GAZPACHO
This cold tomato and vegetable soup has become a mainstay of the American
diet. This version is thick with chopped fresh Florida tomatoes, cucumbers,
green peppers, and red onions. If you would like thinner version or
need to stretch it, add up to 2 cups tomato juice. For a seafood variation,
add a small can of minced clams and their juice.
6 large Florida tomatoes
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely diced
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium-sized red onion, minced
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste
Herb croutons (optional)
Peel the tomatoes by submerging them
in boiling water for 15 seconds. Remove to a colander and rinse under
cold water. The skins should slip right off.
Core the tomatoes and gently squeeze
out the seeds. Chop half of them coarsely and puree the other half
in a food processor. Combine the puree and shopped tomatoes in a large
mixing bowl.
Blend the remaining ingredients,
except the herb croutons, with the tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate
for several hours before serving. Serve chilled, garnished with herb
croutons.
YIELD: 6 servings
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TOMATO & GARLIC BAKED STUFFED POTATOES
Garlicky tomato chunks add a fresh new twist to an old favorite,
baked stuffed potatoes. To make these extra- generous,
we bake 2 extra potatoes and use their flesh in the stuffing.
8 extra-large baking potatoes, scrubbed
1 T. olive oil
2 T. unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 large fresh Florida tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into bite-size chunks
1 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Bake the potatoes until the flesh is tender. Slice the potatoes
lengthwise and cool briefly. When they're cool enough to handle, spoon the flesh into
a bowl, leaving a thick enough casing to support the filling. Reserve the 6 best casings.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium-size skillet. Add the onion and
sauté over medium heat, stirring, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onion is golden brown.
Stir in the garlic, sauté for another minute, then remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl.
Put the skillet back on the heat. Add the tomatoes and sauté them for 1 to 2 minutes
over medium heat, just until they start to soften. Stir in the vinegar, cook for a few more seconds,
then transfer to the bowl with the onions. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Using a potato masher, mash the potato flesh with the sour cream, leaving it a
little on the chunky side. Add the Parmesan cheese, then fold in the reserved tomato mixture.
Salt and pepper the stuffing to taste, then pack it into the reserved skins, dividing it equally.
Bake the tomatoes for about 25 to 30 minutes, until heated through. Serve hot.
YIELD: 6 servings
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