Eileen’s Country Kitchen: Savoring summer tomatos

Summer Cool Tomato Soup

4 to 6 tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
½ cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
6 large basil leaves, snipped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 to 3 drops hot sauce
1½ to 2 cups tomato juice concentrate
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
soft goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste

A variety of tomatoes can be used for this soup. I used a combination of red and yellow tomatoes; the latter are sweeter and less acidic than red.

You can purchase roasted red bell peppers in a jar or if you’re adventuresome, you can roast them yourself on the grill. To prepare the peppers for the grill, spray or brush a large red bell pepper with olive oil and place it on a hot grill or under the broiler, turning frequently so that all sides are charred; cooking time is 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Peel off the outer layer of charred skin, slice open, scrape out seeds, and chop to desired size. Place chopped peppers in a bowl and pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over them; set aside while you prepare the tomatoes.

Quarter tomatoes and place them in a food processor; pulse to finely chop. Place tomatoes in a large bowl; add chopped red onion, garlic, snipped basil, chopped parsley, roasted red peppers, tomato juice, hot sauce, salt, pepper, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Stir well. If you prepared your own roasted red peppers, add the olive oil from that bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Ladle soup into bowls, topped with a slice of goat cheese. Serve with slices of garlic bread. Serves four.

Tomato-Basil Brochette

loaf of Italian bread
2 to 3 medium tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, snipped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
margarine
Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven 400º.
Slice bread into pieces half an inch thick. Spread a little margarine on each slice, and place on a baking tray. Chop tomatoes, place in a bowl; add snipped basil, parsley, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Using a slotted spoon, place a spoonful of tomato mixture on each slice of bread, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in oven until cheese melts, about five minutes. Serve warm.

Baked Green Tomatoes

4 green tomatoes
2 large onions
salt and pepper
½ cup panko bread crumbs
½ teaspoon ground mustard
2 egg whites
Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400º. Lightly coat a 9-by-12-inch baking dish with olive oil. Slice tomatoes and onions ½-inch thick and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place egg white in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, whisk ground mustard and panko. Dip tomato and onion slices in egg white, then into panko dish, turning to coat each side. Layer tomato and onion slices in the baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Add grated cheese and bake until cheese melts, about five minutes. Serve warm.