Tips and Recipes
for Brookfield Farm Crops

  
   
 
 
Tomato
(Lycopersicon esculentum)

The tomato's name comes from tomatl, which, in the language of the Aztecs, means "round and plump." Spanish explorers brought the vegetable back to Europe, where it was greeted with suspicion and confusion. The French called it "pomme d'amour" (love apple); the Italians called it "pomodoro" (golden apple); others called it "pomi di mori" (Moorish apples). Those who weren't confused about the nomenclature were convinced that the tomato, being a relative of deadly nightshade, was poisonous. In the U.S, 85% of the tomatoes we grow are processed into soup, catsup, salsa, juice, puree, and sauce. Ripe tomatoes contain large quantities of vitamin C and beta-carotene.
 
 

Recipes:

Tomato Sauce

Sauce now, smile later. Buy some tomatoes in bulk. Put them in a big pot and add just a little bit of water. Bring them to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer (don't let them burn - that's the trick!). After they've cooked for a lot of hours (like, all day) put the whole thing through the Foley Food Mill (to take out the skins, etc). Don't add any onions, peppers, garlic or nothing. Just tomatoes. Put this brew in yogurt containers (leave an inch of head room) and into the freezer. Defrost this winter when you want to be happy.

 

Sundried Cherry Tomatoes

2 to 3 cups cherry tomatoes
knife
medium sized framed screen
warm, dry space (green house, roof, oven)

The most important ingredients are the framed screen to place the cut tomatoes on, and the warm, dry space for them to dry in. Pick ripe tomatoes, de-stem, and wash. Cut in half and put on framed screen. Set in dry space for three to five days



Tomato-Arugula Sandwiches

bread
tomato
arugula
pesto (can substitute oil and vinegar)
mozzarella cheese (can substitute cheddar)

This is quick, easy, and very delicious - the farm crew's been eating them all week.

Take a slice of bread and spread pesto (see recipe from two weeks ago) on it. Arrange slices of tomatoes, and then arugula on top of the pesto. Top with a slice of cheese and bake in the toaster oven for 3 minutes.

These are very good and you can eat a lot of them if you're not careful!

 

Ratatouille

I first tasted this delightful stew in southern France. Almost all the ingredients can be found on the farm!

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, cubed
1 medium zucchini or squash, cubed
1 eggplant, cubed
3 tomatos, chopped
1 clove of garlic (i like to add more)
fresh parsley, oregano, basil
Saute the onion, garlic and pepper until soft; stir in eggplant and squash; add tomatos and seasoning; cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Voila! Serves 6.

 

Salsa

3 lbs of tomatoes - any variety
2 jalopeno peppers
1 bell pepper
1 onion (or scallions, leeks, chives, etc.)
1 carrot
1/3 cup cilantro
1/4 cup parsley
1 tbsp lime juice
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup vinegar

Cut peppers in half lengthwise, remove and discard stems, seeds and membranes(handle hot peppers with care. Their oil may irritate your skin and cause your eyes to sting. Wash hands after handling them.) Peel and quarter onions
Use food processor to chop peppers, carrots, cilantro, parsley. Add salt, lime juice, and vinegar.
Add tomatoes and onions and chop until coarsely mixed.
Use this as a dip for tortilla chips or as a sauce for other mexican dishes.



Polish Tomatoes

(from 'The Vegetarian Epicure'
Anna Thomas, 1972, Vintage Books)

about 6 firm, ripe tomatoes
1 small onion, minced
some sweet basil, some dill, a little parsley
salt & pepper
4 Tbs. Olive oil
4 Tbs. wine vinegar

Thickly slice the tomatoes. Put them in a bowl with the onion, herbs, and salt & pepper. Toss until slices are evenly coated with herbs. Now add oil & vinegar, and toss again. Serve well-chilled. (Excellent with hot, creamed dishes, with quiche, or with omelettes.)

 

Fresh Corn and Tomato Soup
(Laurel's Kitchen)

½ onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
dash cayenne pepper
1 whole clove garlic
1 Tbsp oil

5 ears corn (4 cups off the cob)
4 good sized tomatoes
½ cup water
½ tsp salt

(handful fresh cilantro, lightly chopped)

Saute onion, celery, cayenne if desired, and garlic in oil in a heavy 2 quart pan until tender. (This amount of oil will be enough if you keep the heat low and stir frequently).
Strip corn from cobs with a small, sharp knife. Remove stem end of tomatoes and cut up coarsely.
Add corn and tomatoes, water, and salt to sautéed vegetables. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until corn is tender, about ½ hour.
The soup is pretty now, but even better if you take your courage in hand and proceed with the next step; puree it all. Return to pot, thinning with a little more water if you want, and correct the salt. Heat, stirring in cilantro leaves just at serving time. Serves 4.

Storage Tips:

  • The easiest way to deal with your excess tomatoes is to freeze them. Just wash your tomatoes, let them dry a bit, then put them in a heavy duty plastic bag, and place them in your freezer. They can be thawed and used in soups and stews all winter long. This takes up a bit of freezer space, but if time is an issue, it's a great way to keep you in tomatoes all year.