Tag: tomatoes

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Tomato, Nectarine, Feta and Basil Summer Salad

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We have tons of super-ripe tomatoes and can’t stop buying stone fruit at the farmer’s market so we started playing around with this salad idea. We’ve made it at least five times this summer and it’s seriously the perfect combination of summer flavors, in my honest opinion.

{serves 4}

  • 3 large tomatoes
  • 3 firm but ripe nectarines (mix of yellow and white)
  • 6 sprigs basil
  • 1/2 cup sheep’s milk feta
  • 1 splash good quality olive oil
  • 1 dash balsamic
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • a bed of arugula
  1. on a large plate lay a bed of arugula
  2. with your sharpest knife, slice tomatoes and nectarines
  3. arrange them on top of the arugula and crumble feta over the top of that
  4. then julienne the basil and arrange that
  5. then (right before you’re about to serve, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic and grind pepper over

© 2016, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Tomates Farcies (Stuffed Tomatoes)

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{serves 8 as a hearty side}

  • 8 large tomatoes
  • salt/pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter (or 2 tbsp olive oil if you’re not feelin it)
  • 1 large shallots
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 16 oz spinach (fresh)
  • 1 grilled (or baked) and chopped sausage (spicy Italian preferably)
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers (jarred/canned works fine)
  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
  • 5 oz fresh goat cheese
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup chopped basil
  • 1 tbsp chopped thyme and rosemary (plus more (not chopped) for pretty garnishes)
  • 8 dollops kalamata olive tapenade
  • 3 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese

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  1. pre-heat oven to 350ºF; cut tops off of tomatoes and scoop out the insides with a melon scooper (leaving a 1/4 inch or so thick wall so they don’t completely collapse (reserve the insides)) ; then lightly salt the insides
  2. heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat; meanhwile chop garlic and shallot
  3. once butter has melted add the garlic and shallot and sauté until they’re opaque then add the spinach and sauté until slightly wilted then take off heat and let cool
  4. at this point the salt in the tomato bowls will have probably brought out some water, add that to the tomato insides bowl
  5. in a large mixing bowl combine the goat cheese, parmesan cheese, spinach concoction, 3/4 cups of the tomato insides, pistachios, roasted red peppers, red pepper flakes, breadcrumbs, sausage and herbs
  6. then bake at 350º F for 20 minutes, remove from oven, top with the tapenade dollops and put the tomato hat/lids back on and bake for another 10 minutes

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© 2016, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Use-Everthing-in-the-Fridge-Before-Spring-Break Quiche

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I embrace having perishables when I’m about to go out of town. It’s the ultimate motivator to use only things you have/things you have open.  This week is spring break and last weekend I realized we still had quite a bit of perishable items that needed to be attended too. Luckily they were all things that lent themselves swimmingly to a Mediterranean quiche. And it worked out quite well if I do say so myself.

  • 1 can garbanzo beans
  • 1/4 cup pesto
  • olive oil (optional if pesto is oily)
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes
  • 1/2 clove garlic
  • salt (truffle salt if you have it!)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 handful spinach
  • 1/2 cup soft herb-garlic goat cheese
  • 1/2 cooked sausage (I used garlic-gruyere)
  1. line a baking dish with parchment and pre-heat oven to 350°F
  2. drain and rinse garbanzo beans
  3. dice tomatoes roughly and mince garlic
  4. pour garbanzo beans, tomatoes, garlic, salt, pesto and olive oil (if using) into the prepared dish, stir well then bake for 20 minutes, taking out and turning occasionally
  5. once garbanzo beans start browning, mash them with the back of a fork and add goat cheese in globs and mix in until incorporated
  6. in a separate bowl, whisk eggs
  7. slice spinach and add to eggs
  8. pour the egg mix over the garbanzo bean mix and return to oven
  9. bake for about 25 minutes or until it starts to separate from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean

© 2015, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Broccoli, Celery, Tomato and Grape Mélange

  • 2 sm heads broccoli
  • 1 lg tomato, diced
  • 1/2 cup red grapes
  • 2 tbsp capers
  • 8 sticks celery
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar

  1. cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces and slice celery
  2. heat olive oil and garlic over medium-low heat
  3. add celery to pan
  4. after 2 minutes, add tomato and grapes, then broccoli
  5. pour vinegar over and stir in capers
  6. continue cooking until broccoli is cooked to your liking, stirring occasionally

© 2014, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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Eggplant Caponata

  • 3 small eggplants or 1 large
  • 3 tbsp evoo
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup capers
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
  • a few grinds black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 sprigs rosemary
  • 2 tbsp basil

  1. heat olive oil over medium heat on the stove in a fairly large pan
  2. add the minced garlic and diced onion
  3. dice eggplants into 1 cm cubes and add to pan once onion starts turning opaque
  4. add red wine vinegar
  5. once eggplant starts to soften, add whole tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar
  6. chop rosemary and add to pan
  7. once tomatoes start to split and eggplant is softened, take pan off heat and stir in capers
  8. season with salt and pepper to taste
  9. sprinkle with basil to serve

great on Sunflower Seed Rosemary Crackers, if I do say so myself

© 2014, domenicadreamsofcalamari. All rights reserved.

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