Any good ideas involving tomatoes?

Question

I have a kilo of tomatoes that need used. Anyone have any good ideas?

culinary uses only, no funny-stuff.

Answer 1

Soups are always good with tomatoes. And I love okra and tomatoes. Shrimp Creole is good. you should can them if you have just an over abundance of them.

Of course salads are always wonderful with fresh tomatoes.

Below are some recipes that may be helpful!!!

Shrimp Creole
1/4 cup olive oil (or use 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil for slightly more richness)
2 medium brown onions, small dice
2 medium red onions, small dice
1 green bell pepper, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1 yellow bell pepper, small dice
2 poblano chiles, small dice
6 ribs celery
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 quarts shrimp stock
6 cups crushed tomatoes (if using fresh tomatoes, run them through a food mill)
3 6-ounce cans tomato paste
1 quart ketchup
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning or Tony Chachere's seasoning
3 tablespoons Cajun Power Garlic Sauce (optional; substitute several cloves of roasted garlic)
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Steen's cane syrup or light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon molasses
1 teaspoon hot sauce (Tabasco or Crystal)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
About 15 cups cooked long-grain or converted rice (about 5 cups raw)
To make a simple, quickie shrimp stock, reserve the shells and heads from the peeled shrimp, add to 2 quarts cold water, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain thoroughly.
Sweat the onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic in oil and/or butter in a large covered pot until tender, about 15 minutes.
Add all of the remaining ingredients except the shrimp. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes.
Add the shrimp. Simmer an additional 15 minutes.
To serve, heap about 1 cup of rice in the center of the plate, and ladle a generous amount of the sauce around it. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.


Fresh Tomato Spaghetti Sauce
Ingredients
About 6 large, or 12 small fresh tomatoes (see preparation directions below)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup onion, chopped
5 or 6 whole leaves of fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper, season to taste
Directions for Preparing Tomatoes for Sauce Making
To prepare tomatoes for sauce making, blanch them whole, by placing them into a pot of boiling water for about one minute or just until you see the skin begin to crack. Remove them from the water and when they are cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and discard. Cut the tomatoes in half, horizontally and squeeze out, then discard, seeds. Depending on how smooth you like your sauce you can either chop the tomato meat or puree it in a blender.
Directions for Sauce
In a large sauce pot, over medium heat, brown the garlic in the olive oil until just golden in color. Add the chopped onion, prepared tomatoes, basil, cheese and seasonings. Bring to a quick boil and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Serve over one pound cooked spaghetti.


Basic Recipe
4 large tomatoes, sliced
extra-virgin olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper in a mill
Arrange the sliced tomatoes on 1 large or 4 individual plates. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Let the salad rest for 10 or 15 minutes so that the flavors can mingle, but be sure to serve it within an hour of preparation.

Variations
Italian Parsley & Garlic: Sprinkle 2 or 3 cloves of crushed and minced garlic and 3 tablespoons of minced fresh Italian parsley over the tomatoes before adding the olive oil.

Italian Parsley, Garlic, & Grated Cheese: Sprinkle 2 or 3 cloves of crushed and minced garlic, 3 tablespoons of minced fresh Italian parsley over the tomatoes before adding the olive oil. Scatter 2 ounces of grated hard cheese (Dry Jack, Parmigiano, Romano, or aged Asiago) over the tomatoes after the olive oil has been added.

Tomatoes with Shaved Parmegiano and Garlic: Sprinkle 2 cloves of crushed and minced garlic over the tomatoes before adding the olive oil. Using a vegetable peeler, make 15 to 20 curls of imported Parmigiano cheese and scatter them over the tomatoes.

Mozzarella Fresca & Fresh Basil: Tuck 8 slices (about 4 ounces) of mozzarella fresca here and there between the slices of tomato before adding the olive oil. Cut 10 to 12 leaves of fresh basil into very thin, lengthwise strips and scatter them over the surface of the salad.

