Last month, a friend who has access to an amazing vegetable garden brought me a mountain of beautiful tomatoes…literally hot off the vines. They were so ripe there was no waiting; the moment to use them was now.
Of course I wanted to preserve most of them in some way (I have written of many things that can be done to preserve the late summer abundance of tomatoes: sauce, oven dried, frozen whole, fondue). But as it happened, I was in the middle of planning my September curbside dinner. I immediately knew that some of those tomatoes would make their way into a sauce of some kind for that menu. Because I have to keep costs reasonable for these dinners, a sauce of vine ripened tomatoes—that usually cost upwards of five or six dollars a pound—is just not within reach. What a great thing to receive a gift from my friend…that I could in turn share with my regular clients.
I had recently made a dinner for myself of a simple basmati pilaf with sautéed zucchini and sweet corn…topped with an egg…and a few spoonfuls of a concentrated tomato compote/sauce. The tomato sauce was a last minute thought because at the time I had a small, very ripe tomato sitting on my counter that I had really needed to use. It was the size with which I would normally make a quick summer tomato sauce for pasta—but I wasn’t really in the mood for pasta. So instead, I made my usual sauce… and then served it dolloped over the pilaf and egg.
The result was memorable: The tangy character of the ripe, late season tomato lit up the other ingredients. And the meal itself perfectly captured the moment in terms of the available ingredients and this year’s extended season of warm weather (too warm really to start thinking about the traditional foods of autumn).
As I thought about what I wanted to make for my curbside, I remembered that little dinner. I can’t really give my patrons a cooked ahead fried egg…but I can give them a nicely seared piece of fish that they can then finish in their own ovens.
The tomato compote I made for the curbside was a cross between my quick summer tomato sauce and a rich tomato fondue that I occasionally make. The quick sauce is made with roughly chopped tomatoes (skins and seeds included) and cooked down quickly in lots of olive oil and garlic. (It is ready in the time it takes to boil pasta!) The tomato fondue is a rich, more refined, compote of skinned and seeded tomatoes, cooked down in a base of olive oil, garlic and onions that have first been cooked to total softness. I ended up calling my sauce for the curbside fondue because it was reduced and concentrated. But I left the seeds in (removing only the skin) and omitted the onions. The result was thick and rich (perfect for dolloping)…and tangy and sweet (great for enhancing the mild flavors of the rest of the dish). It is basically the quick sauce without the tomato skin. I’ve decided to rename it “Late Season Tomato Compote.”
When making the “compote” for just one or two servings, you can simply make the original quick summer tomato sauce. The main reason I didn’t make it for the curbside was I discovered that the longer cooking required for larger batches tended to toughen the skins—making them discernible in the final dish.
I had so many tomatoes that I made extra of the compote for myself. I froze it in little 2 oz containers (about a quarter cup or one serving)…which I will be able to enjoy all winter long…on pastas and pizzas—or to enhance a soup—or to go with a grain pilaf with a fried egg. If you are looking for ways to preserve those big boxes of late season tomatoes that might still be coming into your farmers market, you should give this a try.
When I finally settled on my menu, not only did I change out the egg for salmon…I also swapped out rice for bulgur. I liked the color contrast and the variation (rightly…or wrongly…assuming that people are more likely to make rice for themselves than bulgur). I also added some crushed fennel seed and dried oregano to the pilaf to further compliment all of the vegetables. I’m going to post the recipe for the bulgur pilaf. But you could obviously make a basmati pilaf (or freekeh…or quinoa…) instead. The pilaf is mostly a vehicle for all of the delicious vegetables.
I was very happy with the result. I have made a lot of curbside dinners in the past few years…but I think this was one of my favorites. It was simple…beautiful…and perfectly “of the moment.” What a wonderful gift I received from my friend.
Late Summer Tomato Compote
3 to 4 T. olive oil
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 to 1/4 t. hot pepper flakes (as you prefer)
1 1/4 lb. vine ripened tomatoes, peeled, cored and roughly diced
Place the oil, along with the garlic and pepper flakes in a large sauté pan and place the pan over moderately high to high heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle enthusiastically and is just on the verge of taking on a bit of color, add the tomatoes (along with all of the juices) to the pan. The tomatoes should immediately begin to simmer rapidly. Allow the tomatoes to cook, shaking the pan back and forth occasionally, stirring at regular intervals and regulating the heat in order to maintain a brisk simmer, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce is very thick (a path will remain when you draw a spoon through the tomatoes) and the oil is just beginning to break out of the sauce. You should have a generous cup. Remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt.
Bulgur Pilaf with Corn & Zucchini
2 T. olive oil
1 small red onion (4 to 5 oz.), finely diced (you will have about 1 c. diced onion)
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 t. fennel seed, crushed with a mortar & pestle
1 t. dried oregano
1 c. (6 oz.) medium bulgur, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 c. boiling water
2 T. olive oil
10 oz. trimmed zucchini, cut in a 1/3-inch dice
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 ears of corn, roasted in the husk and kernels cut from the cob to yield 1 3/4 to 2 cups
2 T. minced parsley
Warm 2 T. olive oil in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid over moderate heat. Add the onions along with a pinch of salt and sweat until tender and translucent and beginning to turn golden around the edges. Add the garlic, fennel & oregano and cook until fragrant—about a minute. Increase the heat to medium high and add the drained bulgur along with a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook for a minute. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered until the bulgur is tender—12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand (covered) for 5 minutes.
While the bulgur cooks, sauté the zucchini. Warm the olive oil in a medium sauté pan set over moderately high heat. When the pan is hot, add the zucchini and sauté, tossing occasionally until tender and browned in spots. Add the garlic, toss to distribute. When fragrant, add the corn and toss to combine. Heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
When the bulgur is done, transfer to a large bowl along with the zucchini and corn. Add the parsley and toss to combine.
Enjoy the pilaf warm or at room temperature. Serves 4
To serve the compote & pilaf with fish (as I did for the dinner):
Sear the Salmon (or whatever fish you prefer…Halibut would be good, too): Place a heavy sauté pan that is large enough to hold the fish over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, season the fish on both sides with salt & pepper. Add a thin film of olive oil to the pan. When the oil is very hot, add the fish, service-side down (if you leave the skin on, this will be the side with the skin…if the fish is skinless, this will be the interior side). Cook until it is a beautiful golden brown—about 3 minutes, regulating the heat as necessary to prevent smoking but at the same time, maintain an active sizzle. Turn the fish over and continue to cook until barely opaque in the center—another 3 minutes or so (reducing the heat further, as necessary). Remove from the pan and keep warm. Mound a quarter of the pilaf in the center of each plate, spreading out a bit to make room for the fish on top. Transfer the fish to the pilaf. Drizzle and dollop about a quarter cup of the compote over and around the fish and pilaf. Enjoy.
Variation: Substitute a
fried or poached egg for the fish.
