :(

  • loagiehoagie
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have a flat of tomatoes too! (well...several flats...but they are only 1" seedlings right now)

    I too am jealous!

    Duane

  • sheesh
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I know, I know - TOMATO SALAD!!!

    Tomatoes; 2-3 cloves garlic; medium red onion; green or jalapeno pepper; salt; crushed dried oregano; extra virgin olive oil; red wine vinegar.

    Cut three or four tomatoes into bite-size chunks, seeds, skins, juice and all. Slice 1/2 a red onion into thin rings, dice part of a green pepper or slice the jalapeno in thin rings (if you like heat), add to tomatoes in bowl. Add 2 or 3 cloves of minced garlic, a small palm-full of oregano, plenty of salt, a few tbs olive oil, a tiny splash of red wine vinegar. Combine ingredients in a deep bowl, let it set for a few minutes, adjust the salt and VOILA! the most delicious thing in the world. You also need a loaf of good, fresh french or italian bread to pass so you can sop up all the juices. The goal is half a bowl of juice!

    This salad is as pretty as it is delicious, particularly if you use jalapeno rings and leave the smallest rings of the onion as rings and dice the larger rings and add to the bowl. We eat this salad all year long, but it is soooo much better with tomatoes like you have, you lucky duck! Don't be shy about the juice: We always laugh and say we have to teach our guests how to eat this salad properly, with dribbles down the chin! Then we have to give away the recipe.

    Oh, Oh, Here's another one:

    TOMATO-MOZZARELLA SANDWICHES:

    Ciabatta Bread, Mozzarella Ball, fresh basil, tomato slices, olive oil, garlic salt.

    Slice a loaf of ciabatta bread so it is roughly 8 squares of bread, slice open each square. Grill cut sides in olive oil till golden. Slice mozzarella and tomatoes, assemble on grilled bread, top with basil leaves and sprinkle with garlic salt.

    Oh, my, do I need some tomatoes!

    Sherry

  • lindac
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's snowing here today....gonna be a long time to fresh tomatoes!
    Sherry, I call that tomato salad "Italian Salad"...so called by an Italian friend who said it's because it has the colors of the Italian falg in it.
    And another friend, also Italian, called it "salata"....and in her memory, she died of lymphoma a few years back, that's what I call it too.
    Linda C

  • fearlessem
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Or what about CindyNY's famous (on this forum at least!) Tomatoes Rockefeller? Hope she won't mind me posting it for her here...

    Tomatoes Rockefeller
    1/2 cup chopped onion
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1/4 cup butter, melted
    1 (10 oz) pkg. chopped spinach, thawed and drained
    3 eggs, slightly beaten (2 eggs)
    1 cup breadcrumbs (½ C)
    1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
    dash Worcestershire sauce
    1/2 tsp thyme
    salt and pepper to taste
    6 thick tomato slices
    (***add ½ C chicken stock if baking in individual gratins and add and another 10 or 15 minutes cooking time)

    Saute onions in butter until almost soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
    Combine spinach, sauteed onions and garlic, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, Worcestershire, and seasonings.
    Arrange tomato slices in a buttered baking dish. Divide spinach mixture evenly and spoon on top of tomato slices. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
    4-6 servings

  • annie1992
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh yeah, fresh yummy tomatoes! First I'd make some fresh salsa and then I'd have a nice tomato sandwich with Miracle Whip on White Bread and maybe a couple of tomato omelettes. After that I'd scrounge up some zucchini and make this:

    Gratin of Zucchini & Tomatoes
    Contributed By: EatingWell

    3 cloves Garlic, crushed
    2/3 cup Fresh basil leaves
    1 tsp Fresh thyme leaves
    2 cups Fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs, divided
    1/2 cup Finely chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia
    3 Large ripe tomatoes, diced
    1 tbsp Red-wine vinegar
    1/4 tsp Salt, divided
    3 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil, divided
    3 Medium zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds total), sliced on the bias about 1/4 inch thick
    Freshly ground pepper to taste
    3/4 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    Preparation
    1. Preheat oven to 400 degree F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (or similar gratin dish) with cooking spray.
    2. Put garlic, basil and thyme on your chopping board; mince well. Spread half the breadcrumbs evenly in the prepared baking dish. Strew onion over the breadcrumbs. Distribute half the diced tomato over the onion, then sprinkle with half the garlic-herb mixture. Sprinkle with vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
    3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a third of the zucchini; you want it to saute, not stew, so do not crowd it. Saute, turning the pieces once, until golden and not quite tender, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. When the slices are done, use a fork to transfer them to the gratin, overlapping the slices. Cook the remaining zucchini in two batches, each time using 2 teaspoons oil. Strew remaining tomatoes and garlic-herb mixture over the zucchini. Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and a grinding of pepper. Toss the remaining 1 cup breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle over the gratin.
    4. Bake the gratin until bubbly hot, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmesan.

    After that, I'd make tomato soup, I love KatieC's roasted tomato and garlic soup posted above or this one from Fannie Farmer:

    Pure Cream of Tomato Soup
    The Fannie Farmer Cookbook
    Servings: 7 cups.

    Ingredients

    5 tablespoons butter
    1/2 cup chopped onion
    4 tablespoons flour
    4 cups milk
    1/2 bay leaf
    1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    3 cups tomatoes, chopped (fresh or canned)

    Preparation

    Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion is softened but not browned. Sprinkle the flour over the butter mixture and continue to stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, bay leaf, sugar, and salt and continue to cook and stir until slightly thickened. Stir the baking soda into the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes to the milk, and bring just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and put through a strainer. Taste and correct seasonings. Reheat before serving.

    While I was at it, I'd make Sol's tomato tart. Geez, I wish I could post a picture of that, it's a think of beauty, but here's the recipe anyway.

