Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce, On Toast {make this now}

I’ve started to use this phrase {make this now} more often on the blog rather than just in conversation. We’ve all experienced this “omg, this is amazing….” type of revelation for particular dishes. When the sensations hit just right on the tongue or when that “wow” moment hits the palette, I can’t help it but to tell everyone to make this now. Thus, the method to my madness when I say {make this now} because when I’m blown away at at how simple and delicious and recipe can be, I can’t help it but scream it out loud. Previously, I said the same thing about this thai iced tea recipe and so many of you really did {made this now}. This makes me so proud.

Simple poached eggs by simmering in bubbly-hot tomato sauce, then smeared over a grilled piece of bread is life changing. I’ve been hitting myself in the head over since I made this because I can’t believe this dish snuck under my hungry-radar all these years.

Where have you been all my life, dear poached eggs in tomato sauce… on toast? You are so freaking good.

How much more perfect can this simple concept be? The rich tomato sauce, nurturing the egg-poached-heaven is a match made in food-perfection. Add the third factor, crispy grilled bread, and all of a sudden, this trilogy now becomes a great breakfast or brunch. Oh what the heck, make it for dinner. Add a salad on the side and you’ll be whimpering like I did and ask, “why haven’t I made this before?!”

The best part about this madness is that you can add so many other ingredients to it to hearty-it-up. I’ve seen versions with kale, chickpeas, and ground chicken. Do what ever you want to it because for now, it’s all yours to play with.

For me, the most important (and hardest) part is timing the egg so that it becomes the poached texture that you like. Walk away from the stove for to long too check email, and what you will have a is a firm, boiled-like, yolk center. Become too impatient and turn off the heat too soon and what you will have are egg whites that are too runny. So make it a few times to get a feel for how long it takes to make your poached eggs perfect.

Alas, I’m already hungry again as I write this post. I’ll have to make it again soon and maybe next time, I’ll just dive my toast (crusty end first) into the tomato sauce and kill the poached egg in one quick swoop. Yum. Yum. YUM.

enjoy!

diane

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 30 min

The important part is timing the egg so that it becomes the poached texture that you like. Walk away from the stove for too long to check email, and what you will have a is a firm, boiled-like, yolk center. Become too impatient and turn off the heat too soon and what you will have are egg whites that are too runny. So make it a few times to get a feel for how long it takes to make your poached eggs perfect.

You can add so many other ingredients to it to hearty-it-up. I've seen versions with kale, chickpeas, and ground chicken.

two - 14 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes or your favorite tomato sauce4 large eggs3 Tablespoons butter1 small onion, minced3 cloves garlic, minced1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce1/4 teaspoon cumin1/2 teaspoon sugar1/4 cup chopped parsleyadditional salt and pepper to tastegrilled bread or toastHeat large saucepan on medium heat. Melt butter, then cook onions and garlic till soft.Add crushed tomatoes with juices (or tomato sauce), Worcestershire, cumin and sugar. Stir till everything is combined well. Bring the sauce to a low boil, then reduce heat to low.Stir in the parsley and simmer the sauce on low heat for about 10 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.Crack the eggs into the tomato sauce, then cover the pan. Poach the eggs in the sauce for about 5-8 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolk is still runny.Spoon the egg and tomato sauce over toast. Or serve the egg and tomato sauce in a bowl and dip with the toast. Serve warm.

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Sun-Dried Tomato Curry

Fresh and simple Asian cooking Y.use('squarespace-ui-base', function(Y) { Y.one("#lower-logo .logo").plug(Y.Squarespace.TextShrink, { parentEl: Y.one('#header') }); }); I've been trying to pack in as much cooking with tomatoes as I can before the official end of summer. 

Yesterday I was browsing through my friend Chitra's blog The ABCD's of Cooking for inspiration and came across her wonderful-sounding post for paneer with sun-dried tomato curry, which used both fresh and dried tomatoes. I had eaten a ton of curries in my life but never tried one using sun-dried tomatoes (to my knowledge), an ingredient I buy twice a week in bulk and can't get enough of. Needless to say, I was quickly sold. 

You may remember Chitra from some of my earlier blog posts. She was my co-conspirator for Tangra Summer, an Indian-Chinese pop-up dinner we put on in August in Brooklyn. She was also the wiz behind the naan breakfast pizza I made back in June, and just an all-around great resource for ideas for vegetarian meals with tons of flavor. So it goes without saying that I was immediately excited to try out this curry.

I love that this recipe can be made with either paneer or tofu. Since I was headed to the Indian grocery store for shopping anyway, and because I'm a cheese addict, I decided to pick up a block of paneer cheese. Though I may also try this with tofu soon on a day I feel like a lighter dish.

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I've been trying to pack in as much cooking with tomatoes as I can before the official end of summer. 

