Eatwell Recipe 33: Tomato Corn Pie With Butter-Brushed Biscuit Crust

A month or two back, the NY Times' Bitten blog did a post asking readers to share their favorite food blogs (thanks again to those of you who recommended this one!) The list of blogs it generated was long and wonderful. One of the blogs that came up over and over again was Smitten Kitchen, a great food blog with gorgeous pix. The blogger, Deb, recently posted this recipe for tomato corn pie. It's lightly adapted from a version of the recipe by Laurie Colwin and James Beard that was printed in Gourmet a while back.

This is definitely the time of year to make a tomato pie! Eatwell keeps including a mix of different, delicious tomatoes in each produce box. And the corn ain't half bad nowadays, neither.

I wrestled with the crust but I think that was just because I ran out of white flour partway into the process and had to use some whole wheat flour to make up the difference (and the two are not the same at all, whole wheat has less gluten than white flour). Despite all my worrying, it turned out tasty in the end and I loved the decadence of brushing the crust with butter before baking.

Two suggestions for you if you try this -- don't skimp on the herbs as they give it a nice little jolt of flavor, and use a sweet, mellow cheddar (like Kerry Gold or some other Irish cheddar) instead of something really sharp.

I was short on time so I did not remove the tomato skins or seeds. The main downside is that the pie will be a bit wetter if you leave all the seeds but you can spoon off the excess juices to avoid it getting soggy.

Tomato Corn Pie With Butter-Brushed Biscuit Crust
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
* 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons or 3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 teaspoons melted
* 3/4 cup whole milk
* 1/3 cup mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1 3/4 pounds beefsteak tomatoes
* 1 1/2 cups corn (from about 3 ears), coarsely chopped by hand or lightly puréed in a food processor, divided
* 2 Tbsp finely chopped basil, divided
* 1 Tbsp finely chopped chives, divided
* 1/4 tsp black pepper, divided
* 7 oz coarsely grated cheddar cheese (1 3/4 cups), divided
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 3/4 tsp salt in a bowl, then blend in cold butter (3/4 stick) with your fingertips or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Add milk, stirring until mixture just forms a dough, then gather into a ball.

2. Divide dough in half and roll out one piece on a well-floured counter (my choice) or between two sheets of plastic wrap (the recipe’s suggestion, but I imagined it would annoyingly stick to the plastic) into a 12-inch round (1/8 inch thick). Either fold the round gently in quarters, lift it into a 9-inch pie plate and gently unfold and center it or, if you’re using the plastic warp method, remove top sheet of plastic wrap, then lift dough using bottom sheet of plastic wrap and invert into pie plate. Pat the dough in with your fingers trim any overhang.

3. Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. If your kitchen is too warm, go ahead and put the second half of the dough in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Whisk together mayonnaise and lemon juice.

4. Cut an X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in a large pot of boiling water 10 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to cool. Peel tomatoes, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick and, if desired (see Notes above recipe), gently remove seeds and extra juices. Arrange half of tomatoes in crust, overlapping, and sprinkle with half of corn, one tablespoon basil, 1/2 tablespoon chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and one cup of grated cheese. Repeat layering with remaining tomatoes, corn, basil, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour lemon mayonnaise over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

5. Roll out remaining piece of dough into a 12-inch round in same manner, then fit over filling, folding overhang under edge of bottom crust and pinching edge to seal. Cut 4 steam vents in top crust and brush crust with melted butter (2 teaspoons). Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes, then cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

A few more recipes you might like:

• Dinosaur Kale With Cherry Tomatoes & Garlic
• Leek & Goat Cheese Galette
• Spinach, Onion, Thyme & Cheese Quiche
• Sweet Corn and Zucchini Gratin with Fresh Basil
• Sweet Corn, Tomato & Basil Salad
  

Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

Eatwell Recipe 32: Heirloom Tomato Sauce With Basil & Italian Sausage

I've been making fresh tomato sauce pretty regularly with the lovely tomatoes we've been receiving from Eatwell Farm in our produce box. Tomatoes are one of Eatwell's specialties and the heirloom varieties they grow make for wonderful sauce - sweet and flavorful.

They tend to put several varieties in each box -- some big slicer tomatoes, some romas, some cherries, some plums... They say not to store them in the fridge as that destroys their flavor.

This sauce is 95% farm-inspired -- in addition to the tomatoes, I used the garlic we received from them earlier in the summer and the lovely fresh basil and onions that came in our last box. The only ingredient that was not from the farm was the sweet Italian sausage with fennel that I purchased at a local butcher shop -- they make their own and it is delicious! However, you can also make this sauce without any meat (I often do) with great results.

Serve this sauce warm over pasta (if you don't eat wheat, quinoa pasta is quite tasty and gluten-free) and top with fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. It's especially tasty accompanied by garlic bread and a big green salad. Buon appetito!

Heirloom Tomato Sauce With Basil & Italian Sausage
Serves 4

Ingredients

* 5-6 large ripe tomatoes, washed, cored and chopped
* 1 large onion, diced
* 3 large garlic cloves, minced
* 1/4 cup of basil leaves (several sprigs-worth), washed, dried and chopped
* 2 sweet Italian sausages (or spicy, if you prefer that to sweet), removed from their casings
* 1 tsp sugar
* Sea salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Pinch of red pepper flakes
* 2 Tbsps olive oil

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion, sauteeing for 4-6 minutes or until it begins to become translucent. Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes and sautee another 2-3 minutes until the garlic releases its flavor.

