This is a list of recipes that feature seasonal use of our produce. Most are my own creations or family recipes, and some have been shared by friends and customers. If you have a great recipe using my produce, please feel free to email it to lori@lalasheirloomproduce.com.
Ann's Vodka Tomatoes
Using cherry, grape or any little tomato...... You just take a toothpick and puncture one small hole in each tomato and put them all in a deep enough bowl to cover them with vodka and put them in the frig. Let them soak overnight or all day. Then you make a side dish of sea salt, lemon zest, fresh diced rosemary and a tiny bit of garlic powder. There really is no exact measurement to this part of the recipe. If you want it to be lemon strong then more lemon zest, etc. You can also used the Bloody Mary rimmer salt with seasonings. Serve them chilled in a larger bowl with ice with the serving bowl down in the ice.
Doris' Roasted Tomato Sauce
Makes: 4 Servings | Takes 40 Minutes
Here is an easy way to transform an abundance of tomatoes into a versatile sauce. Serve it over pasta, stir it into stews or spread it on crostini.
Ingredients
Olive oil cooking spray
2 ½ pounds sun-ripened tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled and sliced in half
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ cup sliced fresh basil leaves
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet and sides with cooking spray.
2. Slice tomatoes in half and place cut-side up in the prepared pan. Add garlic to the pan.
Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper and spray all with cooking spray.
3. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring once. Remove from oven; pour tomato juice into pan, and
scrape bottom to loosen clinging particles. Let cool slightly.
4. Remove and discard garlic skins. Transfer tomato mixture and garlic to a food processor. Add vinegar, olive oil and oregano. Pulse until coarsely pureed. Add basil and pulse briefly to mix.
Make ahead tip: The sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen.
It’s best to add the basil just before serving, however, because it turns black if left
in the sauce too long.
Gorgonzola Cocktail Tartlets
This recipe was given to me by Joleen Hill via her daughter Nancy. I added the tomato topping, and they are always a hit at cocktail parties among cheese lovers.
3 eggs
1 ½ cups cottage cheese
1 cup Bisquick mix
½ stick butter (melted)
3 tablespoons sour cream
½ tsp. freshly chopped rosemary
½ tsp salt
¼ black pepper
½ cup packed gorgonzola crumbles (about 3 oz.)
¼ cup pine nuts
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Whisk eggs. Add everything else except the nuts and gorgonzola and mix. Then, fold in cheese. Spoon into mini muffin tins. Top with 3-4 pine nuts. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Top each with a tomato half. Serve warm on a platter with fresh rosemary as the garish. Can be frozen and reheated in foil.
Heirloom Tomato Salsa
5 lbs. (about 1 quart) mixed heirloom tomatoes seeded and chopped
1-2 jalapeno peppers finely chopped
1-2 large white onions chopped
1 bunch chopped cilantro
1 T. fresh lime juice
(if you like it really hot, add a few minced purple peppers from La La's)
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients together one ? two hours before serving with chips, guacamole, and sour cream.
Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce
This recipe is so easy because the oven does all the work and there is no need to blanch and peel the tomatoes. It is a really flavorful and rustic tomato sauce with infinite uses.
8 pounds of Roma-type or red heirloom tomatoes halved and seeded.
4-5 peeled garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
fresh thyme and oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all of the ingredients and toss to coat in olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast in a 400 degree oven for one hour. Then transfer to a sauce pan and add 4 tablespoons of lightly chopped basil and one teaspoon of sugar. Use a potato masher to smash tomatoes and garlic to desired consistency and bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes.
Serve over hot pasta with lots of parmesan cheese.
Heirloom Tomatoes Florentine
I make this recipe to accompany steak, which is Steve's favorite meal. A variation is tomix in1/4 cup of riccotta cheese.
-4 large heirloom tomatoes (any color you like)
-1 package of fresh bagged spinach or one box frozen, defrosted spinach
-1 T. chopped fresh basil
-1 T. toasted pine nuts
-2 T. grated parmesan cheese
-2 T. fresh bread crumbs
-1 clove minced garlic
-olive oil for drizzling
Preheat oven to 425. Sautee spinach to wilt, then mix in remaining ingredients. Cut the tops off the toms and scoop out some of the seeds and pulp. Fill them with the spinach mixture, place in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake 15 - 20 minutes until lightly browned. They go perfect with any grilled meat or fish.
Easy Peach Blackberry Cobbler
4 ½ cups peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups blackberries
cup sugar
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. plus 1 t. cornstarch
1 package refrigerated biscuit dough
Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Combine peaches through cornstarch in a bowl and let stand for 15 minutes. Pour the peach mixture into a buttered baking dish, top with biscuits, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream!
Fried Green Tomatoes
2 large green heirloom tomatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick (Green Zebras or Mr. Stripeys work well)
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/3 c. yellow cornmeal
Sprinkle with salt, add pepper to taste, and dredge in cornmeal to coat. Fry the slices in two batches using 2 T. olive oil in a hot cast iron skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Serve hot with your favorite salsa or at room temperature with grilled fish or fried chicken.