The Apartment Kitchen » tomatoes

Tamale Pie

admin — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:40:59 +0000

Some of my more frequent readers can probably tell when I’m in a photo shoot at work – because I disapear from the blogosphere. Managing the photo shoots for the cookbooks the CIA produces is one of the busiest and most hectic parts of my job, and it often leads to me working odd hours. For the past week and a half, I’ve been getting home an hour or two later than I usually do. This is part of the reason I have been MIA.

The other is that a few days ago, I made this tamale pie for Matt. It only made a (deep) 9″ x 9″ casserole, but it has been lasting us for days (a rareity in our house). It reheats really well in the oven, and the flavors of the filling are only getting better as they sit. (Side note – this isn’t the best picture – I always have the hardest time photographing casseroles – but the cheesy crust should be appealing enough to get you to try this!)

Over the weekend I plan to get some serious cooking in – I’m taking a class to brush up on my knife skills, and cleaning my oven (a long over-due task). I’m sure a clean kitchen and house will inspire me to tackle next week!

Tamale Pie

Adapated from Mangio Dasola

Served 4-6.

Leftover Potential: Reheat in the oven – delish!

2 Tbsp oil

1 red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground beef, pork, turkey, or chicken

1 (14 oz) can stewed tomatoes

1 (14 oz) can black beans, drained

salt and pepper, as needed

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

pinch cayenne pepper

1 (14 oz) can corn kernels

1 3/4 cups cornmeal

3 Tbsp all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg

2 Tbsp melted butter

grated jack cheese, for garnish

1. In a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and saute until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

2. Add the ground meat and saute until browned. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and spices. Let simmer while you prepare the cornbread batter.

3. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter to combine.

4. Grease a deep 9″ by 9″ casserole dish. Pour 1/2 of the cornbread batter in the base, and cover it with half of the corn. Top that with the entire meat mixture on top, cover with remaining corn, remaining cornbread batter, and top with the cheese.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven until baked through, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Roasted Tomato Soup

theapartmentkitchen — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:55:23 +0000

A bit of a bug put me in the mood for soup. I immediately thought of tomato soup – I love it and generally only make it in the summer when the tomatoes are the ripest. But it sounded so good, I thought I would try it with good quality canned tomatoes and roast them to boost their flavor. I used olive oil for richness and balsamic to bring out their sweetness and acidity, and was really happy with the results. After I made, I ran around my house with a spoon forcing everyone to taste. What did I discover? No one (no one) in my house likes tomato soup, leaving me with the whole pot to myself! (Oh yea)

Roasted Tomato Soup

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts

Leftover Potential: Delicious reheated and comforted me all week.

2 large cans (32 oz) whole tomatoes

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper, as needed

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, thinly sliced

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

4 cloves garlic

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

salt and lots of pepper, as needed

1. Drain the tomatoes, and reserve the juice. Halve the tomatoes and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes evenly with olive oil and vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until they are slightly blistered and lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 7-9 minutes.

3. Add the drained tomato juice to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced almost entirely.

4. Add the roasted tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, and continue to simmer until good flavor develops, about 10-15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Panfried Pork Chops with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce

theapartmentkitchen — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:21:34 +0000

What? You think I’m using way too many mushrooms? Well, you’re right. I even hid the mushrooms from you in the meatball sub (I put mine on as a last minute addition after I’d assembled and photographed Matt’s sandwich). I admit it, I am a mushroom addict. There is reason to my madness – they were massively on sale at my market last week. And, I’m totally in love with them.

So yes, I made a mushroom sauce for some pork chops over the weekend. But this sauce has tomatoes stirred in, which gives it acidity and a really nice body (i.e. you add tomatoes and you’ve got insta-sauce). So I figure this could be a tomato-onion sauce, a tomato-corn sauce, a tomato-cauliflower sauce, a tomato-sausage sauce…you pick. Or, if you’re a mushroom obsessed diner like me, you can leave them in.

Either way, don’t worry. I’m out of mushrooms. For now, anyway…

Panfried Pork Chops with Tomato-Mushroom Sauce

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: I had two pork chops leftover, which made for some pretty decent sandwiches with some of the leftover sauce and some arugula.

4 thin pork chops

salt and pepper, to taste

flour, as needed for breading

1 egg, lightly beaten

breadcrumbs, as needed for breading

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 basket mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/3 cup crushed tomatoes

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper.

2. Dredge the pork chops in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Be sure they are fully coated each step of the way.

3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the pork chops and panfry until they are golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.

4. Transfer the pan to the oven (be sure it’s totally oven safe – no plastic handles, etc.) and bake until cooked through. Lower the oven temperature to simply keep the pork warm, if needed.

5. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes more.

6. Deglaze the pan with the tomatoes. Stir in the herbs, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until the liquid has evaporated slightly, about 3-5 minutes.

7. Add the cooked pork chops to the sauce. Serve immediately.

Spicy Rice and Beans

theapartmentkitchen — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:58:37 +0000

A few times I like to cook and eat vegetarian. Ok, so more than sometimes. So basically, multiple times a week, I turn to Matt and say “cook whatever meat you want that goes with this.” The man is a major carnivore, but it does not stop me from my tasty plotting. I started craving rice and beans this week – warm and hearty and perfect in cold weather. When I got home from work, I went for a walk with the dog and the roommates, came home, and had dinner on the table in less than half an hour. A perfect night.

