the arugula files

Tomato Pie, Always in Season by Elise Richer, and a Giveaway

No one ever complains about too many tomatoes.  Too many beets?  Sure.  Kale overload?  Absolutely. Zucchini surplus?  Let me tell you about my freezer full of zucchini bread.  But too many tomatoes? Pffft. Impossible.

However, at some point during the summer, usually in August, the tomatoes become unstoppable. I can't keep up.  Last week my CSA delivered 17 tomatoes.  A few heirloom, some slicing, and about dozen yellow romas.  A beautiful simple salad took care of the heirlooms and I added the slicing tomatoes to some turkey sandwiches.  The yellow romas sat on my kitchen table waiting.  But I wasn't complaining.

Gazpacho

Today I headed to the farmers market with one thing in mind: gazpacho, the cool summer soup that can only be made with the ripest, juiciest summer tomatoes.  Usually I buy gazpacho from Chris' Market Place, the guy who sells the crabcakes and empanadas.  They were totally sold out by 9:30.  Looks like everyone else was thinking the same thing I was.  Oh well, no time like now to figure out my own recipe.

In Season: Tomatoes

  
A trip to Dupont Farmers Market will tell you that it's high season for tomatoes (and a lot of other gorgeous produce).  These tomatoes taste so good, there's no need for fancy recipes.  Eat them whole, unadorned, with a dash of salt or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.  Make your favorite pesto and top them on pasta.  Bake them with thyme and bread crumbs.  Slice them to use as a topping on pizza.  Marry them with a sharp, nutty cheese and serve with pasta.

 Yum.  What's your favorite way to celebrate in season tomatoes?

Mid Atlantic Red Fruit Festival

 

I'm super psyched that my recipe for grilled pizza with heirloom tomatoes was selected as a finalist for the Mid Atlantic Red Fruit Festival.  I'll be working with Chef Jerry Edwards, who will prepare the recipe at the festival.  The event is from 6-8 pm Friday, September 24 at the Woodrow Wilson Plaza at the Ronald Reagan Building. Tickets are $35. Attendees get to vote for their favorite dish.

Grilled Pizza with Heirloom Tomatoes (Plus, the MidAtlantic Red Fruit Festival)

You know how kids show up at your door step and take way more halloween candy then they need?  That's me at the tomato stand.  I fill my bag with Green Zebras, Purple Cherokees, Brandywine, Mr. Stripey.  I want them all.

I eat them whole, with a dash of salt, balsamic, and olive oil, or I put them in panzenella, salsa, and, now, on grilled pizza.

This pizza is all about simplicity: two cloves of garlic (diced), two heirloom tomatoes (sliced thickly), a handful of fontina and feta. Roll out your favorite pizza dough, brush the top with olive oil, and place on your grill. Flip it a few times.  Then add the garlic, tomatoes, and cheese.  And, for the love of the farmer, don't add tomato sauce.  Just top it with basil and enjoy the taste of your summer garden (or in my case, since my garden was an epic fail, enjoy the taste of a local farm).

Grilling pizza? It's easy.  No, the pizza won't fall through the grates.  Need directions?  You can find them here.

Speaking of tomatoes: make sure to enter your tomato recipe in the Mid-Atlantic Red Fruit Festival, open to food bloggers, home cooks, gardeners and tomato-enthusiasts.

 

Farfelle with Brie, Basil, and Cherry Tomatoes

I've had this dish a million times before.  Tomatoes, basil, and cheese (and maybe a little garlic).  It's  amazingly simple.  Usually I make it with fresh mozzarella.  This time around I tried it with brie, after a friend in Boston served me something similar.  Using brie gives it a mellow creamy flavor.  It melts nicely, coating the farfelle with a light cheesy sauce.  (As you can see from the photo above, I like red pepper flakes.)