    My favorite isn't really quiche, but it is. It's Sol's Tomato Pie, which is actually just a quiche with that mustard layer on the bottom crust.

    TOMATO TART

    Crust This makes two 9-inch tart shells.
    2 1/2 cups AP flour
    3 tablespoons semolina flour
    1 teaspoon salt
    12 tablespoons [1 1/2 sticks] cold, unsalted butter
    3 tablespoons cold solid shortening
    Ice water

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Put the flours and salt in food processor. Pulse a couple of times, just enough to integrate the ingredients. Add the butter and shortening all at once and pulse until the mixture looks like moist crumbs and no chunks of butter or shortening remain. Sprinkle ice water over the surface of the dough. Repeat with 3 more tablespoonsful. Pulse to just bring the dough together. The dough should be past crumbly, but holding together. Cut the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Press each half to form a disk. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Then roll out one disk to 1/4" thick. Fit into your tart pan, and chill 30 minutes. Dock the bottom of the tart. Line it with parchment or foil, and weigh it down with pie weights or dried beans. Place tart shell on center rack in the oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove paper and weights from the pan. Return it to the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes or until the tart is a light-golden brown. Remove from the oven and set on wire rack to cool.

    Filling

    12-15 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4"-thick rounds
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard *
    1 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese
    1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
    2 large eggs
    1/4 cup light cream
    1 teaspoon salt
    A few turns of freshly ground black pepper

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Put the tomato slices in a colander and place in the sink. Let them sit for 15 minutes to drain off any excess liquid. Spread the mustard evenly over the tart shell. Sprinkle the cheese over the mustard and sprinkle the Herbes de Provence over the gruyere cheese. Working from the outside in, lay the drained tomato slices in overlapping, concentric circles, covering the crust completely. Whisk the eggs in a bowl, whisk in the cream, salt and pepper. Pour this custard evenly over the tomatoes until it comes to about 1/4 inch from the top edge of the crust. Bake for 1 hour, to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the custard is set.

    Annie

  • sheesh
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That's right, LindaC - Insalata! Or, as my dad pronounced it, "onzahlaaadda."

    Gosh, I wish I had disneyginger's flat of tomatoes right now. It's snowing again, I'm cold and there isn't even a lousy tomato within a million miles of my kitchen.

    Tomato sandwiches, fresh salsa, tomatoes on everything! I'm sounding desperate....

    Sherry

  • steelmagnolia2007
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    A whole flat?? I'd kill for one right now, but it will be another 3 months.

    A tomato - mozzarella - basil salad. (All fresh!)

    Or a Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, kalamata olives, feta, and capers if you like them.

    Pizza sauce -- and then make a Mediterranean-style pizza with sliced tomatoes and other goodies.

    Fry some bacon. Use part for fat, juicy sandwiches and then crumble the rest for BLT dip.

    Tomato Pie is a Southern classic. Tomato bisque. Bruschetta. Cowboy Caviar. Pasta salad.

    They're yummy roasted. Fill a large baking dish in a single layer with slices of onion, zucchini and tomato. (Peeled or not is your choice.) Season veggies with kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper to taste. Drizzle with 2 or 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle 1 clove minced garlic and about a teaspoon of your favorite herb over all. (Basil, thyme, whatever appeals.) Roast at 375 degrees F until tender, approximately 25 minutes.

    sm

  • dixiedog_2007
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh my a flat of fresh tomatoes at this time of year...I would be in heaven right now.

    Along the lines of others:

    A good BLT sandwich
    A tomato sandwich on white bread with Hellmans Mayo, S/P with the tomato juice dripping down my chin:)
    Tomato pie
    Ina's Roasted Tomato Soup
    Ina's Stuffed tomatoes
    Eating out of hand like an apple with salt sprinkled on!!!

  • dixiedog_2007
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh I left off Greek Salad and Fire & Ice Salad. I can't wait for fresh tomatoes. YUM!

  • canarybird01
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We're so spoiled as we have the Canary tomatoes year round, as well as some other varieties that come down from the Spanish mainland. I use tomatoes somehow just about every time we're eating at home and as a supper in the evening, nothing better than thickly sliced tomatoes on fresh brown bread, some mayo, ground black pepper and a dash of salt. Mmmm.

    Good suggestions for using them in the above posts!

    SharonCb

  • rachelellen
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh, dixiedog, I'm glad someone else eats tomatoes like I do, like a piece of fruit.

    Gosh, we all sound like we're in the desert talking about water!

    BLTs are good, but if the tomato is really, really good, I'd just as soon have a nice tomato, sweet onion and lettuce sandwich with mayo, salt & pepper. Vidalias, Mauis, or in a pinch a good red onion.

    Indian Tomato Salad

    1 lb tomatoes, chopped
    1 or 2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeds & pithy parts removed, chopped fine.
    1 T sugar
    1/2 t salt
    1/4 to 1/3 c toasted cashews, peanuts, pecans or filberts, smashed with the edge of a cleaver into coarse pieces.
    1 T vegetable oil
    1 t brown mustard seeds (yellow is o.k. too)
    1/4 c chopped cilantro (if you don't like cilantro, Italian parsely, tarragon, marjoram, celery leaves or basil may be substituted, as long as they're fresh)

    Mix all the ingredients except for the oil and mustard seeds together. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Cover the pan until the mustard seeds have popped, and then pour the oil & seeds over the salad & toss.

    Indians would eat this as a side dish with a meal. I like it on some crisp lettuces with good bread as a light lunch.

  • Terri_PacNW
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My version of a Greek Salad.
    Tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, feta and lots of fresh cracked pepper and some kosher salt. My friend adds olives and artichoke hearts.