Summer Tomatoes

Don't you love when tomatoes begin to turn that beautiful red and the taste just explodes in your mouth. To celebrate I have listed my 2 favorite recipes. Both of them need to be spread on hot focaccia bread.... Enjoy!!!!


TOMATO CONFIT


MAKES 6 FIRST - COURSE SERVINGS
6 large tomatoes
15 large basil leaves
3 garlic cloves
olive oil, enough to cover 1/4 of the tomatoes
12 slices Tuscan bread, sliced 1/2-inch thick.

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom of a baking dish (choose one large enough to hold tomatoes snuggly) with 12 large basil leaves. Core and skin tomatoes. To skin: submerge tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute; remove and let cool or place in ice water bath; remove skin.

2. Place tomatoes in dish, core-side down on the bed of basil. Pour olive oil into baking dish; oil should cover 1/4 of the tomatoes' height, 1/2 to 3/4 inch. Thinly slice 1 clove garlic and sprinkle over tomatoes. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until tomatoes are soft and lightly caramelized.

3. Meanwhile, lightly drizzle bread with olive oil; toast in oven until golden brown. Rub warm bread slices with halved garlic cloves and top with tomatoes and remaining basil (cut into thin strips).



BRUSCHETTA

1 lb. tomatoes chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
1/2 cup chopped basil
3 TBL. Parmesan cheese
3 TBL fresh lime juice
2 TBL olive oil
1 TBL balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 minced garlic clove

Slice a baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.

Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.