The World of Computer Software/The World of Computer Software.iso/rec926.zip/REC877

Text File | 1993-01-20 | 10KB | 255 lines

Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes
Distribution: world
From: [e-mail] (Anne Louise Gockel)
Date: Wed, 21 Aug 91 12:26:01 -0400
Subject: MISC: Dried Tomato recipes
Keywords: recipe misc/dried-tomato-collection
Summary: orig. subject: Recipes for Dried Tomatoes (for rec.food.recipes)
Archive-Name: recipes/misc/dried-tomato-collection
Followup-To: rec.food.cooking
Organization: ?
Approved: [e-mail]


During the summer I take a few bushels of Italian plum tomatoes, salt
them lightly and dry them in a dehydrator for 12-24 hours.  They are
wonderful in salads, biscuits , omlets, deviled eggs, quiche and as a
topping for fish or chicken dishes.  They are also good straight from
the jar as a snack.  They have a very intense tomato flavor that perks
up almost any dish.  One quart of dried tomatoes represents about 1/8
of a bushel (or about 1/4 of a paper grocery sack) of fresh tomatoes.


Refreshing the tomatoes:

The dried tomatoes should be refreshed by soaking them in hot water
before you use them in most recipes.  Bring 1-2 cups of hot water to a
boil and add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of tomatoes.  Let the tomatoes soak for
several minutes; as few as 2 minutes if they are thin and as much as 8
minutes if they are fairly thick.  After soaking you may wish to slice
or chop the tomatoes.  If your dinner recipe calls for water, use the
water from soaking the tomatoes instead.  Otherwise save the water and
add it to your vegetable water for stock.


Some Recipes:


Potato Salad:  Based on recipe in Sun Dried Tomatoes!

Approx 6 servings:

6 cups peeled and sliced potatoes (6-8 potatoes)
1/2 cup olive oil or less (use some of the oil from the marinated tomatoes)
1/4 cup or more white wine vinegar (red wine vinegar is ok)
1 tbl capers
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, refreshed in hot water and cut into slivers
1/4 c. diced pepperoni or prosciutto ham (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
optional items:
    1 red pepper diced
    1 green pepper diced
    1/2 c. sliced scallions including greens


Cook the sliced potatoes.  Method 1) boil in salted water until tender,
about 5 minutes.  Method 2) place in a covered dish in the microwave
with 1/4 cup of water, cook on high about 10 minutes, add salt and
pepper, stir and cook on high another 6-10 minutes.  Let stand for
about 5 minutes.

Mix the oil and vinegar together and pour them over the warm potatoes.
Let cool at room temperature.  The potatoes will absorb much of the
dressing.  Pour off extra dressing, leaving about 3 tbl in the bottom
of the bowl.

When the potatoes are cool, add the remaining ingredients.  Add salt
and pepper to taste.  Let stand for at least 30 minutes, several hours
is better.  If you are storing this for over 24 hours, add the parsley
about 30 minutes before serving.


Cheddar and Tomato Biscuits:

Approximately 12 large biscuits

3 cups flour
1 tbl baking powder
6-10 tbl butter, margarine or shortening
3/4 - 1 c milk
1/4 - 1/3 cup dried tomatoes, refreshed in hot water and sliced or chopped
1/2 - 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese (or substitute parmesan for some or all
cheese)

Sift the flour and baking powder togeter.  Cut in the butter using a
pastry cutter or two forks.  Add 1/2 - 3/4 cup of milk and mix
together.  If there is still flour in the bowl add more milk.  Biscuit
dough should form a loose ball and be stickier than pie crust dough.
Mix dough quickly and stop as soon as it's mixed.

Add tomatoes and cheese.  Drop very large spoonfuls (a heaping serving
spoon) of dough onto a greased baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes at
325 degrees.  Serve warm or cold.


Spinach ala Marianne:

Clean 1 lb of fresh spinach.  Place in a covered sauce pan with water
still clinging to the leaves.

Heat 1-3 tbl of olive oil (from marinated tomatoes) in a small frying
pan.  Peel several cloves of garlic, slice them into two or three
pieces and smash them with a heavy coffee cup or by pounding them with
the flat of a wide knife.  Coarsely chop the slightly crushed garlic.

Heat some water and refresh 1/4 cup of dried tomatoes.   Cut into slivers.

Add garlic to the hot oil and brown it.  Remove from heat.

Cook the spinach.  If the spinach is fresh and young, cook it until
just wilted.  If the spinach is older, cook it a bit longer.

Pour the oil and garlic over the spinach.  Sprinkle the tomatoes over
it and add a small amount of salt and pepper.  Toss the spinach to mix.


Stuffed Mushrooms:  From Sun-Dried Tomatoes!