Peppers & Cucumbers: Before adding the olive oil, scatter 2 or 3 cloves of crushed and minced garlic over the tomatoes. Cut 2 medium or 1 large lemon cucumber into very thin slices and tuck them in between slices of tomatoes. Cut 1 medium-sized, medium-hot pepper, such as a pasilla, into thin rounds and tuck them here and there between the tomatoes and cucumbers.

Lemons: Slice 1 lemon (Meyer's, if available) very thinly and tuck the slices here and there in between the slices of tomato before adding the olive oil.

Lemons, Chilies, and Cilantro: Cut 1 lemon into very thin slices and tuck them here and there between the slices of tomato. Remove the stems and seeds and cut 1 jalapeño pepper or 2 serrano peppers into thin julienne and scatter the peppers over the surface of the salad before adding the olive oil. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then sprinkle 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves over the salad.

Tuna & Lemon: Drain a 6 1/2-ounce can of imported tuna and scatter the tuna over the tomatoes before adding the olive oil. Add 2 or 3 cloves of crushed and minced garlic. Drizzle with the olive oil and squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the salad before adding salt and pepper.

Anchovies, Onions, and Olives: Peel a medium-sized sweet red onion and slice it into 1/8-inch rounds. Add the onion slices randomly on top of the tomatoes and then drape 6 to 8 canned anchovy fillets, cut in half, over the onions and tomatoes. Cut the anchovy fillets in half and drape them over the vegetables. Scatter 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata, Nicoise, or salt-cured olives over the salad, and then add the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Feta Cheese, Oregano, Olives, & Anchovies: Soak 8 anchovy fillets in 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar for 30 minutes. Cut 2 ounces of feta cheese into small cubes and scatter it over the tomatoes before adding the olive oil. Add 1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped Kalamata olives to the salad. Drain the anchovies, cut them in half, and arrange them over the tomatoes, cheese, and olives. Scatter the feta cheese and the olives over the tomatoes. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then sprinkle 1 tablespoon of minced fresh oregano leaves over the salad.


nfd♥

Answer 2

rustic tomato soup

Ingredients:

Fresh-picked ripe organic tomatoes: a double handful;
or about 9 or 10 medium-sized; or about a pound and a half.

Basil: a handful of leaves.
Bread: 8-to-16 ounces; should be a day or two old and robust (something solid
that can hold its shape while it changes alchemically into a tomato-infused dumpling).
Garlic: several cloves; 3 or 12 or what you will.
Olive oil: 5 tablespoons.
Onion: 1.
Spices: pinch of mace, nutmeg, cloves.
Vegetable stock (broth): an imperial quart (5 cups or 40 ounces).

Some people add a tablespoon of tomato paste or a chopped-up green pepper.
Some people add salt, black pepper, a half teaspoon of chile.

Method:


Heat a deep big frying pan or soup pot containing the olive oil.
Peel and chop the onion; sauté in half the olive oil.
Peel the garlic cloves. Optionally crush or chop them. Add to onion and continue sautéing.
Boil a bowl of water. Submerge the tomatoes (a few at a time) so that their skins peel off easily.
Peel the tomatoes; optionally cut out the seeds; chop tomato flesh. Remember to stir the onions and garlic so they don't burn.
When onions have become slightly translucent, add chopped tomatoes and spices.
Simmer for a quarter hour or until mixture has thickened a little.
Add (prefereably heated) stock; bring all to boil for 2 minutes.
Break the bread into 1" chunks and stir into the soup.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
Wash and shred a handful of basil leaves; stir into the soup.
Stir in the rest of the olive oil.
Let the soup meditate for 5 minutes so that the flavors mingle in a calm and enlightened manner.

Answer 3

Ah- to have even ONE real tomato in December would make me very happy. This is what I would do:

Slice one tomato in thick slices and make sandwich on white bread with hellmans mayo, salt and pepper. Keep a few more for the next couple of days. While you are eating this:

Peel (get a pot of water boiling, dunk the tomatoes in for just about 30 seconds and remove, the peels will slip right off) chop them up and put them in the crock pot. Add a couple chopped onions and a tsp of sugar and cook on high for 8 hours.