Yesterday I was browsing through my friend Chitra's blog The ABCD's of Cooking for inspiration and came across her wonderful-sounding post for paneer with sun-dried tomato curry, which used both fresh and dried tomatoes. I had eaten a ton of curries in my life but never tried one using sun-dried tomatoes (to my knowledge), an ingredient I buy twice a week in bulk and can't get enough of. Needless to say, I was quickly sold. 

You may remember Chitra from some of my earlier blog posts. She was my co-conspirator for Tangra Summer, an Indian-Chinese pop-up dinner we put on in August in Brooklyn. She was also the wiz behind the naan breakfast pizza I made back in June, and just an all-around great resource for ideas for vegetarian meals with tons of flavor. So it goes without saying that I was immediately excited to try out this curry.

I love that this recipe can be made with either paneer or tofu. Since I was headed to the Indian grocery store for shopping anyway, and because I'm a cheese addict, I decided to pick up a block of paneer cheese. Though I may also try this with tofu soon on a day I feel like a lighter dish.

Almost all the ingredients in the original recipe are ones you can find in any big supermarket. The only exception (other than the paneer) was fenugreek leaves, which I couldn't find, so I ended up just leaving it out. I made a few other minor adjustments, including using Greek yogurt instead of cream. The dish still ended up being extremely flavorful, full of tangy and salty goodness. And pretty substantial when paired with basmati rice. A big win if you're partial to one-dish meals like I am.

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Almost all the ingredients in the original recipe are ones you can find in any big supermarket. The only exception (other than the paneer) was fenugreek leaves, which I couldn't find, so I ended up just leaving it out. I made a few other minor adjustments, including using Greek yogurt instead of cream. The dish still ended up being extremely flavorful, full of tangy and salty goodness. And pretty substantial when paired with basmati rice. A big win if you're partial to one-dish meals like I am.

The making of the dish was pretty easy too. I have a pretty good blender (one that you can screw a Mason jar into!), so I ground the cashews and made the tomato puree pretty easily with minimal clean-up.  

This was the texture of my tomato pur\u00E9e: 

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The making of the dish was pretty easy too. I have a pretty good blender (one that you can screw a Mason jar into!), so I ground the cashews and made the tomato puree pretty easily with minimal clean-up.  

This was the texture of my tomato purée: 

After pan-frying the paneer and simmering the sauce, all of which took under 15 minutes, this was my sun-dried tomato curry. Not that I ever doubted it, but it turned out to be such a great recipe to have on hand, especially since there are absolutely no good Indian restaurants in my neighborhood!

Have you ever made a curry with sun-dried tomatoes?

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After pan-frying the paneer and simmering the sauce, all of which took under 15 minutes, this was my sun-dried tomato curry. Not that I ever doubted it, but it turned out to be such a great recipe to have on hand, especially since there are absolutely no good Indian restaurants in my neighborhood!

Have you ever made a curry with sun-dried tomatoes?

(Check out more of Chitra's great vegetarian recipes on her blog!)

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Sun-Dried Tomato Curry

Serves 4

10 sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)1 cup hot water1 large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes, diced1/4 cup raw cashews14 oz paneer or tofu, cubed2 tablespoons ghee or preferred cooking oil1 large shallot, thinly sliced3 cloves garlic, minced1-inch piece ginger, grated1 teaspoon garam masala1 teaspoon ground coriander1 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (preferably full-fat)2 teaspoons sugarSalt to tasteSoak the sun-dried tomatoes in the 1 cup of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes to soften. Combine the softened sun-dried tomatoes and chopped fresh tomatoes in a blender and add 1/4 cup of water, reserving the remaining 3/4 cup of water. Blend until smooth and set aside.Grind the cashews in a spice grinder, food-processor, or high-powered blender. Set aside.Heat the ghee or oil in a large saut\u00E9 pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the paneer or tofu until lightly golden on the outside, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.In the same pan, saut\u00E9 the shallots, ginger, and garlic for about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, then add the garam masala, coriander, cumin, and red chili powder. Add the ground cashews and the 3/4 cup of water that the sun-dried tomatoes soaked in. Add the yogurt and sugar and salt to taste. Bring the curry to a simmer. Return the paneer or tofu back to the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and garnish with slivered sun-dried tomatoes, chopped cashews, or cilantro if you'd like. 

Adapted from The ABCD's of Cooking

 

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(Check out more of Chitra's great vegetarian recipes on her blog!)

