Hot & Cold Pickled Tomatoes with Chilli Yogurt

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (May 2020) and taken from Life Kitchen by Ryan Riley.

The sweet tang of vinegar in this dish balances beautifully with the savoury tomatoes. Adding chilli yogurt makes the tomatoes sing and rounds off the dish.

Serves : 3-5

Ingredients :
150ml red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
6 coriander seeds
2 bay leaves
12 mixed-colour cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 tblsp full-fat Greek yogurt
1 tsp Chilli Oil (see recipe)
Warmed flatbreads of naan breads, to serve
Handful of mint leaves, to serve

For the Chilli Oil (makes 200ml)
200ml rapeseed oil
40g dried chipotle chilli flakes
20g red chilli flakes

Method :

Stir together the vinegar, both seeds and the bay leaves in a bowl. Place a saucepan on a high heat and pour in half the liquid, with half the aromatics. Bring to the boil, then turn off the heat.
Divide the tomatoes between two bowls and pour the hot liquid into one bowl and the cold into the other. Leave for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the yogurt and Chilli Oil in a bowl.
To serve, spread the warmed breads with the chilli yogurt, top with both hot and cold tomatoes – discarding the bay leaves – and scatter over the mint.

For the Chilli Oil :

Place a saucepan on a medium heat and add the oil. Bring it to a simmer – be very careful as the oil will be extremely hot. After a few moments, drop in a chilli flake: if the oil is hot enough, the flake will sizzle slightly.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in both types of chilli flakes. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
Pour the cooled Chilli Oil into a sterilised jar and seal with a lid.

Pasta Perfecto – Classic Red Sauce

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (July 2020) and taken from Pasta Perfect by Laura Santini.

Make your own sauce with fresh ingredients, bursting with goodness. It’s a classic for a reason, so do it well!

Serves : 4-6

Ingredients :
2 tblsp olive oil
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stick, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tblsp tomato puree
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes, or whole San Marzano tomatoes
Large handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
1 tsp sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, and saute until the onions are glassy and softened. Add the puree and canned tomatoes. If you’re using whole tomatoes, squash them as they go in to break them up.

Add the torn basil leaves and sugar. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Cook over a very low heat, stirring frequently to avoid sticking, for 40-60 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and the sauce is rich, tangy and tasty, and the oil has separated on the surface.

You can leave it chunky or pass it through a fine sieve to remove any chunks and seeds.

Stuffed Tomatoes (Option 2)

Recipe courtesy of an article in Psychologies Magazine (June 2020) and taken from a recipe book called Big Night In: Delicious Themed Menus to Cook & Eat at Home by Ryland, Peters & Small.

Serves : 4

Ingredients :
4-6 large tomatoes
3 tblsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
150g long-grain rice, rinsed
1 tsp tomato puree
2 tblsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tblsp chopped dill
2 tblsp chopped mint

Preheat the oven to gas mark 6. Cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out and reserve the pulp. Put the tomato shells upright in a large baking dish. Set aside with the caps until ready to bake.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the onion and fry until softened. Add the reserved tomato pulp, rice and tomato puree. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring the mixture to the boil and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the parsley, dill, mint and lemon zest.

Cream of Tomato Soup

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (August 2016)

Serves : 4

Ingredients :
1 tblsp ghee or coconut oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 tblsp tomato puree
2 x 400g tins of tomatoes or 800g fresh tomatoes chopped
1 x 400g tin of cannellini or butter beans, drained and rinsed
400ml bone broth or water
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper

To serve (optional) :
1 large handful fresh basil leaves, chopped, or pesto
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method :

Melt the ghee in a large saucepan, add the onion and fry on a medium heat for 8 minutes, until softened.

Add garlic, carrots, tomato puree and a big pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for a further minutes.

Tip in the tomatoes and the drained beans, followed by the broth or water. Turn up the heat, cover with a lid and cook at a medium simmer for 10 minutes until the carrots are tender.

Puree the soup until smooth in the pan using a hand-held stick blender, or in batches in a food processor, and then taste for seasoning, adding maple syrup (if using). You can also add more broth to get the consistency you want.

Ladle into bowls. Stir through the basil and drizzle the oil.

Big fat Greek tomatoes (Option 1)

Recipe courtesy of The Co-operative Food Magazine.

Low in Fat

Serves : 4 Time to prepare/cook : 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients :
8 large vine tomatoes
1 tblsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tblsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
5 Co-operative Kalamata Olives, drained and chopped
75g long-grain rice
50ml dry white wine
130ml vegetable stock
Freshly ground black pepper
40g Healthy choice Greek salad cheese, crumbled

Method :

Carefully slice off top of each tomato and scoop out flesh. Reserve. Heat oil in a heavy-based pan and fry onions and garlic until soft and golden. Add parsley, tomato pulp and olives. Cook for a few minutes and then add rice.

Stir, then pour in wine, stock and black pepper and simmer mixture for 15 to 20 minutes on hob.

Heat oven to gas mark 4 / 180oC / Fan 160oC. Spoon filling into each tomato shell and top with cheese. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Salute the Salad : Farro, Herb-baked Tomatoes, Roast Carrots and Parmesan

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (May 2016) and taken from “Savour : Salads for all seasons” by Peter Gordon.

Farro is a grain that has had a lot of attention in recent years. I enjoy its texture and often use it in salads such as this. Roast tomatoes are great in summer, when cooking makes them even sweeter. In cooler months, roasting improves the flavour of hothouse-raised ones.

Serves 6 as a starter or side dish

Serve at room temperature

Ingredients :
300g farro, rinsed and drained
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
3 tblsp baby capers
2 tblsp red wine vinegar
3 carrots (use orange and purple ones), peeled and tops cut off, halved lengthways
4 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
6 plum tomatoes, halved lengthways
1 tsp roughly chopped oregano
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
2 handfuls rocket
50g parmesan, shaved with a sharp knife

Step One : Preheat the oven to 170oC / 350oF / Gas mark 4. Put the farro into a medium pan, cover with 3 cm of cold water and add the onion and bay leaf. Bring to the boil and put a lid on the pan. Reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and cook until the grains are tender, about 40 minutes. Add 1 tsp of flaky salt after 20 minutes. Drain in a colander, then transfer to a large bowl. Taste for seasoning and mix in the capers and vinegar. Leave to cool.

Step Two : While the farro is cooking, lay the carrots in a roasting dish, drizzle on 2 tblsp of the oil and half the thyme, season with salt and pepper and add 2 tblsp of water. Roast for about 30 minutes; until you can easily insert a sharp knife through them. Cut each into 5 or 6 pieces.

Step Three : Lay the tomato halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment (to make it easier to clean). Mix the oregano, rosemary and the remaining thyme and 2 tblsp of oil and drizzle this on the tomatoes. Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the tomatoes have shrunk a little and coloured slightly.

Step Four : To serve, toss the rocket loosely through the farro and divide among your plates. Sit the carrots and tomatoes on top, pour on any roasting juices and then scatter with parmesan shavings.