Tomatoes? Get your Nightshades ON!

Always it happens - You plant a few tomato seedlings and just when you get to enjoy a few salads and then BAM! too many tomatoes. I love this seasonal bounty when it happens because it allows me to draw out all the stoppers of creativity to make the most of the season.

The tomato is native to central South America and was cultivated by the Aztecs centuries before the Spanish explorers introduced it to all over the world. There are many hundreds of cultivar varieties of different type and size. Most cultivars produce red fruits, however, a number of cultivars have yellow, orange, pink, purple, green, or white coloured fruits.

The Tomato Festival is a tradition in Spain since 1945 and there are several theories about how it began, but no one knows for sure. One of the most popular theories is that during a town celebration the city councilman were attacked by some discontented people. The people enjoyed this so much, that they repeated the event the next year, and in a couple of years a tradition was established.

In Magickal tradition the tomato is a fruit associated with heart health, money, love and love's protection. Not surprising that it is also associated with the planetary energies of Venus.

Tomatoes!

 

Health benefits of Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of the low-calorie fruits and have just 18 calories per 100 g. They have zero fat and zero dietary cholesterol. Nonetheless, they are an excellent sources of antioxidants, dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins.

The antioxidants present in tomatoes are scientifically found to be protective of cancers, including colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic tumours. The total -ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) in this vegetable is 367 µmol TE/100 g.

Lycopene, a flavonoid antioxidant, is an unique phytochemical present in the tomatoes. Red varieties are especially concentrated in this antioxidant. Together with carotenoids, lycopene may help protect cells and other structures in the human body from harmful oxygen-free radicals. Studies have shown that lycopene protects the skin from ultra-violet (UV) rays and thus offers some defence against skin cancer.

Zea-xanthin is another flavonoid compound present abundantly in this vegetable. Zea-xanthin helps protect eyes from "age-related macular disease" (ARMD) in the elderly by filtering harmful ultra-violet rays.

This fruit contains very good levels of vitamin A, and flavonoid anti-oxidants such as α and ß-carotenes, xanthins and lutein. Altogether, these pigment compounds are found to have antioxidant properties and take part in good vision, maintain healthy mucus membranes and skin, and bone health. Consumption of natural vegetables and fruits rich in flavonoids is known to help protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.

Additionally, they are also good source of antioxidant vitamin-C (provide 21% of recommended daily levels per 100 g); consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful free radicals.

Fresh tomato is very rich in potassium. 100 g contain 237 mg of potassium and just 5 mg of sodium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure caused by sodium.

Further, they carry average levels of vital B-complex vitamins such as folates, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin as well some essential minerals like iron, calcium, manganese and other trace elements.

Semi Dried Tomatoes

preserved in sunflower oil
with bay and peppercorn

2 kg ripe Roma tomatoes
3 tbsp sea salt
3 tlsp caster sugar

Halve tomatoes lengthwise,
Leaving attached along one side. Remove cores and seeds with a grapefruit knife. Stand tomato “shells” upright on a wire rack. Scatter with one third of the salt and sugar and leave to drain for 4 – 6 hours. Scatter with another third of salt and sugar and leave another 30 minutes. Turn over and allow to drain. Leave a further 4 – 6 hours. Stand upright again and scatter with remaining salt and sugar. Leave for a further 4 – 6 hours.
Arrange the tomatoes on a rack in a fan-forced oven. Set temperature at  50 - 75°C and dry for about 4 – 5 hours. Adjust oven temperature as required. Tomatoes must not darken. Turn over when tops are dry and continue for a further 2 – 3 hours until bottoms are also dry. Cool on rack, store in an air tight jar with a bag of silica gel.
(If you wish to dry the whole tomato out, seed and all rather than wasting it, just allow for an extra hour or so in the oven to dry)

Tomato Soup

Tomato soup

3kg beef bones
2kg tomatoes very ripe, diced
3 cloves garlic
2 onions diced
2 sprigs sage
2 bunch basil
salt and pepper to taste (a fair bit may be needed)

Roast the beef bones with a sprinkle of salt and pepper until a fair amount of caramalisation has occurred and they are nicely browned. Place in a large stock pot and just cover with water and add tomatoes, onions and garlic. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes collapse and then for 40 minutes more.
Remove the bones and allow to cool while the stock and veg simmers and reduces.
Skim any excess fat and scum from the top of the soup.
When the bones are cool enough to handle pick off any meat you can find, chop and return to the soup.
Taste and adjust the seasoning and blend with a stick blender until smooth.
Taste and adjust again for seasoning if required.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a fine shred of fresh herb
A crust roll or some toasted sour dough would not go astray.