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Serves 4

10 sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)1 cup hot water1 large tomato or 2 medium tomatoes, diced1/4 cup raw cashews14 oz paneer or tofu, cubed2 tablespoons ghee or preferred cooking oil1 large shallot, thinly sliced3 cloves garlic, minced1-inch piece ginger, grated1 teaspoon garam masala1 teaspoon ground coriander1 teaspoon ground cumin1/2 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste2 tablespoons Greek yogurt (preferably full-fat)2 teaspoons sugarSalt to tasteSoak the sun-dried tomatoes in the 1 cup of hot water for 10 to 15 minutes to soften. Combine the softened sun-dried tomatoes and chopped fresh tomatoes in a blender and add 1/4 cup of water, reserving the remaining 3/4 cup of water. Blend until smooth and set aside.Grind the cashews in a spice grinder, food-processor, or high-powered blender. Set aside.Heat the ghee or oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Pan-fry the paneer or tofu until lightly golden on the outside, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.In the same pan, sauté the shallots, ginger, and garlic for about 1 minute. Add the tomato puree, then add the garam masala, coriander, cumin, and red chili powder. Add the ground cashews and the 3/4 cup of water that the sun-dried tomatoes soaked in. Add the yogurt and sugar and salt to taste. Bring the curry to a simmer. Return the paneer or tofu back to the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and garnish with slivered sun-dried tomatoes, chopped cashews, or cilantro if you'd like. 

Adapted from The ABCD's of Cooking

New Fall Cooking Classes: Dim Sum, Soup Dumplings, and More... ?

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Savory Tomato Crisp Recipe

This is a continuing series we’re sharing for Summer on our favorite heirloom tomatoes that we’re growing. And we have a delicious recipe included too! You can visit all our tomato recipes on our tomato page.

Every once in a while two cravings collide and something magical happens. Sometimes it all ends up being one big, tasteless mess and easily forgotten dish. But on occasion, these random food ideas can marry into a lovely dish that we’ll make over and over. So a few weeks ago we were craving a baked tomato dish and aside from our tomato tarts that we love making, the idea of combining a crisp and tomato popped up like a light bulb.

Introducing, the tomato crisp. It has everything that we love about summer: vine ripened heirloom tomatoes + crisp topping + baked in the oven = perfect savory crisp dish. The math says it all.

If you’re already a fan of fruit crisps (raise your hands high!) and heirloom tomatoes, then combining these two isn’t too far fetched of a culinary idea. Really, the idea of a savory tomato crisp is quite delicious. The juicy, baked tomatoes are essentially and botanically speaking, a fruit anyways. So all you’re really changing is the flavor from a sweet stonefruit or berry profile to a lovely tomato-y sweet flavor.

Consider this tomato crisp the perfect side dish to a grilled meat dish or a pairing to a nice vegetarian salad. Either way, the textures of the crisp oats and juicy tomatoes underneath add to the essential flavors and colors of Summer. It can’t be beat.

And these lovely tomatoes we’re making them with? They’re chocolate stripe heirloom tomatoes and aren’t they a beauty to behold? These chocolate stripes actually did extremely well in the garden, giving off at least 3 dozen medium to large sized fruit. The colors and striping are very striking and the sweet flavors make this at the top of our heirloom tomato list. It’s definitely going to be on the list for next year because they’re the plant that kept on giving.

Happy Summer!

Warm out of the oven, this tomato crisp has crunchy oat texture

give yourself a big scoop

juicy sweet tomatoes underneath

Yield: Serves 4-6

Total Time: 1 hour

See post for additional recipe details.

2 pounds (910g) ripe Tomatoes, cored and cut into wedges1 Tablespoon (8g) CornstarchKosher or Sea Saltfresh cracked Black Pepper3/4 cup (90g) Flour1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano2 Tablespoons finely minced Italian Parsley1 Tablespoon minced or crushed Garlic1 Tablespoon (15g) packed Brown Sugar1 teaspoon Kosher or Sea Salt1/2 cup (1 stick / 113g) cold unsalted Butter, cut into ½-inch pieces½ cup (40g) old-fashioned OatsPreheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 2 qt. baking dish.Put the cut tomatoes into the prepared baking dish. Toss with the cornstarch and season lightly with salt and pepper.Combine the flour, cheese, parsley, garlic, brown sugar and teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl. Mix together well.Pinch the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse sand (or cut it into the flour mix with a pastry cutter). Work in the oats with your fingers until evenly distributed.Spread the crisp topping over the tomatoes. Bake for 45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Grilled Tomato “Lollipop” Toasts & our Favorite Cherry Tomato Varieties

This is the first in a series we’re sharing for Summer on our favorite heirloom tomatoes that we’re growing. And we’ll have a delicious recipe included too! You can visit all our tomato recipes on our tomato page.

Oh we know they’re not really lollipops. But when we were grilling these little red jewels the term “tomato skewers” sounded so mundane. After plucking these super sweet cherry tomatoes from their vines, they were so cute and plump, it sounded more appropriate (and fun) to call them lollipops. Because they’re so sweet like candy during this time of year, it only made sense to call them lollipops if we jabbed them on a stick.

