Tomatoes

From Iena Kashyap

Technically the tomato is a fruit, although it is commonly considered a vegetable because of its uses. Here are some of them.

1. Tomato Couscous with Black Olives and Basil

Ingredients


1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cup One and one-half cup tomato juice
1 can chickpeas, drained
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 bunch basil leaves, sliced thinly
1/2 cup feta cheese cubes
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Put couscous into a medium sized bowl.

2. Heat tomato juice to a simmer and pour over couscous.

3. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to steam for 10 minutes, until couscous is tender. Remove plastic and fluff with a fork.

4. Stir in chickpeas, olives, basil and season with salt and pepper.
Gently mix in feta cheese cubes

5. Serve on it's own or with some grilled fish.



2. Tomato and Mozzarella Terrine

This is a variation of the classic tomato and mozzarella salad

Ingredients:

5 large different-coloured tomato
5 large buffalo mozzarella cheese, balls
salt, pepper
fresh basil, leaves


For the Basil Oil:

1 cup packed fresh basil, leaves
1 cup extra virgin olive oil


For the Balsamic Syrup

1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

 
Method:

1. Line 8 x-4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pan with plastic wrap; set aside.

2. Slice tomatoes into 5 mm thick slices. Lay on paper towels and press to absorb moisture. Thinly slice bocconcini and pat dry; set aside.

3. Arrange tomatoes, overlapping slightly, over bottom of pan. Top with layer of bocconcini. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, finishing with tomatoes. Seal plastic wrap over top; cover with foil. Weigh down with brick or heavy cans; refrigerate for at least 8 hours or for up to 24 hours.

4. For the Basil Oil, in a blender, pureé basil with oil until smooth. Pour into bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or for up to 24 hours. Strain through cheesecloth-lined sieve, pressing with spatula to extract liquid. Pour into a squeeze bottle.

5. For the Balsamic Syrup, in small saucepan, bring vinegar with sugar to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until reduced to 1/2 cup (125 mL), about 10 minutes.

6. To serve, remove cans. Unwrap and unmould onto cutting board, pat dry with paper towel. Using serrated knife, cut into 1-inch (5 cm) thick slices.

7. Arrange slice cut side up on each salad plate. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Drizzle plate with Basil Oil and dot with Balsamic Syrup.



3. Tomato Ginger Salsa

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped seeded tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds)
3/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1.5 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chives
salt and pepper to taste

 
Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Salsa can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.



4. Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups of chicken / vegetable broth
3 slices day-old Italian bread, ½-inch thick
1 x small red bell pepper, cored and seeded
1 x yellow pepper
20 x Roma tomatoes, halved, cored, seeded
1 medium onion, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
Olive oil
1 tsp of salt or to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cups of basil leaves
4 tbsp of balsamic vinegar

 
Method:

1. In a large soup pot heat the chicken stock over medium low heat until warm. Tear up the Italian bread and add to the stock.

2. Prepare the vegetables for grilling. Core and seed the red peppers and cut them in half. Halve and seed the Roma tomatoes. Chop the onion into large wedges. Place the vegetables into a big bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Prepare the barbecue for direct grilling. Preheat the grill to medium-low heat, 300°F/150°C. Oil the grill. Place the onions onto the grill and cook for 5 minutes per side. Next place the peppers on the grill to cook for 4 minutes per side. Flip and turn the peppers as the skin chars and blisters. Add the tomatoes to the grill to cook for 4 minutes skin side down.

4. Remove the vegetables from the grill. Set the peppers and tomatoes into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let these rest for at least 5 minutes.

5. Once rested, remove the skins from the peppers and tomatoes easily. Discard the skins . Roughly chop all of the grilled vegetables and place in a large bowl. Add the diced celery, garlic, basil and balsamic. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Add the vegetables to the soup pot on the stove and simmer for 30 minutes.

7. After 30 minutes take the soup off the heat source and allow to cool. If necessary, place a large sealed plastic bag full of ice into the soup to speed up the cooling process or place the soup in the fridge for 30 minutes.

8. Once the soup has cooled completely take it out of the fridge. Puree with a hand wand and adjust seasoning to taste.

9. Serve warm or cold as preferred.

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