Spicy Tomato Relish

Spicy Tomato Relish

2.5 kg ripe tomatoes cut into small dice
500 g red onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
2 tspn cumin seeds
3 long dried chilli peppers
475 ml white wine vinegar (we used 1/2 apple cider 1/2 white balsamic)
220 g raw sugar

Place the diced tomato and the onion slices in a shallow dish and sprinkle with the salt. Leave overnight. Use a mortar and pestle to crush the mustard, cumin and chilli peppers. Drain the tomatoes and onions and place the pulp in a saucepan with the spices, vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for 45 min. stirring frequently. Remove the lid and simmer for a further 15-min. Spoon the hot relish into sterilised jars, filling completely. Cover.

Tomato Relish

3 kg tomatoes
1 kg onions
2 cups vinegar
1.5 tbsp dry mustard
1.5 tblspn curry powder
750 g sugar
3 tbsp salt
dash cayenne pepper
4 tbsp cornflour, slaked with water

Scald and skin tomatoes, sprinkle with half the salt and leave overnight.
Peel and chop onions, sprinkle with half the salt and leave overnight.
Next day combine the two mixes with the sugar in a large pan. Mix the other ingredients in well and bring to the boil and simmer for at least an hour. Thicken with the cornflour, stirring well to avoid lumps, then boil a while longer, usually around 2 hours in all.

Tomato Pasta Sauce

spaghetti and meatballs
with tomato pasta sauce

1.5 kg ripe tomato
1 large brown onion
1 carrot
1 stick celery
125 ml olive oil
salt
1/2 tspn sugar
4 tbsp verjuice or white wine
freshly ground black pepper
2 large basil leaves

Wash the tomatoes and cut into quarters and place in a pan. Peel and chop the onion, carrot and celery and add to the pan with the oil, tossing to coat well. Add the salt and sugar and place the pan over a high heat. Stir constantly to prevent burning until it starts to caramelise and the liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the verjuice, check for seasoning and add the basil, torn. Fill jars with the sauce and seal.

Tomato Kasundi

225 g ginger, peeled
100 g garlic, peeled
50 g green chillies, sliced in half and seeds removed
600 ml malt vinegar
300 ml canola oil
2 tbsp turmeric
5 tbsp ground cumin
3 tbsp chilli powder
5 tbsp mustard seeds, ground to a powder
2 kg tomatoes, washed and chopped
450 g salt
3 tbsp sugar

Puree ginger, garlic and chilli to a paste with a little of the vinegar. Heat the oil in a preserving pan and add all the ground spices and heat gently. Add the paste, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar and half the salt, stir and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the oil is all floating on the surface. Taste and add more salt as needed. Bottle into sterilised jars while hot. Pour a slick of hot oil over the surface to prevent the preserve from drying and cover with screw tops. Leave for a couple of weeks for the flavours to develop.
This is great with lamb, chicken, rice or lentils. It can be used as a marinade, and is great with cheese.

Green tomato chutney

8 cups green tomatoes , peeled and sliced
¼ cup pickling salt
1 ½ onions , peeled
8 cups apples , chopped
1 ½ green peppers , chopped
1 ½ fresh long hot red peppers (optional)
2 cups vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons pickling spices
3 cups brown sugar
½ teaspoon chilli powder
Put layers of tomatoes with pickling salt.
Add enough cold water to cover tomatoes.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Drain& rinse the Tomatoes
Put them a large pot place and add Onions, apples, green pepper and vinegar.
Bring to a boil and boil 30 minutes.
Tie the pickling spice in gauze and add to the pot.
Stir in the brown sugar.
Simmer over low heat for about 2 hours
Watch that it doesn't burn! Pour into sterilised jars, seal and water bath for 10 minutes.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

Roasted Tomato Sauce

2 kg tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 onions sliced thickly
1 capsicum deseeded
1/2 cup olive oil
Few sprigs sage
bunch basil
Fresh pepper, a little salt & sugar to taste

Place everything into a baking dish and toss to spread & oil.
Cook at about 180°C for 35 – 40 mins until all softened. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, squeeze the garlic soft centres from the skin and return to the tomatoes, discarding the papery skins.
Blend together, including the oily juices, tasting and correcting seasoning. Pour into sterilised jars, seal and water bath for 10 minutes.

cockle butter ravioli with roasted tomato sauce

Rocketing to Arugula

Rocket

In my mind the salad herb rocket, or arugula in the US, is a far superior inclusion to the annual produce garden than most lettuce varieties. Love it's complex peppery flavour and it's versatility, it's pretty flower and it's nutricious seeds.

Rocket is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese. It has a good balanced Omega 3 to omega 6 ratio and a zero glycemic index.

Rocket Flower

Rocket can stimulate the body's detoxifying processes as well as stimulate healthy appetite and digestion and will often help with dyspepsia. It can be an effective source of vitamin C and help prevent scurvy as well as being a source of antioxidents.