Summer screams of bbq and we’re constantly heating up our grill to cook up what ever flavors epitomize the season. Our five varieties of cherry tomatoes are peaking out as they normally do this time of year. They’re always the first to explode when the first hear wave arrives and this year, a week long of heat and humidity accelerated their growth and ripeness quicker than ever before. Yay!

Our cherry tomato plants are going bonkers, meaning they just don’t know when to stop producing fruit. We’re not asking them to stop either. Luckily, we’ve had family and friends visit so much for the last 4 weeks that all the cherry tomatoes are going to good homes and bellies. Nothing is better than sending home a basket full of vine ripened cherry tomatoes.

We’ve always grown Sweet One Hundred cherry tomatoes and enjoyed their wonderful bounty. But last year we found a variety called Sweet Million and have been hooked ever since. The difference between the two is that we find the Sweet Million to produce much more cherry tomatoes on longer branches and they’re sweeter. We always wait till they turn a deep red on the vine to where they want to just fall off the vine at the slightest touch. This is when the cherry tomato is at it’s sweetest and like candy. Last Summer we were making tomato bacon pizza’s like mad and never got tired of eating them.

Sugar cherry tomatoes are new to our garden this year and they’re mind blowing amazing. Even when they’re in their orange/red color stage, they’re still super sweet. And if you wait till they fall off the vine, they’re just like their name– Sugar sweet!

Yellow pear and as always, sun gold cherry tomatoes are in the garden again and we couldn’t be happier. Their color and beauty is always a treat to have in the garden. Our friends and family love plucking these varieties and adding it to their to-go basket of red cherries. It’s like a rainbow in a basket.

So what do we do with all these cherry tomatoes? This weekend we grilled them on the bbq and call them our tomato “lollipops”! Have you ever grilled your cherry tomatoes? They’re super amazing and the texture is like roasted tomatoes, but you don’t have to turn on your hot oven in the Summer. And best of all, they have the wonderful bbq flavor to them.

A simple way to enjoy these grilled tomato skewer “lollipops” is on grilled bread and swiped with a nice layer of ricotta cheese. Summer can’t get any better than this.

Make sure to make a big platter of these little skewer lollipops for your gathering because they’re sure to be a hit. They’re so good, your guests will probably just eat them off the skewers like candy too!

Happy Summer,

diane and todd

Yield: Serves 3-4

Total Time: 45 min

There are a number of ways to enjoy these bbq tomato skewers. Serve them as a side dish, as a snack or on anything you want. They're so good, they might not make it past the bbq!

about 1 pound of cherry tomatoes3 Tablespoons olive oil or grape seed oil1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce2 cloves of garlic, finely mincedsalt and pepper to tasteabout 10-12, 8" bamboo skewersSliced crusty bread1 cup of ricotta cheeseSoak and fully immerse bamboo skewers in water for about 30 minutesIn large bowl, combine oil, Worcestershire and garlic. Allow marinade to sit for about 15 minutes.Wash and dry cherry tomatoes. Remove the stems if you want. Keeping them on just makes them prettier, then you can pull them off before serving.Add cherry tomatoes to marinade bowl and toss to combine and coat tomatoes.Skewer about 4-5 tomatoes on each bamboo skewer. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste on each tomato skewer.Heat Grill to medium/high heat.Reserve the leftover marinade and brush them on the sliced crusty bread. If you need more marinade, just add a little more oil to the bowl.Grill tomato skewers on each side for about 3-4 minutes, or until they are cooked. Cooking time will vary depending on the heat of your grill and size of your cherry tomatoes.After tomatoes are cooked, grill both sides of the bread till crispy.Spread ricotta cheese on slices of bread and top with tomatoes. Remove stems if you want before serving.Makes about 10-12 skewers.

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Tomato Egg Drop Soup + New Video

Love egg drop soup? For the second video in the new Appetite for China Cooking Videos series, I decided to update this post with a fun visual guide on making egg drop soup with tomatoes. Let me know what you think!

I first made tomato egg drop soup in 2008 while living in Beijing during the Summer Olympics. At the time, I was in desperate need of  something light and healthy for lunch to go with a salad, to counteract all the fried food I had been eating at the Olympic venues. And what could be more healthy and comforting at the same time than tomatoes and eggs in homemade chicken broth? Over the years I’ve tweaked the recipe bit by bit and come up with this revised version.

There are few ingredients in this soup, so it’s important that the chicken stock (or vegetable stock) be homemade. (You can use either Chinese or Western homemade stock.) If you must use store-bought, try to find organic stock or broth that does not have too many preservatives in the label.

