Winter Squash and Tomatoes
November 16, 2007
The extent of my experience with winter squash until this day consisted only of staring at it in the grocery store and wondering why also the name "Spaghetti Squash." But on the day I visited Abbodanza Farms, I picked up the yellow gourd and put it on top of the refrigerator, out of sight for about 2 months until now. To my surprise, the Winter Squash lives up to its name - you may harvest it in the early fall, but you can wait to eat it late into the the winter if you'd like.I found directions for preparing the winter squash in the Good Housekeeping cookbook I recently was given. The directions indicated that the squash would be tough to cut, but would turn into a silky and stringy texture if left to roast in the oven in a water bath. Relying on this tip, I prepared the following meal: Winter Squash with Tomatoes.
For the squash:
- 1 winter squash, halved
- 1 cake pan or tall edged cookie sheet
- 1/2 c water
Preheat oven to 370 degrees
Bake the squash, flesh side down, in the cake pan or cookie sheet with water poured over it for approximately 30 minutes. Flip the squash over and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the squash is soft. Remove from heat.
Taking a fork, gently pull the squash flesh from the skin. The squash will come out in threads. Place into a bowl and cover to retain heat. You may add a few plugs of olive oil at this point.
For the tomato relish:
- 2 heirloom tomatoes
- 2 springs of fresh oregano, thyme, and majoram (or use herbs de provence)
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1 c red wine
- 1/2 c white onion finely diced
- 3 cloves of crushed and chopped garlic
Saute the garlic, onions and herbs in the olive oil over medium heat. When the onions are translucent, add the chopped tomatoes and wine. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve the squash on plates and top with tomato relish. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Labels: heirloom tomatoes, winter squash
Eggplant Tart (part III of the eggplant madness series)
October 15, 2007
Goodness, I sure have eaten a lot of eggplant this month. Every bite has been delicious. October ends the peak period for eggplant - so take advantage while you can. In making this tart, I finally followed the original recipe in Once Upon a Tart for tomato and eggplant tart. The tart has a subtle smokey flavor from the roasted eggplant, and the orange heirlooms I used were sweeter than the red ones they used in the cookbook.This recipe calls for two steps - making and baking a tart shell, and preparing the filling. The good news is that the tart shell is rather easy, and the recipe makes plenty for 2 tarts (I have a large tart tin so I made two). You can always freeze one lump of dough and save it for a day you are feeling like having a tart but too busy to make another batch of dough. I find that the dough lasts about 3 weeks in the freezer.
For the tart:
1 batch of Crunchy Savory Tart Crust
I substituted 1/2 cup of wheat flour in the original recipe for added texture.
For the filling:
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 c cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 small eggplants, sliced
- 3 vine ripened tomatoes
- 1/2 c fresh grated parmesan
- handful of basil, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Step One: Sweat eggplant slices by tossing in salt and letting them rest for 20 minutes. Bake the eggplant in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Take them out of the oven to cool. Reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees.
Step Two: Slice the tomatoes and let them drain in a colander while you prepare the other ingredients. I salt the tomatoes at this stage as well.
Step Three: Prebake your tart shell as directed in the tart preparation blog.
Step Four: In a blender or food processor, combine olive oil, parmesan cheese, and basil. Scrape mixture out and spread it on the bottom of the prebaked tart shell. Arrange the roasted tomatoes and eggplants on top of the cheese as shown in the picture.
Step Five: In a bowl, combine eggs, cream, salt and pepper with a wire whisk. Pour the custard over the eggplant and tomatoes. Bake the tart at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until the center stops jiggling.
Eat the tart warm out of the oven and watch your friends drool. Mmmmmm.
Labels: Eggplant, eggs, heirloom tomatoes, tart
Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Tart
October 05, 2006
Savory tarts are tart fillings that consist of eggs and vegetables, and sometimes even meats. I studied my tart baking book and I found a recipe for tomato and eggplant tart, but I am not that keen on eggplants in a tart. I opted instead for zucchini and herbs of rosemary and basil. I also decided that he Parmesan cheese and herb base could benefit from a bit of pesto instead. Feel free to alter this recipe as needed, but be sure to note that it is the herbs and Parmesan that really finish this recipe off.
You will need:
- 1 tart shell, par-baked
- 2 small zucchinis, washed and thinly sliced on the bias
- 3 Roma or vine ripened tomatoes, halved and sliced
- 3 tbsp of pesto + 1/4 c Parmesan
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 c cream
- herbs (rosemary and basil)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Step One: Combine zucchini, salt, and 3 tbsp of olive oil; bake slices on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 400; remove and cool. Reduce heat of oven to 370. This pre-baking measure will prevent the zucchini from turning soggy.
Step Two: While the zucchini bake, take the tomato slices and lay them against the sides of a colander. Sprinkle with salt and let them drain over the sink or a dish until ready to assemble.
Step Three: In a bowl, combine Parmesan and handful of minced fresh rosemary and basil. You can spread this mixture on the bottom of the tart shell, or add the pesto sauce to it and then spread it out.
Step Four: Arrange the tomato slices, as shown, alternating it with slices of zucchini. When one layer is finished, fill in the center with remaining vegetables. Sprinkle with any remaining herbs.
Step Five: In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, salt & pepper. Pour this "custard" over the vegetables and place completed tart in the oven to cook for 20-25 minutes or until the center no longer jiggles. Remove from oven, and let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
This tart is very savory and lovely. I think the Parmesan and herbs really finish it off, and the presentation will certainly make an impression on your friends and family. Feel free to experiment with other fillings. I promise to post a sweet tart to demonstrate the versatility of this tart shell.
Labels: eggs, heirloom tomatoes, tart, tomatoes, zucchini
