Heirloom Tomato Pie with Fresh Basil and Fontina


I can eat a tomato like an apple. Juices running down my wrist, and a smile on my face. Some might think this is weird, but when you live right next to Hanover County, Virginia, tomatoes are like a way of life. There's a joke in my family that goes something like "There are three cops in Hanover for every tomato." It's pretty much true, but as long as the County keeps that sandy coastal-plain soil, which produces the concentrated flavor in Hanovers, I don't mind a couple of cops. 


Anyway, like I was sayin', tomatoes are the fruit of the summer. You can barbecue them, boil them, broil them, bake them, saute them. Dey's uh, tomato-kabobs, tomato creole, tomato gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple tomatoes, lemon tomatoes, coconut tomatoes, pepper tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato stew, tomato salad, tomatoes and potatoes, tomato burger, tomato sandwich. That...that's about it. 

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Well as Bubba I was saying, tomatoes are versatile. And when you've had a long day it helps to have something easy to prep and that doesn't take a long time to cook. Plus, you're getting your "veggies" in spades.




Heirloom Tomato Pie with Fresh Basil and Fontina

  • 6 heirloom tomatoes of varying colors if available
  • 2 packages thawed puff pastry (try Dorset Pastry brand) 
  • 3-4 cups grated fontina cheese
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • fresh basil
  • disposable pie pans
  • olive oil to grease pie pans
  • salt and pepper
Note: Please buy all organic ingredients, if possible.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Slice heirloom tomatoes 1/4" in thickness and lie flat on a stack of paper towels for about 10-15 minutes. We want the tomatoes to dry a bit so that you don't have a soggy dough. Coat pie pans with a thin layer of olive oil. Lie one sheet of puff pastry in each pan and cut so that pastry fits in a circle around the edge. Take excess pastry and use to mold into cracks/crevices. Season top side of tomatoes with salt and pepper, and place one layer of tomatoes seasoned side down on top of the dough. Salt and pepper the other side. Sprinkle some of the chopped onion and roughly torn fresh basil. Cover with a moderate layer of grated fontina. Repeat with a second layer of tomatoes, cheese, onions, and basil until the pie reaches the top of the pan, but doesn't overflow. Bake at 350° for 30-45 minutes or until dough is cooked all the way through and cheese has browned on top. Makes three pies.





Buon appetito!

I'm baaack! Don't hate me...

I know it's been too long. I feel guilty. I feel ashamed. It feels like we've taken an awkward break in our relationship. But mostly, I feel more excited than ever to tell you about what I've been doing for the past (shudder) 11 months. Wow, has it really been that long?

Ok enough. So since September I have gotten a new job and promotion, moved in with boyfriend to the heart of the city, cooked up a STORM, and eaten a lot of new, interesting food too. Here's what I've been up to...

Let's first start with what new kitchen gadgets I've gotten since we last spoke. Well, boyfriend got me the Bowl Lift KitchenAid for Christmas. When he was picking the color, he said he didn't know which one I would like best, so he got the color of my eyes. *Insert swoon-worthy comment here.* I know, isn't he a keeper? 


Which I used to make these. Clearly, you can see desserts aren't my forte. Also, I'm going to chalk the unfocused pictures of the Black Forest Cake to the cherry liqueur that I soaked the cherries in...



Boyfriend also coordinated with one of our close friends to also get me the matching ice cream maker for the mixer. Which I used to make this banana bread ice cream.


I also got this cool juicer. 



This mezzaluna knife. 



And various and sundry other gadgets and gizmos. Like these adorable Le Creuset ramekins and olive wood salt keeper from my aunt. And that cheerful oil carafe from my grandma. 


Oh and we also bought a Berkey Water Purifier. Drinking clean water is so important, especially when you have city water like we do. If you don't already have some sort of house filtration system, I'd recommend this. It's amazing how differently the water tastes. We also got the shower filter (not pictured.)


Oh, I'm also cooking with gas in our new apartment. For the first time. In my life. It's been a blessing and a curse to say the least. But oh, the things I've roasted over the open flame....

So that's what's new on the machinery front. Now onto the more exciting important things. Food. Here are some pictures of what I've been cooking this past year. Please excuse the horrible picture quality on these, as most were taken with phones.