This soup is incredibly simple to prepare, with no special technique other than the swirling in of the egg whites to create the egg strands. It may sound intimidating, but rest assured you’ll get a hang of it easily! (Just read the recipe over and familiarize yourself with Step 2 before beginning cooking.) You may soon be making egg drop soup like a pro!

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Tomato Egg Drop Soup

Serves 4

4 to 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock2 teaspoons grated ginger1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari1 teaspoon sesame oil1 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper1 teaspoon salt2 medium firm tomatoes, cut into wedges1 large egg1 scallion, chopped or thinly sliced for garnishIn a medium pot, bring the stock to boil. Stir in the ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and salt. Add tomatoes and cook for just another 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired.In a small bowl, whisk the egg lightly with a fork. Slowly pour the egg into the soup in a steady stream while continuously stirring with a long spoon or chopstick. The egg should cook immediately and look like long yellowish-white strands. Turn off the heat right after to prevent the eggs from overcooking.Ladle the soup into individual bowls, sprinkle the scallions on top, and serve.Updated March 5, 2013. Original recipe posted August 28, 2008.

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Gabrielle’s Winter Tomato and Corn Soup

Last week in writing about my confessions of coffee snobbery got me thinking about food snobbery in general. You know what I mean; “If it’s not seasonal, local, and organic then it’s not going on my table”,  or the “fast food… forget about it” crowd,  (unless it is from a fast food chain that has a cult following and then it is ok).

Then there is the tamed down version of a food snob, a foodie. Another title which not long ago many wore as a badge of honor yet over the last couple years has sullied into a term most of us would prefer not be labeled. It doesn’t carry the same “holier than thou” connotation as a food snob, but its minions have managed to tarnish the usage in the general public’s eye.

Check out urban dictionary for foodie and the first entry you get sounds kind of appealing: “A person that spends a keen amount of attention and energy on knowing the ingredients of food, the proper preparation of food, and finds great enjoyment in top-notch ingredients and exemplary preparation.” But that entry was from back in 2006, nearly a century ago in today’s digital age. Think about it, Myspace was THE Thing back then.

Second entry for foodie in urban dictionary is a bit more modern, “A douchebag who likes food.” Ouch.

However all of this focus on food and its qualities in our recent history has been a great thing. Farmers markets are thriving, the populace in general has an increased awareness in their food, where it comes from, and in its quality. American restaurants and cuisine is no longer the laughing stock of the rest of the world. Things of the past which were feared nearly lost; home gardens, canning, curing meats are now not only no longer at risk of being forgotten, they are cool to do. Nothing like buying a slab of pork belly and making your own bacon for a little bad-ass recognition around the water cooler.

We all are a part if it, one way or another. From those who are embarrassingly fanatical to the impassive home gardener. Together we influence the food culture surrounding us, from our home kitchens, to our markets, to the farmers’ fields. Where do you stand in the food cycle?

For Diane and me, it seems hard to define in words. We’re massive garden geeks, building our garden around most things edible. We’d rather spend a Friday night making puff pastry or doing a roast than hitting the clubs (God we are getting old-although we did that in our 20's so go figure). We can appreciate the artistry behind a 3 star restaurant but more often hit up a well-ran gastropub, and we are more than happy with the occasional Shake Shack or other burger run.

Even with us growing so much of our own food and having amazing farmers’ markets surrounding us nearly all week long, we still have a pantry stocked with a few nice canned goods to supplement our own summertime canning. There are times when you come home and want something quick and uncomplicated. And fixing up a meal from canned ingredients doesn’t automatically make you a Sandra Lee.

Anytime I think about the subject of canned foods, a particular friend comes to mind.

Her name was Gabrielle. An amazing artist, world traveler, and a kind soul. She was living on a houseboat and when Diane and I were in her area, she invited us over for an afternoon chat. We settled into the cozy cushions in the “living room” while she effortlessly made a quick soup using canned tomatoes and creamed corn. Served with a crust loaf of bread while the salty, cool ocean air wrapped around our senses and it was one of those perfect meals you never forget.

This incredible soup was humble, deeply satisfying and truly made from the heart. That’s what good food is about, nurturing what you have on hand, made with love and from the heart.

Even though is has probably been over a decade since we’ve seen Gabrielle, there isn’t a time when we have the soup in which we don’t think of her. And for us, a meal from a can will never automatically carry a negative connotation.

-todd

Yield: Serves 4-6

Total Time: 15 min

Serve with your favorite bread or crackers. This makes a great cool weather, quick hearty meal.

