For 10 pints

Any quantity of mixed heirloom tomatoes (One word of caution: weight your mix heavily in favor of red tomatoes over lower-acid yellow ones, since the high acid content of tomatoes is what allows us to safely can them using the boiling-water method).

1 Tablespoon of bottled lemon juice ***PER PINT*** (must be bottled, not fresh, for controlled acidity)

1. Prepare the tomatoes: blanch them a few at a time in a large quantity of boiling water for 1 minute, then lift out with a slotted spoon and plunge into a basin of ice water. When cool, remove them to drain but do not begin to peel until you’ve blanched them all.
2. Now you need to work quickly: peel three or four tomatoes and quarter them into a pot large enough to hold your entire batch. Crush the tomatoes (I just squeeze them with my hands). You want to have enough pulp and liquid to cover the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil.
3. Once the boil has begun, continue to peel and quarter tomatoes one at a time. Press them into the boiling pot so that they heat through as quickly as possible. Stir occasionally so your pot doesn’t scorch, but maintain a steady boil. Once all the tomatoes are into the pot, boil for 10 minutes.
4. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill. (I use a coarse blade because I like the texture, but use a finer blade or a Chinois if you’d prefer to strain the seeds.) Return puree to the pot.
5. Return to a boil and reduce while stirring by half, or until thickened to your preference. Salt to taste—but use a fairly light hand, since you may further reduce the sauce when cooking with it later.
6. Line up your clean jars. Add into each jar 1 Tablespoon of bottled lemon juice ***PER PINT.*** (I.e., a quart jar gets 2 Tablespoons lemon juice.) Ladle tomatoes into your jars, seal and process in a boiling-water bath per USDA guidelines: 35 minutes for pint jars (at sea level), 40 minutes per quart (at sea level.)
7. When boiling-water bath is complete, turn off the heat and allow jars to sit in the pot of water, uncovered, for 5 minutes. This allows the pressure inside the jars to stabilize and prevents leakage when you remove the jars to cool.

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Ingredients:

4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced (they don’t have to be heirloom, but heirloom tomatoes will add beautiful contrast in both flavor and color)
About ½ lb. puff pastry dough (8 oz. by weight)
½ bunch fresh basil, chopped
½ bunch fresh oregano, chopped
High quality olive oil
3-4 cloves fresh garlic
Goat cheese of your liking (a beautiful harder goat cheese you may like is Midnight Moon)

METHOD:

If using frozen puff pastry, allow it to thaw until pliable. While the puff pastry is thawing, peel your garlic cloves and smash them to release the juices. Place these into a pot with about a ½ cup of your olive oil. Allow the flavor of the garlic to permeate the oil over low heat; if you’d like, you can also add some of your basil and oregano to your oil. Once your puff pastry is completely thawed, dock it with a fork (create small holes to prevent it from rising), leaving the outside ridge un-docked. Preheat your oven to 350. Remove your garlic oil from heat and brush some over the portion of dough that you have docked. Sprinkle your chopped oregano and basil onto the oil and then layer on your tomato slices. Sprinkle a goat cheese of your liking over the tomatoes (the amount is at your discretion) and bake for 15-20 minutes, until dough is golden brown and edges of tomatoes begin to darken. Serve immediately.

Serving suggestion: This tart would be a delightful summer meal if topped with a simple salad made by tossing arugula, butter lettuce and freshly prepared balsamic vinaigrette together. Enjoy!

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Ingredients:

1 Cup  Menu Brand Pizzicosa, Sauce Piccante
28 oz  Whole Tomatoes, Canned
15 oz   Cherry Tomatoes, Canned
8 ozs   Spicy Sausage or Pepperoni
1  Baguette for dipping 

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine all three tomato sauces in the blender.  Puree until smooth.
3. Pour into two small oven proof dishes.  Example: 2 7” ceramic quiche dishes.
4. Top with sliced Mahon cheese and sliced spicy sausage.
5. Place on lined sheet pan to accommodate any spills.  Bake at 375 degrees until bubbling and cheese is golden brown.
6. Garnish with fresh basil and fresh cracked black pepper.
7. Serve on a heat proof plate and surround fondue with sliced baguette or gourmet crackers for dipping.

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amounts given PER PINT

about 1 lb Roma or other variety plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice. (I don’t like using bottled lemon juice because it tastes like wet dog dunked in Drano, BUT the argument for it is that commercial lemon juice has a set acidity level so it’s more reliable for food safety.)

1. Peel the tomatoes: working in small batches, blanch tomatoes in a large quantify of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water to arrest cooking. Cut out the stem with the point of your paring knife and then peel away the skin.

2. Now you need to work quickly: quarter enough tomatoes into a pot to cover the bottom, mash them good with a potato masher to release their juices and quickly bring them to a lively simmer.