So we'll start with what I've cooked:

This was last summer. Pretty basic grilled steaks, corn, and asparagus.


 This was my take on a low carb version of Eggs Benedict. I sauteed zucchini and summer squash with bacon instead of the English muffin.


Mashed turnips, collards, and baked ham. 


Eggs in Nests with sundried tomatoes, cheddar, and scallions.


Red cabbage slaw with apple cider vinegar (which I love) and whole grain mustard. Also, note the makeshift spoon rest. That's what we call farmer ingenuity. 


Smoked Mozzarella and Rosemary Grilled Cheese with Aloo Matar


Mango and Avocado Salsa


Sausage Craft Della Nonna Sausage with Sauteed Peppers and Onions served over Parmesan Risotto


Roasted Honey and Dijon Mustard Pork Medallions, Polenta Cakes with Rosemary and Cayenne, Red Cabbage Slaw, and Red Beans with Yellow Onions and Rosemary


Nectarines Sauteed with Brandy-Creamed Honey, Cinnamon, Raw Peanuts, and Finished with Cream


These are the only photos I have of Thanksgiving because it was a complete whirlwind. We hosted over 40 people. 

Cooking the base for stuffing.


And the endless table. 



Boyfriend and I took a trip in May to visit my grandparents in Tennessee. My little Italian grandma taught me the family recipe to Spaghetti con Polpette e Salsiccia (Spaghetti with Meatballs and Sausage). I hope you people are happy because I was getting yelled at for taking pictures because we can't let the recipe out of the family. Don't worry grandma, I blurred out the secret ingredient!


Grandma also put together an Antipasto. Look at their gorgeous view overlooking Lake Cherokee. 


This was by far, the best photo of the trip, though.


I tried making it on my own when we got back, and it was good, but there's just something about the way grandma makes it.


Now come the eggs...
Needless to say, boyfriend eats a lot of them. 
This was just a basic scramble with dill, Meadow Creek Appalachian Cheese, onions, cherry tomatoes, and served with some buttered Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame Sprouted Whole Grain toast points.


Here we have some more Ezekiel toast with smoked mozzarella, a pan sauce of blistered cherry tomatoes, butter, cumin, and garlic, served with a fried egg.


And lastly, my take on Huevos Rancheros


Now onto what I ate...

Our new favorite breakfast spot is Lamplighter Roasting Company. Mmm lox and a latte.



In March, boyfriend and I went to Texas de Brazil with a couple friends. Ok, I know, I know, not local. And I pride myself in trying to support local restaurants 99% of the time. But if you're going to go to a chain, this is the one. All of the amazing, over-the-top meat aside, the salad bar was actually my favorite part. I could eat that and be perfectly satisfied; this really is a steakhouse for vegetarians. Oh also, three words: goat cheese terrine.


The beginning of June brings the Greek Food Festival to Richmond. It's a tradition we never miss. Pictured are Souvlaki, Moussaka, Pastitsio, and Spanakopita. Also, how cool are my Shield's Tavern Plates from Colonial Williamsburg?



On Father's Day I took my mom out to The Pig and the Pearl, which centers their menu around, yes you guessed it, pork and oysters.

We both started with the St. Pearl, a cocktail made with St. Germaine and a candied hibiscus flower. For our appetizer, we got the Cap City Fried Oysters which are served with their house-made Chimichurri sauce. We had the Southern Gentleman's Burger and Sethna's Pork Palooza Burger, respectively, for our main course. And for dessert, mom got the Salted Chocolate Caramel Cake and I stuck with the pork theme by choosing Bourbon Pecan Bread Pudding, which they serve with a piece of bacon on top. Needless to say, I would recommend going here seldom, as the food is very rich.


Look at this gorgeous salad my friend Chloe's mom made earlier in the Spring. I die for these colors.