1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes, if you use salt-free then add salt to taste1 (10 oz) can creamed corn1 cup skim or low fat milk1/2 medium onion, minced3 cloves garlic, minced2 Tablespoons olive oilabout 3-4 green onion stalks, choppedadditional salt and pepper to tasteHeat medium pot, add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add onion and garlic and cook until transluscent.Add canned tomatoes. Cook for about 3 minutes until combined well with onion/garlic mixture.Add canned creamed corn and milk. Stir to combine evenly, then slowly bring to boil.Reduce heat, add green onions and salt/pepper to taste.Cook for about 5 minutes until soup is combined well.Serve warm with your favorite bread or crackers.

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Tomato Chutney Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I’m a hopeless romantic when it comes to grilled cheese sandwiches. When hankering for a grilled cheese, I dream of biting into the perfectly crusty and crispy sandwich that oozes out plenty of cheesy love. Those close to me know that I fiercely embrace savory, hearty and cheesy comfort foods. Grilled cheese sandwiches are no exception when it comes to making me happy, giggly and oh so full of joy.

The variations of great grilled cheese sandwiches are endless. I’ve seen some crazy concoctions when it comes to slapping something between two pieces of bread and some cheese. But the grilled cheese recipes  I’m most drawn to are the ones that focus on a great bread, a perfect melting cheese and one more element that will balance and heighten the eating experience without distracting from the simplicity of the sandwich.

One of my answers to this roster of great grilled cheese sandwiches is a well made tomato chutney. I’m rather particular with my tomato chutneys because I don’t like them too sugary sweet. What I do love about a great tomato chutney recipe is the perfect balance of tang, zest, sweet and acidic tomato flavor.

Adding the wonderful flavor of tomato chutney to a warm grilled cheese sandwich makes the sandwich extra flavorful, balanced and zesty.

Although Summer might be officially over, our garden tomatoes tell us quite the opposite. Our wacky tomato bounty is telling us that they’re not ready for Summer to end and honestly, I have absolutely no problem with that.

If our tomatoes say that there’s still time to eat and make tomato recipes, then I’m all over it. Puppy Lexi is all over it too when it comes to helping me pick garden tomatoes. Well, she loves playing with the tomatoes like toys and not really loving the harvesting part.

Combining my craving for a great grilled cheese sandwich and an abundance of tomatoes, I decided to make a huge batch of tomato chutney to savor over the next few weeks. When we asked all you amazing readers for tomato recipes, you all inspired us tremendously with your advice. Thank you for all that, you amazing people!

Liz from Liz the Chef came to the rescue with her tomato chutney recipe. She’s mentioned it a few times to us before about how much she loves her tomato chutney. So to start with her tomato chutney recipe in hand, I made an incredibly delicious batch to eat with my grilled cheese sandwiches for the next few months. Thanks Liz!

hugs,,

diane

More Tomato Recipes from our archives.

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Tomato Egg Drop Soup

Now that fall’s in the air, and the evenings have gotten cooler, I’ve been in the mood to make soups during the week. Like this tomato egg drop soup, which I first made in 2008 while living in Beijing during the Summer Olympics.

During the time, I was in desperate need of  something light and healthy for lunch to go with a salad, to counteract all the fried food I was eating that week at the Olympic venues. And what could be more healthy and comforting at the same time than tomatoes and eggs in homemade chicken broth? Over the years I’ve tweaked the recipe bit by bit and come up with this revised version.

There are few ingredients in this soup, so it’s important that the chicken stock (or vegetable stock) be homemade. (You can use either Chinese or Western homemade stock.) If you must use store-bought, try to find organic stock or broth that does not have too many preservatives in the label.

This soup is incredibly simple to prepare, with no special technique other than the swirling in of the egg whites to create the egg strands. It may sound intimidating, but rest assured you’ll get a hang of it easily! (Just read the recipe over and familiarize yourself with Step 2 before beginning cooking.) You may soon be making egg drop soup like a pro!

_____________________________

Tomato Egg Drop Soup

Serves 4

4 to 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock2 teaspoons grated ginger1 tablespoon soy sauce1 teaspoon sesame oil1 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper1 teaspoon salt2 medium firm tomatoes, cut into wedges1 large egg1 scallion, chopped or thinly sliced for garnishIn a medium pot, bring the stock to boil. Stir in the ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and salt. Add tomatoes and cook for just another 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired.In a small bowl, whisk the egg lightly with a fork. Slowly pour the egg into the soup in a steady stream while continuously stirring with a long spoon or chopstick. The egg should cook immediately and look like long yellowish-white strands. Turn off the heat right after to prevent the eggs from overcooking.Ladle the soup into individual bowls, sprinkle the scallions on top, and serve.Updated September 17, 2012. Original recipe posted August 28, 2008.

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More Chinese soups to try:

Tagged as: Cantonese, Chinese, Healthy, Recipes, Soup, Tomatoes, Vegetarian

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Welcome Summer. Share your favorite tomato recipes?

