Heirloom tomatoes, veggies roast into a perfect soup
A couple weeks ago, we ended up with a bunch of heirloom and
early girl tomatoes from our garden again. It seemed like the
perfect time to find a tomato-based recipe to make use of them
since it was more than we could use up quickly in salads and such.
We also had some jalapenos from a plant in our yard. It is the
first successful pepper plant we’ve grown, and the jalapenos have
just been ripe enough to pick the last couple of weeks. Some of the
earlier jalapenos had a milder flavor, though some of the ones that
have grown in more recent weeks have packed a lot more spice.
Heirloom tomatoes, veggies roast into a perfect soup
A couple weeks ago, we ended up with a bunch of heirloom and early girl tomatoes from our garden again. It seemed like the perfect time to find a tomato-based recipe to make use of them since it was more than we could use up quickly in salads and such. We also had some jalapenos from a plant in our yard. It is the first successful pepper plant we’ve grown, and the jalapenos have just been ripe enough to pick the last couple of weeks. Some of the earlier jalapenos had a milder flavor, though some of the ones that have grown in more recent weeks have packed a lot more spice.
The recipe below adds a little spice with the jalapenos to a creamy tomato soup that is good even on a hot, fall evening. The tomatoes are perfect when they are ripe from the garden, and the vegetables are all roasted in the oven to help bring out the flavor of the vegetables. Salt also helps to draw out some of the juices from the vegetables, specifically the tomatoes, which are added to a roux of flour and butter along with the chunky vegetables.
A week later, we tried the tomato coconut chicken to use up a few more items from the garden. We used up a few tomatoes and some sprigs of mint to create a flavorful meal that tasted a little bit tropical. The tomato plants are already starting to ripen more slowly so I know the season is quickly ending, but I want to make sure we make the most of the tomatoes we still have.
Heirloom nitro tomato soup
Recipe courtesy of Guy Fieri
8 c. seeded and diced heirloom tomatoes
1/2 c. diced onions
1/4 c. diced carrots
1/4 c. diced celery
5 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic cloves
Olive oil, as needed
2 tbsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tbsp. freshly cracked black pepper, divided
6 oz. unsalted butter
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. ground cumin
1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 pint heavy cream
Special equipment: Dutch oven
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Put the prepared vegetables and the garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. Season them with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Roast them until the vegetables have begun to brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven and set aside.
Start preparing a roux in the Dutch oven by melting the butter over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for 5 minutes. Immediately add the vegetable mixture and any extra juices to the roux. Stir until incorporated. Season with the cumin and remaining salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir the cilantro and cream into the vegetable mixture and warm it over low heat. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Transfer the soup to a serving bowl and enjoy! (Chefs Note: Do not return to a boil once the cream has been incorporated.)
Tomato-coconut chicken with shrimp
Recipe courtesy of Cuisine Favorites: Chicken
Makes two servings
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 boneless chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper
1 c. diced onion
1 c. diced green bell pepper
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 c. chopped tomatoes
1 c. coconut milk
6 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, halved lengthwise
¼ c. sliced scallions
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
Salt to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Saute seasoned chicken in oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until browned on both sides, about four minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and pepper flakes. Cover and cook until onion is translucent, about three minutes.
Stir in tomatoes and coconut milk; cover and cook until tomatoes begin to break down, five to six minutes. Add shrimp, scallions, cilantro and lime juice; cover and simmer until shrimp are cooked, two to three minutes. Season with salt. Spoon coconut basmati rice onto two serving plates, then divide chicken and sauce between them.
Garnish with cilantro and lime.
Coconut basmati rice
2/3 c. water
2/3 c. coconut milk
2/3 c. dry basmati rice
2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint
Bring water and coconut milk to boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Let rice stand, covered for five minutes. Before serving, fluff the rice with a fork and stir in mint.
