Tag Archives: tomatoes

Tomato and Chicken Tray Bake (4)

Posted in Side dishes by

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I love the ease of tray bakes. Everything goes into the oven together on the same baking tray and cooks at the same time – in this case baby tomatoes, French green beans (the thin ones), new potatoes, black olives from the deli counter and bite-size pieces of chicken. This same mixture can also be a salad. (see Tomato, Green Bean, Potato and Olive Salad) though of the two I think I prefer the hot dish as it produces some nice juices and cooking the olives brings out their saltiness (so don’t season until you have tasted it).

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2 chicken breasts – cut into bite size pieces

1 dry pint or 10 oz. baby tomatoes

8 oz. French green beans

8 medium new potatoes – quartered

20 black olives

2 tbsp. olive oil

Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, pour over the olive oil and toss well together, then tip on to a baking tray and cook in oven for 30 minutes.

 

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Haddock with a Tomato-Red Pepper Sauce and Parslied Potatoes (4)

Posted in Dressings/Sauces, Entrees, Side dishes by

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White fish needs a sauce otherwise it can be very bland. The tomato-red pepper sauce is easy to make and cooks in just about the same time as the fish as do the potatoes so all is on the table in about half an hour. The haddock is poached with lemon juice and olive oil. The recipe for the sauce is a good one to keep on hand as it goes well with pasta  and, if diluted with some broth, makes a nice soup. New potatoes cooked in their skins are then squashed with a potato masher before being sprinkled with parsley and lightly sauteed in oil.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

4 pieces of haddock (about 5 oz. per person)

Juice of 1 lemon

3 – 4 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion – roughly diced

2 cloves of garlic – grated

1 can of diced, roasted tomatoes

1 red pepper – diced

10 oz. new potatoes

2 tbsp. parsley – finely chopped

Place the fish on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking tray, pour over the lemon juice and 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook in oven for 25 minutes until cooked through.

Pour 1 tbsp. oil into a frying pan and when sizzling add the onion and let soften and brown slightly. Add the garlic and stir in well. After a couple of minutes pour in the        tomatoes and add the diced pepper. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer for 25 minutes. Process mixture in a food processor.

Place potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes. Heat 1 -2 tbsp. oil in a frying pan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Squash the potatoes slightly with a potato masher and when the oil is sizzling add them to the pan and sprinkle the parsley over them. Cook until slightly brown and crisp.

 

 

 

Black Beans and Quinoa (4)

Posted in Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian by

Just as I substitute rice noodles for pasta, I do the same thing with quinoa for rice. It is like a blank canvas and soaks up flavors whilst at the same time providing protein. Tomatoes, black beans, garlic and some spices (dep

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ending on how spicy you like your dishes you can use less than I do) round out this recipe.

2 cups of boiling water

1 cup quinoa

1 tbsp. olive oil seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion – finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic – grated

2 cups of canned chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp. harissa paste (or less)

1 tsp. cumin (or less)

1 x 15oz. can of black beans

1 1/2 cups chicken or veg. broth

Pour the boiling water into a saucepan, add the quinoa, bring to a boil and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff through with a fork and leave to stand for 15 minutes.

Place oil in a frying pan and when sizzling add the onion and let soften and brown slightly, then add the garlic and cook for another few minutes.

Pour in the tomatoes, mix in the harissa paste and cumin , add the beans and broth and bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the cooked quinoa and serve immediately

Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup (4)

Posted in Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian by

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I am excited about this soup as it really has a deep tomato flavor. It is made with canned fire roasted tomatoes (so often it is difficult to find really ripe, juicy and tasty tomatoes otherwise I would have used them) and sun-dried tomatoes. I substituted roast garlic instead of the usual chopped garlic. Roasted garlic is much less intense and sweeter. Each clove turns to a paste in the roasting process.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

TO ROAST THE GARLIC

1 head of garlic

1 tsp. of olive oil

Cut the top of the garlic head off so that you can see the individual cloves. If there are some cloves that are smaller and clustered towards the bottom of the head you can cut their tops off individually.

Remove the outer layer(s) of skin.

Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil and slowly pour 1 tsp.  of oil over the cloves making sure each one is covered or brush them with a basting  brush.

Wrap up the foil and place in oven for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven, let cook slightly then remove the garlic from the clove with the end of a teaspoon and set aside until needed.