The seed can be pressed to produce an oil called taramira or jumba oil which upon aging to reduce it's acridity can be used for cooking, dressings, preserving and massage and the pressed seed mass is used as a nutritious animal feed. This oil as been traditionally used for gum pain relief, digestive and diuretic needs. However a side effect sometimes noticed is it's aphrodisiac qualities. Taken in moderation only as the seeds can irritate the thyroid, have an emetic effect and cause some digestive distress.

 

Rocket, caramelised pear and walnut salad with blue cheese 

Variation with pine nuts

1 large bunch of fresh rocket
2 not quite ripe pears cut into segments
1 table spoon of butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 shot of mead
1/3 cup walnuts
200gm crumbly blue cheese
1/3 cup walnuts chopped (additional)

Dressing
1 tablespoon bush honey
2 tablespoons vine cotta vinegar
4 tablespoons cold pressed virgin olive oil

caramelising the pear

Melt your butter and brown sugar in a heavy based pan, simmer gently until a caramel forms and add your pear segments and mead, coat well and gently cook your pear until tender.
Turn off the heat and add your walnuts and coat in the hot caramel and allow to cool.
wash and dry your rocket and place on a serving platter, artfully place your pear, walnuts and bluecheese all over the rocket.


Place your dressing ingredients in a glass jar and shake until well mixed and drizzel over your salad
top with raw chopped nuts and serve.

Rocket, Pear and Goat's Cheese Salad

Rocket, Pear and Goat's Cheese Salad

2 pears, sliced (choose a crisp variety)
100gm soft goats cheese
2 handfuls baby rocket leaves
1 teaspoon tomato relish
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Arrange the pear, rocket and cheese for serving
place the relish, oil and seasonings in a jar and shake and pour onto the salad.
Additional fresly ground pepper to serve.

Rocket Pesto 

Rocket Pesto

Ingredients:
large bunch of garden fresh rocket
large handful of grated parmesan 
1/2 cup roasted cashews
1/3 cup of cold pressed virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (mandarin juice is quite tasty too)
salt & pepper to taste

Method:
blend the rocket, oil, cashews & juice together mix in the parmesan and season.

Rocket Pesto Linguini

Pasta with Rocket carbonara

Enjoy with pasta, salad, hot and cold meats. 

Using petals as a garnish

rocket petal garnish for
buttered parsnip mash

I love using the whole of the plant where possible and to this end the delicate petals have found their way into our menu as a garnish. A touch of elegance and gentle harmony is never out of place.

Duck Eggs on the menu

Daisy

After 7 months of patient duck management we have successfully transitioned our beautiful Daisy Demented from bedraggled chook marshal to productive lady of feather in her own right. One of the few things left to bring perfection to our coastal residential idyll was duck eggs and now we have them I can't say how delighted I am.

Daisy was a feather pulling sad young lady when we first got her and now she is a full feathered and decidedly fat waddling charmer with a penetrating and resounding quack and a satirical eye. Our first role for her was free range snail annihilator and slug chaser and now all our kindness is eggily fruitful.

Our first duck egg

Many would have that duck eggs are merely excellent in cake baking, but I would challenge this idea and put forward that they are magnificent in many a recipe where richness, luxury and egginess play their part.

Below you will find recipes where duck eggs are an integral part in pasta, mayonnaise and even celebrated as their own feature ingredient.

So let's celebrate duck eggs!

Duck Egg Pasta

450g Plain flour
4 Large Duck Eggs
1 Tspn of salt
1 Tspn olive oil

duck egg fettuccine

 

Method
Place flour and salt into a bowl, add all eggs and oil and using hands mix well trying not to over work. When it is a nice even ball wrap in glad wrap and place in refrigerator until required (minimum time about 40 minutes). Using a pasta machine make your pasta to your desired shape.

scotched duck egg

Scotched Duck Eggs

Ingredients:
10  duck eggs
600g good-quality pork sausage mince
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped chives
2 tspn thyme leaves
2 cups (300g) plain flour
1 1/4 cups (125g) dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (60ml) milk

Method:

Place 8 of the eggs in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil, then simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes. Plunge eggs into a bowl of iced water and set aside.

Place sausage meat, Dijon, herbs and 2 tbsp cold water in a bowl. Season and mix well to combine. Form into 8 patties.

Carefully peel the eggs and gently pat dry. Enclose each egg in a patty, shaping with your hands to ensure the egg is completely covered. Chill for 15 minutes.

Season flour with salt and pepper, then spread on a plate. Spread breadcrumbs on a separate plate. In a bowl, beat milk with the remaining two eggs. Roll the sausage-encased eggs first in the flour, then in the milk mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs to coat well. Chill again for 15 minutes.
 
Preheat the oven to 170°C.
 
