Summertime Tomato Sandwiches

Tomato sandwiches are a Southern summertime tradition. It seems that everyone from most everywhere has their own story to tell about, and recipe for, tomato sandwiches. There are as many variations as their are varieties of tomatoes.

The tomato is the iconic vegetable--er, fruit--that showcases just how what a difference it makes when produce is picked and eaten in season. There's simply no substitute (and certainly no comparison!) for eating tomatoes at their peak time of year. And as long as there are summer tomatoes ripening on the vine, you can bet there will continue to be this delicious ritual. We welcome the season with mouths watering, waiting for that perfect, round ripeness.

Should you be lucky enough to find yourself, once you've had your fill of the sandwiches, with a good quantity of leftover tomatoes, you can try your hand at "putting them up." The making of passata, or pasta sauce, or simply canning the tomatoes whole is a long and beautiful tradition that has slowly faded from our culture; thankfully, it promises to return.

I like to grow large heirloom tomatoes, but this year most of the plants we put into the garden ended up being of the smaller varieties. A good excuse to go to the market and sample some larger varieties from my favorite farms.

SUMMERTIME TOMATO SANDWICH
There are a thousand variations on this sandwich, but this version is one of my favorites.

2 large heirloom tomatoes
Several slices of ripe avocado
1/4 cup mayonnaise with 2 Tablespoons basil pesto
A handful of fresh arugula leaves
Sea salt
4 slices of the freshest bread possible {I like pan di mie, whole wheat pita, ciabatta, rosemary focaccia}

Serves two.



Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

Summertime Succotash Salsa + Poached Cod in Tomato Broth

It was so hot + humid yesterday, I couldn't figure out which was the lesser of two evils- standing over a hot grill in 100 degree humidity or heating up the nicely air conditioned house with a hot oven. After a few minutes of pondering, I decided the I didn't have to settle for either evil! I finally got wise and decided to poach. A few minutes on the stovetop and no sweat on the brow.

We were having friends over for dinner and I wanted to serve something light and refreshing. We decided on fish, so I headed to our local market. The choice was easy- I bought whatever my fishmonger said was the freshest. I settled on a pearly white wild caught cod about 2 inches thick.

I hadn't yet decided how I was going to cook it, so I surveyed the rest of the kitchen for ingredients that would inspire.
Fresh summer flavors from the farmer's market was a good place to start - tiny little lemon cucumbers, sweet, white corn in its husk, vine ripe tomatoes just off the vine.

I settled on a nice light tomato broth with a summer succotash salsa. Simple. light. delicious.

POACHED COD IN TOMATO BROTH + SUMMERTIME SUCCOTASH SALSA

4 or 5 vine ripe, locally grown tomatoes
1 cup water
1 splash of Pernod
Few sprigs of fennel fronds
1 clove of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
1 pound fresh fillet of wild catch cod
1 Teaspoon Wild Oregano + Sage Savory Salt
1 ear white or yellow corn {go for sweetness} Little kernels are best.
1 lemon cucumber , smallish in size {you can substitute with a European cucumber if you can't find lemon}.
1 handful of cilantro



Core the tomatoes and cut in half. Place a strainer over a bowl and squeeze out all of the flesh and seeds.
Reserve the skin {it will have a thin layer of flesh remaining}. With the back of a curved spoon, push the tomato flesh and seeds through the strainer to yield about 1 to 1 + 1/2 cup of tomato juice. Cut the tomato skins into 1/4 inch dice.
In a large saute pan, place the tomato juice, tomato skin pieces, water, Pernod, fennel and garlic. Simmer over low heat.
{Do not boil, as you do not want to evaporate the liquid}.

Cut the cod into 6 oz. filets. Season with the salt. When the broth is heated, gently place the fillets in the pan. Cover and cook until the fish is translucent white and starting to flake {about 4-6 minutes, depending on size and thickness}.

While the fish is cooking, remove the kernels from the corn. Cut the cucumber into a fine dice. Chop the cilantro coarsley, enough for about 2 Tablespoons of cilantro. Toss the corn, cucumber and cilantro together in a small bowl.

Place the corn mixture in a circle on the outer side of the plate. Gently remove the fish one fillet at a time onto the middle of each plate. Spoon the tomato broth around the fish and over the corn mixture. Garnish the top of the fish with a sprig of the cilantro.

Serves four.

Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

Backyard farmer's market

I didn't have to go far today to create a farmer's market feast this Saturday. Our garden is not big, but it produces some delicious little jewels seasonally that we relish with delight!

Fresh figs have been blossoming for the last two weeks and we have been enjoy their short-lived bounty. Our dog, Kiva, have also enjoyed them! She loves to stand by the tree and nibble off large bites of low hanging fruit until she has had her fill.
The black missions have already come and gone, and now we are enjoying the Celestes, a larger, more fleshy variety.


Butternut squash is just ripening now. It is one of my favorite fillings for ravioli or simply baked and scooped out and mashed with sweet cream butter and a drizzle of chestnut honey.


Nestled in soft grass, as if sleeping in hibernation until ready and ripe.


And the basil is full and flowering all summer long, but never quite happy until the tomatoes arrive.
We planted tomatoes late this year and only the smaller, golden and red sweet 100's variety, one of my favorites.


We barely have enough to create entire salads at a time, so I often nibble on them as they ripen, a delicious warm summer snack.



Arugula is always abundant, we just have to pick it while it is still small and not too spicy hot or thick and leafy from the searing summer sun.

But nothing beats the abundance of the farmer's market. Grab a basket and see what's growing in your neighborhood this week!

Smith made my fig jam recipe from last year {hard to believe, already!}. Every year it changes, depending on what kind of liquor we have around the house. This year, we made it with a splash of Lillet red, one of my favorite Italian aperitivos.
Here is another one of my favorite recipes, especially good when cooked over a hardwood grill.

GRILLED FIG LEAF WRAPPED CHEESE, CHESTNUT HONEY GLAZED FIGS AND MARCONA ALMONDS
8 figs, cut in half
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive oil
salt and pepper
1- 6 oz. . piece of haloumi cheese, drained on paper towels. {A salty, briney Greek cheese found in the specialty section}
1- 6 oz. jar olive pesto
½ cup Spanish Marcona almonds {I like these fatty variety because they are packed with flavor, but you can use regular almonds too}.
crusty Italian bread, like a fennel and sultana raisin

To grill figs:
Gently toss figs with olive oil and season lightly with kosher salt and pepper.
Place figs cut side down on grill over low flame and cook just until soft and almost jam like , about 3minutes . Remove to platter. Drizzle with chestnut honey.

Place cheese in center of two overlapping fig or grape leaves. Spoon olive pesto in middle. Wrap leaves around to cover and secure with two soaked skewers in criss coss fashion. Grill over med high flame on both sides until leaves are crisp and cheese begins to soften and melt. Place on platter and to top with squeeze juice of ½ of lemon.

To assemble cheese platter:
On large platter, place figs to one side. Open up leavesto expose the cheese. Sprinkle a mound of almonds between the cheese and figs . Serve with toasted flatbread.


Buon appetito!
copyright 2008 Alisa Barry