Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients: 8 medium ripe tomatoes 1 3/4 teaspoons salt 1 cup millet 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 small shallot, finely diced 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled into small pieces 1/2 cup olive oil 3 tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts 1 tablespoon basil, chiffonade 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Instructions: Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Slice off about 1/2 inch of the stem end of the tomatoes and hollow out the inside; slice just a small section off of the bottom of the tomatoes, so that they will sit flat on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon of salt in the hollow portion of each tomato and place hollow side down on a baking sheet. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat, stir the millet for 5 minutes or until the seeds turn golden brown and begin to pop in the pan. Remove from heat and add the chicken stock, shallot and remaining teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook over medium-low heat until the millet is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Pour the millet into a medium mixing bowl and add the goat cheese, olive oil, pine nuts, basil, parsley, chives, lemon zest and white pepper. Drain any liquid that has been released from the tomatoes; dry the sheet pan. Turn tomatoes so the hollow side faces up and roast the tomatoes in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until the skin begins to turn brown and slightly blister. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and let cool slightly. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees F. Evenly divide the filling among the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and bake in the oven until heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/stuffed-tomatoes-recipe2.html

Gazpacho

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds tomatoes, roughly chopped & core removed
• 1 red pepper, roughly chopped & seeds removed
• 1 English cucumber, peeled & roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable cocktail 
• 1/2-1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
• Red pepper flakes & Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh Parsley 
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5-3 tbsp red wine vinegar, to taste

Instructions:

1. Add tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion, garlic clove, lime juice, V8 (or tomato juice), olive oil, and herbs into a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Now add the rest of the seasonings (salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, vinegar) slowly and adjust to taste.
3. Chill for 2-4 hours, or overnight.
4. Garnish with chopped peppers, green onion, black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil just before serving.
Note: If your blender is small you might have to cut this batch in half so it won’t overflow. I made mine in the Vitamix and it just fit. Makes about 6.5 cups.

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/05/20/gazpacho/

Roasted Tomato Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

• 9 large roma tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1/2 cup almonds, toasted
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup tightly packed basil + more for garnish
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling on tomatoes
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Your desired amount of cooked Pasta

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Place sliced tomatoes on the sheet and drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 1 hour and 10 mins at 400F. Watch closely during the last 15 minutes of roasting.
2. Reduce oven heat to 325F and toast almonds for 8-10 minutes. Add 1/3 cup into food processor and process until finely chopped. I left mine a bit chunky for texture. Remove and set aside.
3. With processor turned on, add 2 garlic cloves and let it whirl around until finely chopped. Now add in the basil and process until finely chopped.
4. Add in the oil, optional nutritional yeast, and 1.5 cups of roasted tomatoes (you will have tomatoes left over). Process until smooth. Pulse in 1/3 cup toasted almonds. Season generously with salt and pepper. I think I used about 1/2 tsp salt or a bit more.
5. Pour your desired amount of pesto over the cooked pasta and mix well. Chop the remaining roasted tomatoes and stir into pasta. Chop remaining almonds and Chiffonade the basil (see below).

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/09/06/roasted-tomato-basil-pesto/