RECIPE ROUNDUP
Homegrown Tomatoes
By Kevin Hargis
Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes,
What’d life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can’t buy,
That’s true love and homegrown tomatoes
—Guy Clark, “Homegrown Tomatoes”
The first word that comes to mind when I think about tomatoes is variety: There are yellow ones, brown ones, orange ones, green ones—and especially red ones. You can do just about anything with them: Sauce ’em, bake ’em, stuff ’em, slice ’em.
Nothing satisfies like a fresh tomato plucked from the vine. But even when it’s not tomato season, the canned varieties work just fine in many dishes.
One of my memories of growing up is of our vegetable garden. No matter what else we grew—bell peppers, carrots, corn—tomato plants were always part of the garden. There were cherry tomatoes, which were always a little too sour for me, and those big, slicing tomatoes that went so well on toast with a few crisp slices of smoky bacon, a little mayo and crunchy iceberg lettuce. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
Not only did I fall in love with tomatoes during my youth, I also grew up adoring seafood, especially shrimp.
We lived about 20 miles from Freeport, where my dad would buy the little critters fresh off the boat. The jumbos would oftentimes get battered and fried. But sometimes, he’d get the small ones, and we’d have Shrimp Creole.
The combination of spicy tomato sauce, the Cajun vegetable “trinity” (onion, pepper and celery) and those sweet-fleshed shrimp surely satisfies.
I recently used the family recipe to whip up a batch, although I’ve modified things a bit. The sauce is a little thicker and the result is more than a touch spicier, but that’s how I like it. I hope you like it, too.
SHRIMP CREOLE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
2 fresh Roma tomatoes, finely diced
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
3/4 cup chicken or pork broth
1 teaspoon red pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a minute or two longer. Add shrimp, tomatoes and chilies, and diced Romas and stir well. Reduce heat to simmer; add tomato paste to broth, mix well and add to pan. Add seasonings and cook, stirring often, until shrimp are firm and sauce begins to thicken. Serve over rice. Makes four generous servings.
Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 302 calories, 39 g protein, 5.9 g fat, 22.2 g carbohydrates, 658 mg sodium, 258 mg cholesterol
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HOME COOKING
Recipe Contest Winner: Marti Hagler, Pedernales Electric Cooperative
Prize-Winning Recipe: Basil Stuffed Tomatoes
We had lots of submissions this month featuring tomatoes in a variety of ways. The buttery stuffing in this dish melds two natural pairings, fresh basil and tomatoes, in a way that left our taste testers applauding.
Cook’s Tip: Fresh basil from the market or the garden is the key to the flavor of this dish.
BASIL STUFFED TOMATOES
3 medium tomatoes
2/3 cup crushed Saltine crackers
2/3 cup crushed Ritz crackers
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon seafood seasoning or celery salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup capers, drained
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Core and cut tomatoes in half. Scoop out “meaty” portion of tomatoes, chop and reserve. Put tomato shells in a baking pan. In medium bowl, combine crackers, then remaining ingredients, with reserved tomato. Divide stuffing equally among tomato shells and bake until tender and golden, about 15-20 minutes.
Serving size: 1 stuffed half. Per serving: 190 calories, 1.8 g protein, 15.6 g fat, 9.7 g carbohydrates, 1.3 g fiber, 659 mg sodium, 40 mg cholesterol
LENTIL SPAGHETTI SAUCE
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
1/4 cup lentils, rinsed
1/3 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 can (141/2 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash Tabasco sauce
In large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients along with 1 cup water to skillet. Simmer 45 minutes. Serve over pasta.
Serving size: 1/2 cup. Per serving: 62 calories, 3.5 g protein, 1 g fat, 10.8 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 599 mg sodium, trace cholesterol
Eve Glover
Cooke County Electric Cooperative
FRESH TOMATO SOUP
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup butter
4 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
4 medium fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup flour
In a large pot, sauté carrots, celery, onion and bell pepper in butter until tender. Add 4 cups of chicken broth, tomatoes, sugar, curry powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Just before serving, combine flour with reserved broth and stir until smooth. Gradually add to soup and cook 2 minutes longer.
Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 125 calories, 4.3 g protein, 6.4 g fat, 13.8 g carbohydrates, 2.3 g fiber,
221 mg sodium, 15 mg cholesterol
Harriette Smart
Grayson-Collin Electric Cooperative
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RECIPE CONTEST
October’s recipe contest topic is GULF HARVEST. Texans can enjoy a treasure trove of seafood fresh from the Gulf of Mexico. Shrimp and oysters form the backbone of the harvest. We’d like to share your top shrimp or oyster recipes with our readers. The deadline is JUNE 10.
Send recipes to Home Cooking, 1122 Colorado, 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. You may also fax them to (512) 486-6254, e-mail them to recipes@texas-ec.org, or submit online at www.texascooppower.com. Please include your name, address and phone number, as well as the name of your electric co-op. The top winner will receive a copy of 60 Years of Home Cooking and a Texas-shaped trivet. Runners-up will also receive a prize.
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