Summer Heirloom Tomato Salad!

Nice and simple!

As we approach the one month mark with no gas in my building I've been branching out on recipes that don't require a stovetop or oven.  I'm lucky that this happened in the summer because there delicious alternatives that require no cooking at all.  Topping the list is heirloom tomatoes.

Colorful deliciousness

My friends Bobby and Holly have a house in upstate NY.  They have a few acres of property - more than enough to have a garden.  This year they had a bumper crop of heirloom tomatoes and they were nice enough to give me a bagful of heirloom tomatoes, but Japanese eggplant and zucchini as well.  The New York Times published an article today about the crop of heirloom tomatoes this season.  The oppressive heat we've suffered through this summer and the relatively small amount of rain are the perfect conditions for growing tomatoes.



Heirloom tomato with fresh chopped garlic

 Today for lunch I chopped one of the tomatoes into eights.  I diced a fresh bulb of garlic from the Farmer's Market.  I drizzled extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top and I was good to go!

You can also serve with arugula and basil

Even if the gas were working I'd still opt for a delicious tomato salad served at room temperature.  Though there should be an abundant supply, it's still a short season.  Head to your Farmer's Market and take advantage while you can! 

Ingredients

1 medium heirloom tomato cut into rings or into eighths
1/2 clove of garlic minced
1 tspn extra virgin olive oil
1 tspn balsamic or champagne vinegar (optional)

Method

Place tomato on plate
Sprinkle minced garlic
drizzle with oil and vinegar
Season with sea salt and pepper

Enjoy!

Mom's Roasted Eggplant

Roasted eggplant goes with everything

I just love roasted eggplant.  It might be that it reminds me of my mother.  She made this dish throughout my childhood - only she melted tons of parmigiano-reggiano on the top.  I skip that step.  Usually.  The roasted eggplant and tomato are delicious enough on their own.

Prep work - score the top of the eggplant halves

I often wonder what my mother would think of me writing a blog and sharing my recipes with the world.  Her name was Mary Dolores Ago and, unfortunately, she passed away at a young age before there were blogs or even the internet.  Though gregarious and very social, my mother could also be very guarded and she didn't share her recipes with anyone - including me and we were very close.  Her marinara was amazing - but she made it when I was at school and all traces of the ingredients were swept away before I came home.  My mother grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts and was very "Boston Brahmin" - highly discreet and inconspicuous.  She grew up in The Depression and went to Brookline High School with Barbara Walters.  But I digress!

Plum tomatoes

This is as simple as falling off a log.  Score a checkerboard pattern on the top of the eggplant.  Slice plum tomatoes and place on top.  I put about a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil on top before roasting.  Plum tomatoes are pretty tasteless when uncooked - but they release their flavor when roasted.

Tin foil in the pan to make cleanup easy

Arrange the sliced plum tomatoes on the eggplant halves. I sprinkle with Herbs de Provence or dried oregano on top - they add color and flavor.  Roast for 35 - 45 minutes at 350 degrees depending on the size of the eggplant - you really can't overcook.  (I suppose if you cooked for 3 hours at 500 degrees you probably could!)

To all you moms out there - please keep a journal of your favorite recipes to share with your children.  They will hopefully be passed down from generation to generation.  And the actor in me appreciates the "sense memory" of this recipe of my mother's.  I always think of her when I taste her roasted eggplant dish.

Served here with bay scallops

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant per person

2 plum tomatoes per eggplant

2 tspns extra virgin olive oil

1 tspn Herbs de Provence or oregano

2 tbspns fresh squeezed lemon juice

Method

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees

Slice eggplant in half lenght-wise

Score a checkerboard pattern on each half, about 1/4" deep

Slice tomatoes vertically; arrange on eggplant halves

Divide oil between 2 halves

Sprinkle Herbs de Provence or oregano

Roast for 35 - 45 minutes

Remove from oven and squirt the fresh lemon juice onto both halves