In July we went to The Savory Grain for my mom's birthday. This is a fabulous farm-to-table restaurant located on Broad near the Fan. Pictured from left to right are 

Fried Green Tomatoes with Pimento Cheese; 

Crab Cake Entrée and Green Beans Sautéed with VA Country Ham and Goat Cheese with Sweet Potato Salad; 

Smoked Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with Bourbon Molasses Barbecue Sauce; 

Chocolate Espresso Tart with Salted Caramel Drizzle; 

Spaghetti Squash Tossed in a White Wine, Grilled Lemon and Roasted Garlic Sauce with Succotash, Roasted Carrots, Mushrooms, Spinach, Roasted Red Peppers, Shallots, Yellow Squash and Zucchini, finished with fresh Thyme and Brown Butter;

Red Snapper served over Pork Belly and topped with Orange Fennel Salad and Sliced Jalapeños and finished with a Coconut Curry reduction.  Served with Crab Citrus Orzo and Bok Choy medley.

Shrimp and Charleston Grits topped with fresh Shrimp, Sherry Cream Sauce, White Balsamic Tomato Bruschetta and Applewood Smoked Bacon.  Served with Toast Points.


Brunch at Millie's. A nice Bloody Mary on the patio while we waited for our table.


Soft Scrambled Eggs with Lobster (bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms, and puff pastry topped with hollandaise). And Chocolate Cake with Espresso Whipped Crema for dessert.
And finally, one of my favorite restaurants all-year-round, but especially in the summer: Can Can Brasserie. Some of the best French food in Richmond.
Blackberry Truffle and Avocado Salad with Goat Cheese, and Apples. Quarter Braised Chicken on top of a Strawberry Arugula Salad with Polenta Cakes. And by far one of my favorite desserts in Richmond: Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Strawberry Basil Sorbet.


So that's my year, folks. It has been a whirlwind, and I know Food, Baby! has fallen to the back burner. Ha! Food humor... 

Anyway, it is my intent to make up for my absent year by posting three recipes this week. Maybe four if you're lucky. So keep cooking, keep eating, and as always, Buon Appetito!

Cod en Papillote with Rosemary Walnut Tapenade and Pan Seared Zucchini


Parchment is one of your kitchen BFF's. Especially when you want to delicately cook fish. 'En papillote' just means 'in parchment' in French. 'Al cartoccio' is the Italian equivalent. Cooking en papillote is so easy because it does the work for you. I'm a fan of any process where I can do little work and still produce a delicious meal. 

You'll want to start by making your tapenade, an olive spread originating in France. In a food processor, combine 1T of drained and rinsed capers, a 12" sprig of rosemary, 2 garlic cloves, 1T of anchovy paste, 1/4 cup of toasted walnuts (heat in pan over medium high heat for 5-7 minutes or until you can smell them), 1T of black pepper, and 2 cups of rinsed black olives. Pulse until you have a thick paste, then add the juice of 1/2 a lime, and slowly stream in 1/4 cup olive oil. Though you may be tempted to add a pinch of salt, DON'T. The capers are packed in brine. The olives are packed in brine. And the anchovy paste is made from salted, preserved anchovies. That's a lot of salt already, so no need to add any more or your tapenade will most likely be inedible. Cover with plastic wrap and leave it on the counter while you prepare your fish. 


To prepare your fish, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Take a 24" sheet of parchment and lie it on a baking sheet. Place two, 6oz. cod fillets in the middle of the parchment width-wise and place it lengthwise so that there are 8" of paper on one side, and 12" on the other. Drizzle with olive oil and 1tsp of honey. Add 2tsp of chopped rosemary and a pinch of black pepper. First fold the 8" piece over the fish, then do the same with each of the side pieces of parchment. Take the remaining 12" piece and crimp it in 1" folds under itself so that it is tucked under the fish. Cut a slit in the top of the parchment to let the steam out and bake for 25 minutes or until fish flakes apart easily. 


Finished product:


The zucchini is so simple, even a caveman could do it. Or your husband or wife who's never cooked a day in his/her life. Heat 1T of butter in a pan over high heat. Season the butter with a pinch of black pepper. Chop one 10" zucchini into 10 equal pieces and place the pieces flat into the pan. Cook on each side for 7 minutes or until golden brown. 


Serve the zucchini and fish hot with the tapende as the garnish. 




This normally robust cod is delicately cooked to succulent perfection. The honey only highlights the already sweet fish, and the tapenade is intensely tangy with a pungent flavor that overpowers your taste buds in a fantastic symphony of sharp tones. Lastly, the purity of the seared zucchini is a perfect compliment to the main dish. Buon appetito!

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