The tomatoes in the garden just reminded us that Summer has arrived. It was as if, all of a sudden, the transition of Spring to Summer jolted the tomatoes to wake up and ripen. Now, the challenge is keeping up with eating and canning the tomatoes before they fall off the vine. Yes, it’s a problem, but a good problem to be faced with.

It’s now official, Summer is here and we have to keep up with all the fabulous tomato recipes that this wonderful season brings.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing some of our latest and favorite heirloom tomatoes that we’re growing. But we need some recipes! Obviously, our favorite way to eat heirloom tomatoes are when they’re fresh, with some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh basil.

There are many more ways to enjoy these heirloom tomatoes, so we’re asking for you advice.

Do you have any tomato recipes to share? Please leave your link in your comment below and we’d love to make your favorite recipe and share it on some of our future posts!

Thanks everyone and Happy Summer!

Diane and Todd

brandywine heirloom tomatoes before…. 

… then Summer arrives… bam! ready to pick 

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Stir-fried Tomato and Eggs

It’s another sunny March day here in New York. I’ve found myself wanting to spend more time working by the windows instead of working in the kitchen, which is in the interior of my apartment. So in celebration of an early spring, here is a light yet delicious Chinese comfort food dish from the archives that takes about 5 minutes on the stove.

Within China, there are wildly divergent ways of cooking almost any dish. Take kung pao chicken, for example. The Sichuanese are wild about their version with smoky dried chilis and crunchy peanuts, while folks from Guizhou province love theirs with fresh chilis and absolutely no peanuts, and Beijingers are just fine with their mild kung pao dishes. Another example is pan-fried dumplings, whose thinned-skinned Cantonese and thicker northern varieties each have their fans. Or Cantonese wontons versus Sichuan wontons. The list goes on and on.

Stir-fried tomato and eggs, however, is remarkably the same all over China. I grew up eating this dish and always associated it with weekend afternoons when my mom was too busy running errands to fix anything that took longer than 5 minutes. We also had it for weeknight dinners when my mom needed a 3rd or 4th course that didn’t take longer than 5 minutes. (See a pattern?) It was our version of spaghetti with tomato sauce, the no-brainer that’s also pure comfort food.

So I had always associated this dish with Cantonese cooking, until I moved to China and found that it tasted exactly the same at little diners and fast food stalls in Beijing and Shanghai. Fluffy eggs with lightly sweetened tomatoes, maybe another vegetable thrown it to fancy it up. It was oddly reassuring. Winter in Beijing may have been bone-chilling, smoggy, and depressing, but for the 10 minutes I was scarfing down stir-fried tomato and eggs at a local restaurant I may as well have been in the sub-tropical warmth of Hong Kong.

It’s really hard to resist such a quick dish of eggs and juicy tomatoes. I actually feel a little odd publishing this as a recipe, since it’s so easy you can just skim the directions and make it from memory. In addition to the title ingredients all you need is a little cooking oil, scallions, some sugar to sweeten up the tomatoes, and the usual salt and pepper. It’s also a cinch to divide or multiply the portions. I find that 2 to 3 eggs and 1 tomato per person is the perfect ratio and, paired with rice, makes quite the filling meal.

You can certainly have this for lunch or dinner, but I also have no qualms making a hearty post-yoga breakfast with the leftovers and some strong coffee.

____________________________________

Stir-fried Eggs and Tomato

Serves 2

5 to 6 large eggs, beaten1 tablespoon vegetable oilSalt and pepper to taste1 scallion, white and green parts chopped and separated2 medium tomatoes, sliced into then wedges1 teaspoon sugar

1. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat the base. Pour in the eggs and cook undisturbed until a thin layer forms on the bottom, about 30 to 60 seconds, then scramble the eggs until they are cooked but still light and fluffy. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I find 1/4 teaspoon salt is good to start.) Scoop out the eggs onto a plate and set aside.

2. In the same pan, add the scallions whites and stir-fry until just aromatic, about 20 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the juices start to release and the tomatoes wedges are slightly softened but still intact. Sprinkle sugar over the tomatoes.

3. Return the eggs to the pan and heat for another minute, stirring so they are well-mixed with the tomatoes.  Transfer to a serving dish and add the scallion greens on top.

______________________________

More easy egg dishes:

Kimchi Fried Eggs

Chinese Tea Eggs

Baked Eggs with Saffron and Cumin

Soy Sauce Eggs

Edamame Fried Rice

Tagged as: Chinese, Eggs, Recipes, Vegetarian

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Ayam Masak Merah (Chicken in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

Ayam Masak Merah pictures (1 of 3)

Tomorrow is Hari Raya or Eid, the biggest Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, or the Islamic holy month of fasting. As a Malaysian, we celebrate all festivities (regardless of our race and ethnicity) with food, food, and more food, and that’s why I invited one of my favorite Malaysian food bloggers Lisa at My Lemony Kitchen to share a classic Malaysian recipe with us: Ayam Masak Merah or Chicken in Creamy Spicy Tomato Sauce. My Lemony Kitchen is an excellent food blog with lots of delicious recipes: Malaysia, Asian, western, baking, you name it and you’ll have it. For my Muslim readers, I wish you all “Selamat Hari Raya” or Happy Eid.