3. While they heat, blanch and peel your next small batch of tomatoes. Add them one by one to the now-simmering liquid in the pot. If you want you can quarter each new tomato as it goes in. I like to crush each one lightly in my palm and immediately push it down into the hot juice.

4. Once all your tomatoes are in the pot, return to a boil and cook steadily for 5 minutes, stirring and turning over the tomatoes periodically.

5. Ladle into jars and seal. Process in a boiling-water bath for 35 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts.

If any of this is unclear, please consult Ball or USDA-approved canning guidelines before attempting the process.

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Serves 6 to 8

3 pounds assorted fish or seafood cut into 2-inch chunks – shrimp, sand dabs, scallops
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 bouquet garni – 2 sprigs fresh thyme, a small bunch of parsley and a bay leaf tied with a string
1-2 inch strip of orange zest
2 medium leeks, white parts only, finely chopped
8 ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cups canned plum tomatoes
8 cups fish stock, or water mixed with clam juice or chicken broth
½ teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 1 tablespoon water
1 cup white wine
1 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
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1. Heat the olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, fennel, leeks, orange zest and bouquet garni. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the tomatoes, white wine, fish stock and saffron and simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
4. Add seafood and simmer about 3 minutes.  Remove the orange zest and bouquet garni.  Taste, adjust seasoning, add chopped parsley and serve with a mixed green salad and French baguette.  

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From the demo: Spring Fine Dining
Courtesy of Chef Vincent Cachot

Serves 4

Main Ingredients:
4 each – 6 oz. Stuffed Beef Tenderloin Filet (see recipe below)
12 each – Baby Carrots
1 recipe – Red Wine Shallot Confit (see recipe below)
1 recipe – Baby Tomato and Mozzarella Tower (see recipe below)
4 each – Fried Basil Leaves

Wild Mushroom Stuffed Beef Tenderloin
6 oz. – Oyster Mushroom, Shiitake, Cremini, Portobello Mushroom, cleaned, chopped
¼ cup – White Wine
1 tsp – Garlic, chopped
2 tsp – Dijon Mustard
1 tbls – Chives, chopped
¼ cup – Panko Breadcrumb
1 tbls – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp – Truffle Oil
To taste – Salt and Pepper

Preparation: In sauté pan over medium heat, add extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, add mushrooms, garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes. Deglaze with white wine and reduce until all moisture from pan is gone. Remove from heat. Add mustard, breadcrumbs, truffle oil and chives. Cool. To prepare beef tenderloin – with a paring knife or hand steel make a hole in the center of the beef and open the hole with your fingers until about ¾”-1” diameter opening in the center. Stuff beef with mushroom mix. Reserve

Red Wine Shallot Confit:
6 each – Shallots, finely chopped
1 oz – Fresh butter
¾ cup – Port Wine
¼ cup – Red Wine

Preparation: Sauté shallot with butter until translucent. Add both wines and bring to a simmer. Reduce slowly over low heat until almost all wine is reduced. Keep warm and reserve.

Baby Tomato and Mozzarella Tower:
4 each – Red Pear Tomato, cut into halves
4 each – Yellow Pear Tomato, cut into halves
4 each – Fresh Mozzarella Bocconcini, cut into halves
As needed – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
As needed – Salt and Pepper

Preparation: Layer each half of the above items, alternating in color. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Keep cool and reserve.

Bordelaise Sauce:
1 each – Shallot
½ cup – Red Wine
1 Cup – Demi Glace

Preparation: In a saucepan, combine shallot and red wine. Reduce by 75% then add demi glace. Reduce slightly until nappé. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep hot and reserve.

To finish the dish:
In large sauté pan, add a little olive oil. Season both sides of beef with salt and pepper. Sear on hot heat until nice caramelize color is achieved, turn over and finish in a 350ºF oven until desired doneness. For the carrots – in a small sauce pan add a little water, a few pinches of sugar and a pinch of salt. Add carrots to pan and cook over medium heat until carrots are tender. Plate dish accordingly with all reserved components (tomato mozzarella tower, shallot confit, and bordelaise sauce). Garnish tomato mozzarella tower with fried basil.

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Ingredients:

5 small diced ripe Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes, V-inch pieces
3 fresh garlic cloves; 2 sliced, 1 reserved for rubbing baguette slices
1⁄3 cup fresh basil, chopped or chiffonade
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 baguette (can be bought in Café Surfas)

Preparation:

Dice tomatoes and place in mixing bowl. Add garlic, chopped basil, salt and pepper. Mix together. Add extra virgin olive oil and mix.

Slice baguette on angle into 1-inch slices. Rub both sides with cut garlic clove dipped in oil. Place on baking sheet and broil until golden (about 1 minute), flip and broil reverse side for
about 1 minute.

Remove from oven. Place topping on slices using slotted spoon or regular spoon, being careful to drain juice. Find your nicest platter and serve them up.

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