Cool, and pour into plastic freezer containers ( whatever size you prefer- if you usually cook for one or two people, use smaller containers). Now you have stewed tomatoes- take them out whenever you want a tomato based sauce or to add to soups or stews- such as:

To 2 cups stewed tomatoes, add 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, 1/2 can tomato paste, 1 clove mashed garlic and salt and pepper. Heat and serve over spaghetti.

Answer 4

Peel tomatoes. Fry l# bacon cut into 3 inch strips for every 6 large tomatoes until crisp. Do not drain off grease. Cut up tomatoes into small chunks and cook in reserved bacon and grease over low heat until most of the water evaporates and mixture is thick. Serve hot over toast for breakfast. Can be made in larger batches and frozen to use at a later date. This is really very good.

Answer 5

Wash the tomatoes, cut them in half and put them in a blender with a chopped onion and some garlic (2 cloves or more, depending on how much you like garlic) and whizz them up, then put them in a pot a low heat. You can add whatever herbs you like, but I think basil is very nice with tomatoes. You can also add thyme, majoram, sweetish herbs. This could be a soup, in which case you could fry some bread chunk and call them croutons, or it could be a basic tomato sauce for a pasta dish like lasagne or whatever. You could add some ham, fried bacon bits, fried minced meat, chopped vegetables, whatever.

You're really only heating the tomatoes in the pot, and letting them cook down a little bit.

Answer 6

TOMATO SOUP (2 or 3 kilos of tomatoes)
boil in a stock pot some celery, 3-4 leeks and 2-3 carrots.salt and pepper(cover the vegetables with water and keep adding water if necessary so that veg. are always covered)

while this is boiling,scald the tomatoes in boiling water in another pot. then core and peel them. dice all the cored and skinned tomatoes and reserve in a bowl

dice up a large onion and fry it in a large frying pan with about 6-8 tblsp of olive oil on medium heat till they have lost their pride and start to brown and to become limp

add the diced tomatoes to fried onions and stir fry on high then lower heat let simmer till all liquid is consumed and tomatoes and onions have the consistency of sauce.(optional:at this point you may want to add about a tblsp of flour and simmer for a few minutes before) adding a teaspoon or 2 of sugar,stir well

add fried tomatoes and onions to all the vegetables cooking in the stock pot

blend everything in the stock pot together with a hand held blender or beater. If too thick add more water.

add black pepper and herbs of your choice(thyme or basil or estragon or a mixture)while simmering and swirl in some heavy cream just before serving.

Answer 7

Make a Napoli sauce using tomatoes, onions, garlic and Italian herbs. You can freeze any you don't need immediately. Add fresh basil when you re-heat it. A basis for Bolgnese, or it can be used as it is, on pasta or as a pizza base.
I know you said no funny stuff, but when I told a neighbour I had tomatoes growing on the balcony, he said, 'Tell them smutty jokes.' 'Why?' I asked. 'It helps to turn them red.'

Answer 8

I have a really good blueberry bar recipe that I found at Allrecipes. The blueberries are very purple when they are cooked. (And your mouth will be a lovely shade of purple after you eat one.) Blueberry Crumb Bars by A. Beavers 1 cup white sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup shortening 1 egg 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional) 1 pinch ground cinnamon (optional) 4 cups fresh blueberries 1/2 cup white sugar 3 teaspoons cornstarch DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and cinnamon, if desired. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the shortening and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan. In another bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Answer 9

Make Gazpacho

Bruschetta with a tomato, basil topping

Answer 10

Lucky you there is no end of things,- as people have answered you.

Fresh tomatoes on toast for brekky.
Or grilled tommies with good bacon.
In a blender,martoes garlic pesto-blend-you have a pizza base.
Or better still remove skins from a few - blend with tabasco wuzzie sauce and white pepper - a GOOD glug of vodka and
WAYHAY........you will have a brilliant day.......ENJOY....xxx

Answer 11

Hi...hiw did you end up with so many tomatoes?!

-Tomato soup
-Pizza with homemade tomato sauce
-Ham, cheese and tomato omlette
-Fried breakfast with 2+ tomatoes
-Toasties with tomato

Hopes this helps!