Half-fill a deep-fryer or a large pan with oil and heat to 190°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds when the oil's hot enough). Fry the eggs, in batches, for 2 minutes or until golden. Place eggs on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes until the meat is cooked through.

Serve warm or cold. Perfect for picnics.
 

Duck egg aioli

Duck Egg Aioli

Ingredients:
3 duck egg yolks
1 cup of olive oil, cold pressed extra virgin
1 head of garlic
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of lemon (or lime) juice

Method:
Dip the garlic head in oil and place in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes or until the garlic flesh is tender and fragrantly roasted. Squeeze the roasted garlic flesh out of the cooled head and mash.

Whisk the egg yolks until the mixture begins to become paler. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil all the while whisking until the mixture thickens and emulsifies as much of the oil as possible. Continue to whisk until quite thick, add the garlic mash and the juice.

Season to taste and serve as a richly delicious dressing or dip. Perfect served with garden fresh steamed globe artichokes as a dip

Gourmet Potato Salad

potato salad

Ingredients:

6 large potatoes, cubed
2 duck eggs
1/2 tspn salt
4 tbsp duck egg aioli (recipe above)
1 green onion, finely sliced
1 handful spinach, shredded
2 sprigs mint, finely shredded
2 sprigs fresh dill, finely shredded
6 nasturtium flowers, petals only
salt and ground pepper to taste

Method:
Boil the cubes of potato in salted water until tender and drain.
Place duck eggs in water to cover and bring to the boil and boil them  for 3 minutes then plunge into cold water to stop the cooking process. Peal and cut into wedges.
Place potato, egg wedges, greens and aioli into a large bowl and combine. sprinkle with nasturtium petals and season.
serve warm as a side or cold as a salad

duck egg scramble

Scrambled Duck Eggs

Ingredients:
4 duck eggs
4 tbsp cream
8 tbsp full cream milk
2 pinch rosemary salt
2 tbsp butter
1 handful spinach, shredded

Method:
whisk the eggs, salt, milk and cream together until well combined. Melt the butter in a pan and add the egg mixture. Stir the coagulating egg  and keep agitating until the scramble is still only just moist and turn off the heat.

Serve on a bed of spinach

Pescaphobe's Kedgeree

Pescaphobe's Kedgeree

Ingredients:

1 smoked hock, cut in half

3 chicken thigh fillets
2 bay leaves
2 cups milk
4 duck eggs
½ cup peas, freshly shelled
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large red sweet chilli. finely sliced
1 heaped tbsp medium curry powder
1 cup basmati rice, rinsed in cold water and drained
3 tbsp double cream
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
½ lemon, juiced
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method:
Place the hock and chicken in a large pan. Pour over 500ml milk, add the bay leaves and bring the water to a gentle simmer. Cook the meats for 15 minutes until it is just done and flakes easily. Drain in a colander set over a bowl, reserving the cooking liquor, and discard the bay leaves.Pour the cooking liquor into a medium saucepan and stir in the rice. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the rice very gently for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for 3-5 minutes more. By this time it should have absorbed all the liquor.

While the rice is cooking, bring some water to the boil in a medium pan. Add the eggs and cook for eight minutes. Drain them in a sieve under cold running water and when cool enough to handle, peel them carefully and set aside.

Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and chilli over a low heat for five minutes until well softened, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Place the cooked rice into the pan and stir into the onions. Add the peas, cream, parsley and a few twists of ground black pepper.

Remove ham from the hock and slice into rough chunks with the chicken and add these to the pan. Gently stir the lemon juice and cook for 1-2 minutes. Cut the eggs into quarters and place them on the rice. Cover the pan with a lid and heat through for 2-3 minutes or until the eggs are warm, then serve.
 
If not serving immediately, Tip the kedgeree into a warm dish and dot with a few cubes of butter. Cover with foil and keep warm in a low oven for up to 20 minutes before serving.

Duck Egg Curry

Duck egg curry

Ingredients:
6 soft boiled duck eggs, pealed
1 large onion, chopped
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 inch lemon rind, finely sliced
3 baby fennel roots, chopped
1 tbsp ginger root, chopped
1 inch fresh turmeric, chopped
1 large green chilli, chopped
2 tbsp madras paste
1 cup coconut yoghurt with chia
large pinch salt
6 baby fennel, sliced
1 serve udon noodle
1 large zucchini, spiralised medium
2 large sprigs coriander, chopped

Method:  
Mash the garlic, fennel root, lemon rind, chilli, turmeric, salt and ginger until flavours released, but not quite a paste. Sauté the onion, paste and spice mix off and add the fennel and yoghurt and a splash of water and gently simmer until the veg is tender.
add the eggs and allow to warm through.
cook the udon as directed
add the zucchini to the curry sauce and warm through then serve on the udon