From the Aug./Sept., 2013 Garden & Gun

Every year around this time I begin to recognize with an internal thud that the season of fun is fast coming to an end. I seem to arrive at this realization later than most (many of my friends and family have been wringing their hands over this indisputable fact for weeks already) but eventually the truth creeps in, even for me. And so once again only a few more weekends to be enjoyed before the arrival of Labor Day. Of course, it’s a recognition that brings with it a certain kind of pressure—to do, see, and savor all the things I love most about summer before the window slams shut for another nine months. And being a food-fixated sort of person, by “savor” I mean eat, so lately I’ve been zeroing in on the fresh fruits and vegetables that won’t be easy to find in a few months’ (or even weeks’) time. All of which is a long-winded way of saying in the last few weeks I’ve been eating as many tomatoes as possible, prepared in as many different ways as I can identify.

Of course, a really good tomato requires no preparation—simply slice it, sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper, and you’re good to go. Nevertheless, even the most beautiful specimen of tomato-hood can benefit from some culinary intervention now and again. Just consider this recipe for tomato salad, which is a simple enough preparation to allow the glories of a ripe tomato to come shining through, but that thanks to the addition of basil, capers, and a shallot vinaigrette is given just enough something extra to make it truly revelatory. This is a new recipe discovery for me and already it’s a favorite—one I intend to make again and again (though as with most recipes calling for fresh tomatoes, I wouldn’t bother if the produce isn’t truly something special).

Slightly more involved is this recipe for tomato pie. I love savory pies, and I love that this one is essentially a delicious tomato salad (in addition to a pound of sliced heirloom tomatoes the filling calls for vinegar, olive oil, goat cheese, and basil) baked in a pie shell. What’s more, the recipe allows for a frozen (i.e. store bought) piecrust, so this is one of those impressive dishes you can throw together at a moment’s notice. In fact, if you want to fast track it even further, skip the fresh breadcrumbs called for by the recipe (and which serve as the pie’s topping), swapping them out for Panko, which has the added benefit of providing a little additional crunch.

One of the wonderful surprises of this recipe is the way the tomatoes break down during the baking to infuse the savory/salty flavor combination with a hint of sweetness. In the company of the flaky, buttery pastry dough it’s something truly special indeed—the perfect way to hold on to summer just a little longer.

Ingredients:
—4 shallots, minced
—3 garlic cloves, minced
—4 tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
—1 tbs Dijon mustard
—9-inch frozen pie shell
—1 lb assorted heirloom tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
—3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
—1/2 oz. fresh basil, chiffonade (see note below for explanation)
—1 tbs Grenache vinegar (TRG note: If you can’t find Grenache vinegar, red wine vinegar is also fine)
—1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (TRG note: Try Panko if you want a crunchier topping)
—1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (TRG note: about a ½ cup)
—Salt and pepper to taste

TRG note: Although “chiffonade” sounds like something requiring a standing mixer, in fact it’s a chopping technique used to produce long, thin strips of herbs or leafy green vegetables. In the case of this recipe, make a small pile of leaves, roll it like a cigarette, and then cut crosswise.

Directions:
—Preheat oven to 400˚.
—In a small pan, sauté shallots and garlic in 1 tbs of olive oil until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in mustard and set aside.
—Place pastry shell in a 9-inch pie dish (TRG note: following instructions on packaging about whether to thaw first or not). Layer in half of the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper; spread shallot mixture over top. Add goat cheese and half of the basil, distributing evenly. Layer in remaining tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 tbs each of olive oil and vinegar over the tomatoes; top with remaining basil.
—In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tbs of olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over filling.
—Bake 30 minutes or until topping an crust are golden brown (TRG note: I needed more like 40 minutes to achieve the desired doneness).

Serves 8

The post 08/21/13 • TOMATO PIE appeared first on THE RECIPE GRINDER.

From the June/July, 2013 Fine Cooking

There’s nothing like the anticipation of big events in your life (and the arrival of your 5^th decade!) to spur change, which I suppose explains why Alfredo and I have recently made some alterations to our way of doing things—specifically in the realm of food. This isn’t the first time we’ve made such tweaks but it is the only occasion I can remember where the goal was less about looking good then it was about feeling better and having more energy (though needless to say, we’ll happily take the former should that present itself as a by-product). Alfredo was the first out of the gate on this one, and after meeting with a doctor in early April he went on a two-week detox program. Once that step was complete he eliminated all processed foods from his diet, focusing instead on lean proteins and lots of fruits and vegetables. The results have been pretty astonishing: in just under two months he’s dropped 25 pounds of fat, without losing any muscle mass. Naturally he feels better not carrying all that extra weight around, but his energy has also increased exponentially, which means he now bounds out of bed before the alarm goes off at 6:00 am (annoying to me as there is no bounding happening in my day before 11:00 am and several large cups of coffee). I know he misses things like bread and crackers and pizza (this most of all) but at least for now, the plusses so far outweigh the minuses that he’s sticking to the program with virtually no complaint. In other words, up to this point it’s been pretty easy for him.

