Couch Tomato

Welcome to late summer, veggie lovers! Here at The Cozy Herbivore, I am buzzing with anticipation and some big news: I'm going to culinary school! Just a few days ago, with my heart in my throat, I gave my resignation to my old job (love you guys!) and have started down the path to a new career in the culinary field! And I couldn't have done it without this blog and YOU, my faithful readers.

So here's the skinny: I'm going part-time to the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City for their chef's training program. In a mere ten months I will learn how to prepare a wide variety of plant-based cuisine, how to convert recipes from traditional to natural/vegan ingredients and the connections between food and wellness. It's so exciting to be a part of this rapidly growing field and to attend a school that so many of my favorite cookbook authors have graduated from! It's also wonderful to find a school so close to home that is focused on vegetarian and vegan cuisine, as most traditional culinary schools are quite meat-based.

It's a funny thing-- I started this blog on September 23, 2009. My first day of class at the Natural Gourmet Institute is September 22, 2010. What a difference a year makes! This site has cemented my love of vegetarian recipe development and food writing, so I am hoping that school will help me focus these talents into something marketable!

I don't know what's going to happen to the site while I'm in school. I know I probably won't have time to post prolifically. I'm going to play it by ear, but I hope you'll stick with me through the next ten months. I see big things in The Cozy Herbivore's future!

To celebrate my big news and the bounty of late summer, I have decided to include not one, not two, but THREE recipes in this blog post. Fresh tomatoes are everywhere this time of year-- both the farmer's markets and my little container garden have exploded with the love apples. I'm particularly fond of heirloom tomatoes-- their flavor simply cannot be beat! Compared to the anemic and watery supermarket tomatoes, heirlooms are rich, meaty and intensely satisfying. And what better piece of produce to enjoy in-season? Fresh heirlooms tomatoes are a treat worth waiting a winter for.

Two of these recipes require absolutely no cooking at all, which is pretty terrific for these hot summer days. All of them make great sides to bring to picnics and potlucks.



Bain taitneamh as do bheil!


Deb's Fried Green Tomatoes

As I previously mentioned, my container garden went a little tomato-crazy this year. But this bounty attracted a squirrely visitor, whose main objective seems to be tearing the green tomatoes off the vine and leaving them otherwise unmolested on the ground. Ever one to make lemonade out of squirrel-created lemons, Deb put together this delicious appetizer with a few of our green fallen soldiers.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes
SERVES: 1-2 people

INGREDIENTS:
2 large green (unripe) tomatoes-- the tomato variety used in the picture above is an Orange Blossom
2 eggs, whisked
1 cup panko style bread crumbs
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, washed & stems removed
1 large pinch kosher salt
4-5 twists of the pepper mill
1/2 cup olive oil, for frying


DIRECTIONS:
Wash tomatoes and pat dry. Slice into thick rounds. Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet until the top begins to shimmer.

Place beaten eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine panko, fresh thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Dredge the tomato slices first in the beaten egg mixture and then in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to thoroughly coat the slices with breadcrumbs.

Fry coated slices in oil until golden brown, turning to evenly cook. Place fried tomatoes on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve with a dollop of ketchup.

If you're hankering for a side to this appetizer, simply toss a handful of baby spinach and a few tablespoons of the panko mixture into your used beaten eggs and fry them in a hot skillet. Voila-- a crunchy, egg-y scramble that pairs perfectly with the fried green tomatoes!


Green Zebra Salsa

When my friend Lori took a trip to Europe this summer, she gave a week's CSA share from Greensgrow Farm to us. Thanks, Lori! Included in that week's share were three gorgeous Green Zebra tomatoes. Unlike the unripe love apples used in the previous recipe, Green Zebras are a variety of tomato that retain a beautiful stripped green color when fully ripe. They have a slightly tart flavor, which makes this salsa refreshing and light-- perfect for the dog days of August!


PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: n/a
SERVES: 4-5


INGREDIENTS:
3 large Green Zebra tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
the juice of 1 lime
1 handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped


DIRECTIONS:
Place chopped tomatoes in a colander until most of the excess juice drains off. Combine drained tomatoes and the rest of the chopped ingredients in a large bowl, stirring to incorporate fully.

Serve with fresh tortilla chips or combine salsa with sour cream for a great sandwich spread!



CSA Caprese Salad

Mostly of the time gorgeous local produce is best prepared simply, allowing the fresh flavors to shine through. This is one of my favorite ways to eat local tomatoes-- the swoon-inducing creaminess of the fresh mozzarella balances the acid of the balsamic and tomatoes, while the basil gives the whole salad a refreshingly green bite.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: n/a
SERVES: 2-3 people

INGREDIENTS:
2 large heirloom tomatoes
1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese
10-15 fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon good extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 large pinch kosher salt
3-4 twists of the pepper mill


DIRECTIONS:
Slice the tomatoes and the mozzarella ball into evenly thick rounds. Arrange on plate: alternate a tomato slice, a mozzarella slice and a basil leaf until you've used all of your produce and cheese. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top off with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy your summer bounty!