Quick and Easy Shakshuka

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (28-ounce). can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon paprika, smoke paprika if you have it
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4-6 large eggs
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
• Toasted crusted bread, for serving

Directions

1. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
2. Warm the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and their juice, using your fingers to crush the tomatoes as you add them to the pan.
4. Add the paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Stir to mix well.
5. Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until slightly thickened.
6. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
7. Crack the eggs into the pan, cover with the lid and let simmer for 5 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft.
8. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley before serving.
9. Serve with warm toasted crusted bread.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 309 fat 13 g, carbs 34 g, sugar 1 g, Protein 17 g, sodium 346 mg

 

 

Avocado Tomato Toast

Serves 6 | Prep. time 8-10 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 slices French or sourdough bread, toasted
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper or more, to taste
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 2 avocados, pitted

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the basil and cherry tomatoes.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, pepper, and salt.
3. Add the balsamic vinegar mixture to the tomato mixture and toss to combine well.
4. Mash the avocado and spread it over the toasted bread slices.
5. Top with the salt then spread the tomato mixture over the slices.
6. Serve fresh.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 212, fat 12 g, carbs 23.5 g, sugar 5 g, Protein 5 g, sodium 366 mg

 

 

Gazpacho

Serves 12 | Prep. time 20 minutes | Cook time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped
• 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and roughly chopped
• 8 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, optional
• 1½ cups water
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
• Croutons, for serving

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the croutons in a blender, and pulse until smooth.
2. Run the soup through a strainer to take out any seeds or bits of skin.
3. Chill for 2–3 hours. Serve with croutons.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 259, fat 12 g, carbs 8 g, Protein 26 g, sodium 739 mg

 

 

Chili Con Carne

Makes 9 pints | Prep. time 12-15 hours | Cooking time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups dried pinto beans or red kidney beans
• 5 ½ cups water
• 5 teaspoons salt, divided
• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 1½ cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3-6 teaspoons chili powder, to taste
• 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

Directions

1. Wash kidney beans, and put them into a 2-quart saucepan. Top the beans with cold water about 2-3 above the beans, and let the beans soak for a good 12 to 15 hours.
2. Drain the water, mix the beans with 5 ½ cups of cold water with the 2 teaspoons of salt, and let it boil.
3. Reduce the heat, let simmer for about 30 minutes, drain and reserve.
4. Brown the ground beef with the chopped onions and optional peppers in a skillet. Drain off the fat, and add the salt, pepper, tomatoes, chili powder, and beans.
5. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, and then put into jars. Pressure cook at 10 pounds for 2 hours for the weighted gauge of the pressure canner or 11 pounds if the pressure canner has a dial gauge.
6. Remove jars, and let them cool completely at room temperature before storing them. This can take about a day.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 378, fat 16 g, carbs 24 g, sugar 10 g, Protein 38 g, sodium 1845 mg

 

 

Tomato Risotto

Serves 4-6 | Prep. time 8-10 minutes | Cooking time 20-25 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt, to taste
• 1½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 cups ripe red tomatoes, diced
• 3 cups boiling water or low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 4 medium tomatoes (mix of yellow, red, and/or green), sliced
• To garnish: parmesan cheese, chopped flat-leaf parsley, and chopped basil

Directions

1. In a deep saucepan or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring regularly, until softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, white wine, and crushed red pepper flakes.
5. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring in between until mixture thickens.
6. Add 2 cups of water or broth.
7. Turn down heat to low and simmer for about 5-6 minutes, stirring in between.
8. Add the remaining water/broth and cook, stirring regularly, for 5 more minutes or until rice is cooked to satisfaction.
9. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, and add more oil and the parmesan cheese if desired.
10. Serve warm with tomato slices on the side and chopped parsley and basil on top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 398, fat 6 g, carbs 62 g, sugar 2 g, Protein 10 g, sodium 158 mg

 

 

Fried Green Tomatoes

Serves 6-8 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 green tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
• 3½ teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
• Ranch dressing, to serve
• Cooking oil, for frying

Directions

1. Season the tomato slices with 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning.
2. Arrange 3 medium mixing bowls. Add the flour to one mixing bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk the egg. Add the buttermilk and pickle juice, and whisk to combine well.
4. In the last bowl, combine the cornmeal mix with the remaining Creole seasoning.
5. Working in batches, coat the tomato slices with the flour, egg mixture, and then cornmeal mixture.
6. Add oil to 1-inch high in a large cooking pot/deep-frying pan. Heat until shimmering over medium-high heat.
7. Once hot, working in batches, add the coated tomato slices and fry until evenly brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain over paper towels.
8. Serve the fried tomatoes warm with ranch dressing. Top with more Creole seasoning if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories 215, fat 8 g, carbs 25 g, sugar 2 g, Protein 9 g, sodium 772 mg

 

 

Small Batch Tomato Ketchup

Makes 2 cups | Prep time 15-20 minutes | Cooking time 1 hour

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 5 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 Anaheim chili, seeded and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced

For the spices

• 4 whole cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¼ teaspoon celery seeds
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
• ¼ teaspoon whole allspice

Directions

1. Arrange a piece of cheesecloth and add all the spices to it. Using kitchen twine, make a spice pack by securing the cheesecloth around the spices.
2. Heat the vinegar in a 4-quart stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
3. Add the onion, tomatoes, garlic, sugar, chili, spice pack, and salt. Stir to combine.
4. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes, stirring in between, until the chili and tomatoes soften.
5. Remove the spice pack.
6. Blend the sauce using an immersion blender or regular blender until smooth.
7. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the mixture into a bowl and then add it back to the pot.
8. Over medium-low heat, simmer the sauce for 20-30 more minutes until thickened.
9. Cool down completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Nutrition (per ¼ cup)

Calories 95, fat 0 g, carbs 18 g, sugar 2 g, Protein 6 g, sodium 270 mg

 

 

***These recipes and more are found in Louise Davidson’s Cooking with Tomatoes: Family-Friendly Delicious Tomato Recipes from Breakfast to Dinner. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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