I am honoured to receive an invite from Bee of Rasa Malaysia, to guest post on her beautiful blog. Thank you, Bee…

I was ecstatic but at the same time…was feeling nervous…what shall I cook? How shall I present my post? Everyone in the food blogging community knows Bee and her beautiful blog—Rasa Malaysia. Lucky me, Bee had made it easier by suggesting Ayam Masak Merah or chicken cooked in rich creamy spicy tomato sauce.

Mentioned Ayam Masak Merah to a Kedahan (Kedah is a state in the far North of Malaysia), would immediately evoke memories of  “traditional Malay weddings” and Hari Raya or Eid Celebration. Yes…Ayam Masak Merah is not an everyday affair in a typical household in Kedah. It is a unique dish to be enjoyed on special occasions… served with Nasi Minyak or  Savoury Rice, fresh salad of cucumber, pineapple, cut-up chillies and red onions.

Ayam Masak Merah has unique flavours, the taste is beautiful and unforgettable although it shares some basic similar spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise and chillies) to Chicken Curry. It is distinctively different, be it in the texture of the chicken or the tantalizing flavours in the sauce.

The chicken pieces are rubbed in with turmeric and salt and are deep fried till golden in colour. Deep frying seals the juice as well as it gives the chicken pieces, a firmer texture to every bite. The pieces are then added to the simmering sauce. This gives the chicken, its rich flavour, with its subtle heat from the chillies, sweet and sour-ish taste from the tomato soup combine with creaminess from coconut milk.

Moslems in Malaysia and around the world will be celebrating Hari Raya Aidil Fitri or Eid Mubarak tomorrow, perhaps Ayam Masak Merah could be one of the dish that you might want to cook and join in the Celebration.

(Click Page 2 for the Ayam Masak Merah Recipe)

Pages: 1 2

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Nearly Instant Fresh Tomato Puree

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« MSG Salt & Mushroom Seasoning: Instant Flavor Fixes? |Main| North Indian Egg Curry Recipe (Anda Masala) »

July 31, 2011Nearly Instant Fresh Tomato Puree

Don’t you just hate it when a recipe calls for “1 large tomato, pureed”?  I do, even when it’s my own recipe. It sounds like so much work, though I know that the texture and flavor will be excellent. (Sauce is so smooth and during summer, who wants to succumb to canned tomato?) When a recipe, such as a pasta sauce, calls for lots of fresh tomato pureed, I halve the tomatoes and briefly cook them to soften before putting them through a food mill.

Today, I made an Indian egg and spiced tomato sauce dish for lunch and the recipe called for “1 large tomato, pureed.” Kitchen dread set in. I didn’t want to go through my normal procedure for such a small quantity. 

Instead, I reached for my cheap cheese grater. I’ve had the grater for years and it’s one of my go-to kitchen tools. Because it is not terribly sharp, I can really go to town with grating vegetables such as tomato without having to worry about taking off a piece of my fingertip. The grater is a plane type so it sits atop a bowl. The bowl catches all the tomato goodness. 

For the “1 large tomato, pureed,” I used four (4) small ripe tomatoes that I purchased from the farmers’ market yesterday. I halved each crosswise and grated them, pressing on the skin to extract the flesh and juice. Within minutes, I had a rough fresh tomato puree. All that was left was a heap of skin.

(By the way, when you need a light tomato flavor for pizza, this kind of instant fresh tomato puree works well!)

Related Post: North Indian Egg Curry (Anda Masala)

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I discovered this technique upon my recent visit to Spain. Now my favorite breakfast is a toasted baguette with the grated tomato, a good olive oil and sea salt. Yum!

Posted by:Lori |August 01, 2011 at 05:04 AM

Oh yes-- with Spanish pam tomaqet, I toast the bread and rub the tomato right on the bread. The rough surface is like a natural grater. Before that, I rub raw garlic on the bread. Raw garlic before noon is a little iffy though, huh?! :)

Thanks for the reminder!

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |August 01, 2011 at 10:23 AM

thank you for sharing this because you gave me an idea on how to use the extra tomatoes in the cabinet. I already made a lot of recipes out of it but there are still a lot. I think this is going to be extra ordinary!

Posted by:Digital Printing |August 03, 2011 at 07:00 PM

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