Provincial Tomatoes Recipes

PROVENCAL STUFFED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Increase the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the cores from the top of the tomatoes and cut the top off the tomato 1/4 of the way down. Reserve the tops. Slice enough of the bottom off each tomato, so it stands up, but don't cut through to the seed. (If you cut too deep, patch the hole with the piece you have just sliced off, by placing it in the bottom after you've hollowed it out.)
• Using a melon baller, carefully scoop the inside of the tomatoes out, taking care not to penetrate the sides and create holes. Collect the balls of pulp and chop coarsely. Press the juice and seeds through a strainer. Add the strained juice to the chopped pulp.
• In a bowl, mix together the tomato pulp, Parmesan, olives, olive oil, parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic. Toss with the bread cubes and season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture sit until the bread cubes have soaked up most of the moisture.
• Season the interior of each tomato with salt and black pepper. Stuff each tomato with 1 bread cube and as much as herb olive mixture that you can pack in. Top with the reserved tomato tops and stick a toothpick through the center of the top to keep it from sliding off while it bakes. Place the stuffed tomatoes in a roasting pan that has been drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle the tops of tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until bubbling and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

EASY PROVENCAL LAMB

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Place the leg of lamb in a large roasting pan fat side up and pat it dry with paper towels. Combine the mustard, 1 tablespoon of the garlic, the rosemary, balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor and pulse until the garlic and rosemary are minced. Spread the mixture on the lamb.
• Place the tomatoes, olive oil, 1/4 cup of the honey, the onion, the remaining 2 tablespoons garlic, 2 tablespoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a bowl and toss well. Pour the tomato mixture around the lamb and tuck in the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Drizzle the lamb with the remaining 1/4 cup of honey.
• Roast for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and roast for another 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until a meat thermometer registers 130 to 135 degrees F for medium-rare. Place the lamb on a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Discard the herb stems and return the tomatoes to the oven to keep warm. Slice the lamb, arrange on a platter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve with the tomatoes and pan juices spooned on top. Garnish with a branch of rosemary.

CLASSIC FRENCH TOMATOES PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Cut the tomatoes in half through the middle and place them cut side up in a baking dish. Salt and pepper each tomato half.
• In a food processor, add the bread, parsley and garlic. Process until you have coarse bread crumbs.
• Divide the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the tomatoes.
• Drizzle the top of each tomato with olive oil.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the breadcrumb topping is golden brown and the tomatoes have softened.

TOMATOES PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, zest, thyme leaves and oil; season with coarse salt and ground pepper.
• Arrange tomatoes, in prepared baking dish, overlapping slightly; season with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake until tomatoes are tender and crumbs are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

PROVINCIAL TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat your oven's broiler.
• Place tomato slices in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a baking dish, season with a little salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.
• Mix together the Parmesan cheese, Asiago cheese, bread crumbs and parsley; sprinkle over the tomato slices.
• Drizzle a little bit more olive oil over the top.
• Broil for 5 minutes, or until the top is golden and toasty.

PROVENCAL TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and salt and pepper the cut surfaces. Place the tomatoes cut-surface up, in the pan, and cook the tomatoes for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and flip the tomatoes so the cut surface is facing down, and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and set aside. Add the bread crumbs and herbes de Provence to the pan and saute, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the crumbs are coated, adding a tablespoon more oil, if necessary.
• Meanwhile, preheat the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the tomatoes cut-side up on the foil. Divide the crumbs among the tomato halves. Broil for 1 minute and serve.

PROVENCAL CHERRY TOMATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the tomatoes in a 9 x 13-inch ceramic dish. Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss together. Spread the tomatoes evenly in the pan.
• Place the garlic, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the bread cubes and process until the bread is in crumbs. Add the 1/4 cup of olive oil and pulse a few times to blend. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the tomatoes.
• Bake the gratin for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and the tomato juices are bubbling. Serve hot or warm.

PROVENçAL TOMATO AND BASIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in half the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, basil sprigs or leaves and remaining garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the water, Parmesan rind and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes. Add the tapioca or rice, and simmer for another 15 minutes until the tapioca is tender and the soup fragrant. Remove the basil sprigs and Parmesan rind. Puree in a blender in small batches, taking care to place a towel over the top of the blender and hold it down tightly. If you used fresh unpeeled tomatoes and want a silkier soup, put through a strainer, using a spatula or the back of a ladle to push the soup through. Return to the pot, add pepper to taste and adjust salt. Serve garnished with garlic croutons and/or Parmesan, if desired, and slivered basil leaves. If serving cold, refrigerate until chilled.

TOMATOES PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Remove and discard stems from the tomatoes and cut in half crosswise (parallel to stem end). Chop the parsley and garlic together to make persillade. There should be 1/2 cup.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• In each of two heavy skillets heat about 1 tablespoon of the oil until very hot. Put the tomatoes cut side down in the skillets and cook over high heat about 2 minutes, covered, until the tomatoes soften slightly. Arrange the tomatoes cut side up in a gratin dish suitable for serving. Sprinkle with the pepper and salt.
• To the drippings in the pan add the remainder of the oil and the persillade. Mix 10 to 15 seconds to cook slightly; divide equally and spread on top of the tomatoes. Put the tomatoes in the warm oven for a few minutes before serving. If the tomatoes must wait 30 minutes or more before being served, saute as directed and keep warm in a 180-degree oven, but don't add the persillade until serving time.