A Week of Tomatoes

I love fresh, home grown tomatoes.  I didn't menu plan, but I think it was Wednesday evening I sat down and planned for Thursday and Friday.  I looked for tomato recipes because I did not want to go to the store. 

On Thursday we had Fresh Tuna with Risotto with Tomatoes from How to Cook Everything. 

Risotto with Tomatoes

• 4 to 6 cups of chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter, optional
• 1/2 cup paremsan cheese grated
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes

1. Warm the broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat and leave the heat on.
2. Place the oil in a large saucepan or skillet, preferably nonstick, and turn the heat to medium.
3. When it's hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes.
5. Add the rice and stir until it is coated with oil.  Add a little salt and pepper, then the white wine.  Stir and let the liquid bubble away.
6. Begin to add warm broth, 1/2 cup or so at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so.  When the broth is just about evaporated, add more.  The mixture should be neither soupy or dry.  Keep the heat to medium to medium high and sitr frequently.
7. Begin tasting the rice after 20 minutes, you want it to be tender but with still a tiny bit of crunch.  It could take as long as 30 minutes to reach this stage.  When it does, add the butter, herbs, and parmesan.  Adjust the seasoning and serve.

This was excellent.  I had it leftover for lunch yesterday and it was good leftover.  And used up several tomatoes.

My plan for last night was pizza.  With tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil and parmesan.  I used a new recipe from Baking Illustrated  for Deep Dish Pizza crust with the fresh tomato topping and it was wonderful.  I've used this cookbook several times now and have been very happy.  I also made the Banana Bread from it this week and it is great.  I like this book because it gives lots of information about the process.  Cook's Illustrated has tested each recipe seeral times, several ways to find the best and they give the results.  This pizza crust used potato in the dough and it was perfectly chewy and light. 

This morning for breakast we had egg sandwiches with tomatoes!  Tonight no tomatoes probably.  I am going to make ravioli with my KitchenAid attachment and just use sauce I have in the freezer.   I'll use the roller attachment to make the dough and then make the ravioli.  I played with this at training, but we didn't eat them.  I'll be conducting some training classes on the attachment so I need to be good at it.  And how bad is it that while practicing, we have to eat fresh, home made ravioli.  I'm making spinach and mushroom filling.