As for me, the issue is not about losing weight but rather about increasing my energy, something I’ve felt I needed to address for a while now. Aside from the fact that I’m not a morning person (that will probably never change), on many weekday afternoons I find myself struggling to stay awake as I stare into my computer screen. Granted, I’m not getting my full eight hours of sleep every night (more like six) but that shouldn’t require an emergency espresso to get me through the second half of the day. And so I too have launched into the world of detox and, at least for the next 10 days, have sworn off sugar and carbohydrates. It’s only been a day but I have to say I feel pretty awful. I’ve always thought of myself as someone who ate healthfully (if not maniacally so), but the elimination of those three packets of sugar from my morning coffee, and that slice or two of bread from alongside my lunchtime salad, seems to have created both a psychological absence for me, as well as a physiological one. I need a sugar fix, bad! Maybe day two will be easier…

In any case, before I even launched into my own self-improvement program, the changes in Alfredo’s eating habits had prompted me to look out for dishes he’d actually eat (not that I plan to eliminate desserts or pasta or anything involving flour from this blog—where would the joy be in that?). Still, in these early days of his diet I didn’t want to torture him with the likes of brown butter financiers or an Asian noodle salad with roasted peanuts, so I put my sugar/flour blinders on and zeroed in on this recipe for pan-fried chicken breasts with a tomato and basil salad, from the current issue of Fine Cooking. And having now made it a couple of times I’m happy to report that despite my love affair with processed foods (and by that I don’t mean potato chips, but rather things like fresh bread and maple syrup) I’d happily eat this dish any night of the week—especially a summer night, when the bright flavors featured here are particularly well-suited. Then again, given the number of chicken and tomato recipes I’ve posted on this site over the past few years that probably comes as no surprise. We all have particular flavor combinations we’re drawn to, and I guess chicken and tomatoes is one of those for me.

Of course, it’s no secret that I also have a weakness for the acidic side of the food spectrum—something this dish offers as well, thanks to the presence of 2½ tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in the tomato mixture. The vinegar, plus a ¼ cup of thinly sliced basil leaves, a generous glug of olive oil, and some salt, pepper, and finely chopped garlic is all it takes to give this component of the dish a bright summery quality. As such, it’s the perfect counterpoint to the salty, slightly caramelized exterior of the cutlets, and the peppery arugula its sits atop. That said, you may want to tinker with the garlic quantity as on occasion I’ve found the single clove called for by the recipe to be over-powering (though admittedly I may have been working with an exceptionally strong clove).

As for the chicken breasts, these are sliced in half horizontally almost all the way through, so you can open the two halves like a book. Once pounded thin with a meat mallet or a heavy pan (sandwich the breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap so the pounding doesn’t damage the meat) the chicken can be lightly salted and peppered, and then introduced into a skillet with a little hot oil. Working with two breasts at a time, cook the chicken until golden brown (between 2 and 3 minutes), then flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds more. Repeat with the remaining two breasts, keeping the first two warm in a low oven. Once all the chicken has been cooked, place each breast on a plate containing a portion of the arugula, then top generously with the tomatoes and accompanying juices. That’s all there is to it, so not only is this a healthy dinner, it’s one that can be assembled in little more than half an hour.

The other nice thing is that the tomato and arugula treatment lends itself to a variety of other pairings as well, most notably sliced steak. That said the tomato mixture tends not to be great the next day (tomatoes don’t do well in the fridge, unfortunately) which means leftovers aren’t nearly the treat you hope they’ll be. Then again, it’s an issue you’re unlikely to face, since in my experience the only thing remaining at meal’s end is a lot of empty plates.

Ingredients:
—1 lb ripe plum tomatoes (about 5 medium), seeded and cut into ½-inch dice
—1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
—5 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
—2½ tbs balsamic vinegar
—1 medium clove garlic, finely chopped
—Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
—4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 lbs)
—4 oz (4 loosely packed cups) baby arugula

Directions:
—Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 200˚.
—In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, 3 tbs of the oil, the vinegar, garlic, ¼ tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper.
—Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing it horizontally almost but not entirely in half so you can open it like a book. Open and pound each breast between two pieces of plastic wrap with a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy pan until ¼ inch thick.
—Pat the chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbs of the remaining oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook two of the breasts until golden brown on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until just cooked through, about 30 seconds more. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining 1 tbs oil and chicken.
—Divide the arugula among 4 dinner plates. Set the chicken on top, spoon a generous amount of the tomato mixture and its juice over all.

Serves 4

The post 05/28/13 • CHICKEN CUTLETS WITH TOMATOES appeared first on THE RECIPE GRINDER.