FOR THE SOUP (MINUS ROASTED GARLIC)

1 tbsp. olive oil seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 onion – finely chopped

2 x 14.5 oz. cans diced and fire roasted tomatoes

2 pieces of sun-dried tomatoes – cut into little pieces

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 tbsp. fresh basil plus a little extra for garnish – cut into fine strips

4 cups chicken/veg. broth

Heat the seasoned oil in a cast iron casserole dish and when sizzling add the onion and let soften and slightly brown.

Then add the roasted garlic, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, basil and broth. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree soup in a food processor or use a hand held blender.

Serve in individual soup bowls garnished with fresh basil.

Chickpea, Spinach and Harissa Stew (4)

Posted in Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian by

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Harissa paste is a staple of Tunisian cooking and is their equivalent of tomato ketchup. It is made from a combination of chilis, roasted red peppers, spices, herbs and garlic. It adds a zing to soups and stews. My recipe can either be served as a vegetarian or vegan main course or as a side dish.

1 tbsp. olive oil seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium sized onion – finely chopped

1 large garlic clove – grated

1 tbsp. harissa paste

1 and 1/2 cups passata

1 cup chicken/vegetable broth (add more broth at the end of cooking if you want a thinner sauce)

4 oz. baby tomatoes

1 x 15 oz can of chickpeas

5 oz baby spinach

Heat seasoned olive oil in a cast iron casserole dish with a lid and when sizzling add onion and let soften and brown, then add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.

Add harissa paste, passata, broth, tomatoes, chickpeas and spinach. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer with the lid on for some 20 minutes until tomatoes are bursting their skins.

French Green Beans and Baby Tomatoes with Tapenade (4)

Posted in Salads, Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian by

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French green beans or haricots verts as they are known in France are a thinner version of the traditional green beans found in the US and UK and I much prefer them. In France haricots verts and tomatoes are often combined, whether it be in a salad or a hot dish such as this. I have added tapenade – a traditional Mediterranean appetizer often served on toasted bread in a similar way to bruschetta or used as a dip for crudites – and stirred it in with the vegetables. Tapenade at its most basic combines black olives, capers and olive oil. My version also includes anchovies, garlic and lemon juice. If you don’t want to make it yourself you may be able to find it in your local supermarket. Goes well with lamb or firm white fish.

8 oz thin green beans – topped, tailed and cut in half

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 oz cherry tomatoes – cut in half

1 tbsp. tapenade (or more if you want)

Boil the green beans for just a few minutes until ‘al dente’, then drain.

At the same time put 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. When sizzling add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes become soft and browned on both sides.

Add the beans and 1 tbsp. of tapenade to the pan with the tomatoes and the juices and toss well together.

TAPENADE (makes approx. 1 cup – which is more than you need for this recipe)

1 x cup pitted black olives

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 heaped tbsp. curly parsley

1 tbsp. capers – drained

1 large clove garlic – cut into small pieces

4 anchovies

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend to your desired consistency.

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Red Peppers Stuffed with a Tomato Mixture and Topped with Griddled Halloumi Cheese (4)

Posted in Entrees, Side dishes, Vegetarian by

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Rather a mouthful of a title but an apt description of the recipe. The red peppers are roasted in the oven and during that time the tomato mixture is cooked on the top of the stove in a skillet and the halloumi cheese is prepared, if possible, on a ridged frying pan which gives the cheese a nice striped look. When all three components are ready it is time to assemble the dish. Spoon the tomato sauce into the red pepper half and top with the griddled halloumi cheese (I can tolerate sheep’s halloumi cheese, if you can’t then omit). Can be a side dish or a vegetarian main.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2 red peppers – halved lengthways, de-seeded and de-membraned, brushed inside and out with olive oil and seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound of ripe tomatoes – skinned

1 tbsp. olive oil seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large cloves of garlic – grated

1 tbsp. fresh basil – finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh oregano – finely chopped

4 slices of Halloumi cheese

Place the red peppers in the oven on a baking tray for 3/4 hour until tender .

While peppers are cooking, boil kettle of water and pour over the tomatoes. Leave for a minute and slit skin with a knife (it should curl up and then you know it is ready to peel).

When peeled, dice the tomatoes.

Ten minutes before the peppers are done place seasoned oil in a skillet and when nicely hot add the garlic and cook just until you can smell the garlic.

Add tomatoes and herbs and let simmer until peppers come out of the oven.

At the same time place the slices of halloumi cheese on a hot griddled pan and cook for a short time on each side until you have nice brown griddle marks.

Divide tomato mixture up between the four pepper halves and top with a slice of halloumi.

Serve immediately.