16 large fresh mushrooms
4 tbl olive oil (from marinated tomatoes)
6 tbl finely minced onion (very optional)
1/4 cup dried tomatoes, refreshed and minced
4 tbl dry white wine (or substitute water from refreshing tomatoes)
1/2 cup grate cheese (Parmesan, Swiss, etc)
2-3 slices dry bread crumbs  (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup (maybe less) minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp dry tarragon
2 tbl cream (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbl butter

Remove stems from mushrooms and mince them finely.  Brush mushroom caps
with 1 tbl oil (optional).  Place caps in a baking pan.

Heat 3 tbl oil in a large frying pan.  Add onion and saute until soft,
2-3 minutes.  Add the minced mushroom stems and continue to saute until
lightly browned (about 4 minutes).  Add the minced tomatoes and wine.
Boil rapidly until the liquid is almost evaporated.  Remove from the heat.

Set aside 3 tbl of cheese.  Mix remaining cheese with the bread crumbs,
tomato mixture and herbs.  If the mixture is too dry, add up to 2 tbl
of cream (or water).  Season with salt and pepper.

Fill the mushroom caps with a heaping spoonful of stuffing.  It helps
to help form it into a ball, possibly by rolling it your hands.  Top
with a dot of butter and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Serve hot.  Ok cold for lunch time
leftovers.


Italian Baked Hamburgers with Cheese (i.e. Calazones)

8 servings

2 loaves of pizza dough or thawed frozen bread dough
1/2 lb ground beef (ground round or other low fat ground beef)
1/4 - 1/3 cup dried tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozerrella cheese
2 cups spinach (wash it and cook it; chop coarsely)
1-2 cloves garlic
1 tbl (or less) olive oil
parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Refresh the tomatoes in hot water and chop them.

Crush and saute garlic in olive oil.  Add the ground beef.  Cook.
Drain off excess oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Take each loaf of pizza dough or bread dough and cut it into 4 pieces.
Pat, roll or stretch each piece into a 6-9" circle.

Filling the calazones: Be sure to keep all filling at least 1/4" from
the edge or else you will have trouble sealing them.  Place 1-2 tbl of
meat on half of the dough.  Add some tomato bits and spinach.  Top with
1 tbl cheese and a bit of parmesan.

Dip your fingers into warm water.  Wet the edge of the dough.  Stretch
half of the dough over the filling and press the edges to seal.  Either
use your fingers or a fork to seal them.  Or you can roll the bottom
edge up over the top edge, twisting them together like a rope around
the edge.  This method in slightly more time consuming, but the
calazones generally don't leak.

Place calazones on a baking sheet that has been greased or covered with
cornmeal.  Let them rise in a warm place for 30-60 minutes.  Brush
lightly with oil.  Bake 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees.


Chicken Vegetable Packets:  From Sun-Dried Tomatoes!

4 servings

2 cups assorted julienned vegetables (zucchini, carrots, red bell peppers,
yellow squash)
4 boned and skinned chicken breasts
1/4 cup dried tomatoes
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp dried basil
4 tsp minced garlic
salt and papper to taste
parchment paper or aluminum foil

Cut four 12" circles from the kitchen parchment paper or cut similar
sized pieces of tinfoil.  Fold each circl in half, then unfold.  Place
1/2 cup of vegetables in the center of each circle, next to the fold.
Top with a chicken breast and some of the rest of the ingredients.
Refold the paper over the chicken so that the cut edges meet.  Fold and
roll the edges up all the way to seal.

Place the packets on a backing sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25
minutes unti lthe parchment paper is browned and puffed.  Cut open and
serve.


Chicken Scallopine: From Sun Dried Tomatoes!

4 servings

4 chicken breasts, skinned and boned
4 slices fontina or Swiss cheese
4 oz prosciutto, chopped
1/4 c. dried tomatoes, refreshed in hot water and chopped
4 tbl Parmesan cheese
2 tbl olive oil (from marinated tomatoes)
2 tbl minced shallots
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine


Pound chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper until about 1/4
inch thick.

Set aside 2 tbl prosciutto and 1/2 c. tomatoes for the sauce.

Divide the remaining prosciutto, tomatoes, fontina and Parmesan into 4
portions and place each portion in the center of a chicken breast.
Roll up the breast into a cylinder and tie with a string.

Heat the olive oil, add the chicken and brown.  Remove the chicken and
keep warm.  Add the shallots and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add the
wine and stock and scrape up and drippings in the bottom of the pan.

Return the chicken to the pan, cover and cook over low for 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken and keep it warm.  Cook the sauce over high heat
unti lit thickens.  Add reserved prosciutto and tomatoes and heat for
about 5 minutes.  Pour sauce over chicken and serve.


References: Sun-Dried Tomatoes! by Andrea Chesman.  copyright 1990.  Published
by The Crossing Press, Freedom, California 95019. $8.95 paperback.  Approx 75
recipes and some instructions on storing and drying tomatoes.