2. Toss the sausage in and sautee for several minutes, using a spatula or large spoon to break the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Once the meat appears to be cooked through (no visible pink), add the chopped tomatoes to the pan along with the basil, salt, pepper and sugar.

3. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

You can make the sauce a day or two in advance - the extra time will only enhance the flavor. This sauce also freezes well. I usually try to make a big batch and freeze a container or two of it to use on a night when I don't have the time or energy to spend a lot of time cooking and I am always super glad that I did!

A few more recipes you might like:

• Dinosaur Kale With Cherry Tomatoes & Garlic
• Minestrone Soup With Fresh Basil Pesto
• Provençal Vegetable Tian
• Roasted Eggplant & Tomato Gratin
• Sweet Corn, Tomato & Basil Salad

Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

Eatwell Recipe 31: Sweet Pepper, Tomato, Onion, Basil & Sausage Frittata

This week's produce box contained all the fixings for another magnificent frittata -- sweet peppers, new potatoes, yellow cherry tomatoes, spring onions, basil and a half dozen pasture-raised eggs. It was almost as if the farm gods were screaming, "Make a frittata!"

Not wanting to piss off the farm gods, I did just that. With the addition of some Parmesan and cheddar cheeses and a little salami, this made a perfect main dish for brunch with some friends on Sunday.

Since I have already waxed lyrical about the merits and origin of frittatas in an earlier post, I'm going to keep this one short and sweet and let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Sweet Pepper, Tomato, Onion, Basil & Sausage Frittata
Serves 6

Ingredients

* 9 pasture-raised or cage-free, organic eggs, beaten
* 4 medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed
* 1 large onion, diced
* 2 medium-sized sweet peppers, chopped
* A large handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quartered, depending on their size
* 6 oz salami, sliced or cubed
* 4 oz cheddar cheese, grated
* 4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
* 2 Tbps fresh basil, rinsed, dried and coarsely chopped
* 1 tsp sea salt
* Several grinds of black pepper
* 2 tsps olive oil

Directions

1. Boil or steam the potatoes until just tender when pricked with a fork. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. Dice the onions and slice up the peppers.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized frying pan or cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over a medium flame (you will be baking the frittata in this dish so be sure to choose one that is both oven-proof and large enough to hold all the ingredients.) Sautee the onions in the oil for 5 minutes then add the peppers and cook another 3-5 minutes, until softened.

3. Grate the cheese, cut the salami and cube the potatoes, then chop the basil. Beat the eggs in a bowl, throwing in the basil, cheeses (but keep a little bit of the cheddar aside to top the dish with) and salami and seasoning with the sea salt and pepper (use enough salt to season the whole dish but keep in mind that the Parmesan and the salami are also salty.)

4. Grease a baking dish (you can use a pie dish, gratin dish or small lasagna pan) then arrange the potatoes, onions and peppers in a single jumbled layer and pour the egg, cheese, salami, basil mixture evenly over them. Top with the reserved cheddar. Bake for 15 minutes or until the eggs have set. Transfer the skillet to the oven and brown it under the broiler for 2 or so minutes (keep it at a bit of a distance from the flame if you can and be sure to keep a close eye on this since things can burn very quickly under the broiler) to brown the top.

5. Remove from broiler and allow to cool slightly then cut into generously sized wedges, and serve.

A few more recipes you might like:

• Frittata With Chevre, New Potatoes & Fresh Herbs
• Leek & Goat Cheese Galette
• Spinach, Onion, Thyme & Cheese Quiche
• Steamed Potatoes With Herb Butter

Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.

Eatwell Recipe 30: Sweet Corn and Zucchini Gratin With Fresh Basil

This gratin epitomizes the tastes of summer. The veggies are light, sweet, and crunchy while the cheese and egg give it some richness and heft, and the basil ties all the flavors together in one delicious package. Plus, it's a great way to use up some zucchini!

This recipe comes from the NYTimes.com's excellent Recipe for Health series. I've adapted Martha Rose Shulman's recipe slightly, substituting fresh basil for the cumin and pumping up the amount of cheese it calls for a little bit. You can find the original recipe here if you're curious.

If you want to make this even heartier, try adding some fresh bread crumbs or cooked rice to provide some additional substance.

Sweet Corn and Zucchini Gratin With Fresh Basil
Serves 6

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
* 1 large garlic clove, minced
* 3/4 pound zucchini, thinly sliced or diced
* Kernels from 2 ears sweet corn (about 2 cups)
* 3 large free-range, organic eggs
* 1/2 cup organic milk
* 1 large handful of fresh basil, washed, dried and coarsely chopped
* 1 small handful of fresh parsley, washed, dried and coarsely chopped
* 3/4 cup sharp cheddar or gruyere cheese, shredded
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish. Set aside the kernels from one of the ears of corn. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about three minutes, and add the red pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers are tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and the zucchini, stir together and add another generous pinch of salt and some pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the zucchini is just beginning to look bright green and some of the slices are translucent. Stir in the kernels from one of the ears of corn. Stir together for a minute or two, and remove from the heat. Scrape into a large bowl.

2. Place the remaining corn kernels in a blender jar, and add the eggs, milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth. Pour into the bowl with the vegetables. Add the basil, parsley and the cheese, and stir everything together. Scrape into the gratin dish.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is browned and the gratin is firm to the touch. Serve hot or warm.

Some other recipes you might like:

• Leek & Goat Cheese Galette
• Quinoa & Spinach Gratin
• Spinach, Onion, Thyme & Cheese Quiche

Like this recipe? Click here to browse through more Eatwell Recipes.