Posted on 29 July 2010 by tomatocasual.com
By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter
Hardening off is a step that many inexperienced gardeners skip as the “gardening bug” erupts as temperatures rise.
But this step is very crucial to a gardener’s success.
Hardening off is the process by which seedlings are gradually exposed to the outside environment.
Wind, temperature, and light intensity are all different outside then what the seedling is used to inside. If this step is skipped leaves get burned and the plant goes through unneeded stress that can cause death of your seedling. Hardening off is not a difficult process to fit into one’s busy schedule and in my personal opinion should take about 3 weeks total before you can safely leave them outside.
The schedule below should start Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on 27 July 2010 by tomatocasual.com
By David Harbilas
I recently made this as a guest at another chef’s restaurant.
He had a large container filled with oysters still in their shell, in addition to some great looking heirloom tomatoes.
I figured that one of the best ways to pair the two things together was to use the tomatoes raw, so as to utilize their natural sweetness, and frying the oysters would give them some crunch and provide a contrast in the warm oysters against the cool salsa.
The bacon adds smoke, which is also provided by some spices added to the cornmeal breading.
Serves 1 appetizer portion
for the oysters:
Posted on 25 July 2010 by tomatocasual.com
By David Harbilas
The combination of tomatoes and cucumbers is nothing new, so why bother?
Because sometimes a slight change can renew an old favorite.
Tarragon has a wonderful licorice-citrus flavor that isn’t utilized very often in salads, and red onions provide a heat that wakes up the sweetness of the tomatoes and the cooling effect of the cucumbers.
Serves 4
- 3 large vine-ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 2 medium cucumbers, seeded and sliced in half-moons
- 1 red onion, sliced Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on 23 July 2010 by tomatocasual.com
By David Harbilas
Corn is seldom used in salads, and its sweetness makes it a perfect partner to tomatoes.
This also makes a wonderful sauce for grilled chicken or fish, though it is easier to make in a slightly “chunkier” salad, as it is here.
Serves 4
- 4 ears of corn, shucked
- 3 large vine ripe tomatoes, diced large
- 2 shallots, sliced
- About ½ head of a soft-leafed lettuce, like Boston or Bibb
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 4 tablespoons sugar Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on 19 July 2010 by tomatocasual.com
By David Harbilas
In my last post I noted how smoking tomatoes lends a barbecue flavor, so why not enhance a regular barbecue sauce with smoked tomatoes?
This is essentially a regular, coffee-based barbecue sauce with the addition of pureed smoked tomatoes.
Some of the sweeteners, like molasses, have been omitted, as the tomatoes will take care of that. But slow simmering always improves a barbecue sauce
Makes about ½ gallon
- 6 cups tomato ketchup
- 1 cup strong brewed coffee
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried ginger
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on 17 July 2010 by tomatocasual.com
By David Harbilas
Smoking tomatoes adds a barbecue flavor one wouldn’t expect, and the deep flavor of eggplant holds up well to the sweetness.
Smoking isn’t a technical process, though it does take a while and requires a smoker of some sort.
The electric ones are convenient for the ease of use, as they regulate the temperature for you.
But the low-tech versions, which are little more than a charcoal grill with a side compartment attached for the smoke to originate in and move into the main grill area, offer a slower, more tactile approach.
Serves 4