Spicy Rice and Beans

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: Reheats pretty well, and made just enough for breakfast the next morning: with a fried egg on top!

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup rice

1/4 cup tomato puree

3/4 cup broth

3/4 cup peas

salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1/4 cup tomato puree

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp coriander

1 1/2 cup black beans, cooked

1 1/2 cup pinto beans, cooked

1 bunch green onions, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a small pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and rice and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.

2. Add the tomato and the broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil for the beans in a medium pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent. Add te jalapeno and garlic and saute until fragrant.

4. Add the tomato puree and spices. Simmer until the tomato evaporated somewhat.

5. Stir in the beans and green onions, simmer to heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

6. When the liquid has evaporated and the rice is tender, stir in the peas, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the beans!

Black Pepper Grits with Roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Steak, and Over Easy Eggs

theapartmentkitchen — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 23:51:14 +0000

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a major egg fan. Poached, over-easy…ok, I admit it, anything with a rich, runny yolk has my heart all a-flutter. But since Matt is not much of a breakfast fan, I don’t often indulge my cravings to have breakfast for dinner. Which is a shame, because it’s easy and super fast, and it’s the perfect way to use whatever sounds good.

This dish certainly had several items that were cooked different ways, but I optimized space and still managed very little cleanup (and some leftovers). You could always use sauteed tomatoes (I just love the flavor and juiciness of the roasted), bacon, sausage, or any leftovers you had in the fridge (grits are a pretty delicious delivery system for almost anything). In the end, it may not be the prettiest thing to look at, but that doesn’t matter, because first chance I got, I smashed it all up into one, big, delicious bowl of breakfasty goodness.

Black Pepper Grits with Roasted Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions, Steak, and Over Easy Eggs

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: This amount of grits is a tad much for one person, but I liked it because I had some for breakfast the following morning.

1/2 cup grits

2 1/4 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp butter

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 steak

2 eggs

1. In a small pot, combine the grits and broth. Bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grits are thick and have absorbed most of the liquid. Season generously with salt and pepper, and finish with a knob of butter. Keep warm.

2. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and roast in a 375 degree oven until slightly dried, about 15 minutes.

3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and saute until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Push the onions to one side of the pan.

4. Season the steak with salt and pepper and add to the empty side of the pan. Cook until both sides are nicely browned but the center is still pink (for medium rare), about 4-6 minutes per side.

5. Remove the steak and onions from the pan. Add a little more oil to the pan and crack the eggs inside. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the whites are set. Flip the egg over itself, and continue to cook over low heat until the white is cooked through, about 2 minutes more.

6. Pile the grits into a bowl, top with the steak, tomatoes, and onions, and finish with the eggs.

Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole with Poblanos, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Corn, and Red Onions

theapartmentkitchen — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:38:54 +0000

This dish doesn’t sound like much. I say that because when Matt said this afternoon “Let’s make something simple for dinner” and I suggested this dish, he didn’t exactly jump up and down. It sounds basic, and maybe even dull. But what pushes something like this over the top (and always does) is really good ingredients and really good flavor. This seemingly simple casserole was bursting with flavor: poblano and bell peppers, sweet corn, moist chicken, and really good cheddar cheese. If you want to take something to the next level, insert flavor whenever possible in a dish like this, even if it means and extra step: roast the corn and the peppers, season the chicken with herbs and spices, or cook the rice in broth instead of water (which makes for an incredibly flavorful base). The end result was as satisfying as it was quick – and could easily be altered with all sorts of different ingredients to suit your taste.

Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole with Poblanos, Bell Pepper, Tomatoes, Corn, and Red Onions

Serves 4.

Leftover Potential: Reheats well – you can assemble this casserole, refrigerate it, and bake it when you’re ready.

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice

1/4 cup beef or chicken broth

3/4 cup Greek yogurt (or sour cream)

2 Tbsp oil

1 red onion, diced

1 poblano pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup corn kernels

1 cup crushed tomatoes

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cups diced cooked chicken

cheddar cheese, to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1. Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the broth and yogurt, set aside.

2. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and peppers, and saute until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, corn, and tomatoes, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the chicken and rice mixture and toss to combine. Spoon into a lightly greased casserole dish (I used four individual dishes). Top with grated cheddar cheese and pepper. Bake in a 350 degree oven until bubbling in the center and the cheese is melted. Serve warm.

White Beans with Sausage, Tomato, and Mushrooms

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:05:20 +0000

I saw a recipe once on Epicurious for a dish with white beans and sausage. I loved the idea, because white beans (you may have heard me gush about them before) are so creamy and delicious. Combining my favorite beans with sausage (turkey or chicken sausage for a healthier option) and some homemade tomato sauce and I had the perfect substitute for pasta. At the same time, the beans added a heartiness that really filled me up – a wonderful warm, chunky stew of sorts that was tossed together in no time, especially if you have tomato sauce on hand. Even if you don’t, this meal takes less than a half hour.

White Beans with Sausage, Tomato, and Mushrooms

Served 1 generously (or 2 smaller servings)

Leftover Potential: I could see making a big batch of this in the future on a busy week. Adding some chicken stock would make this into more of a soup, which I could see being delish!

1 cup tomato sauce

3/4 cup white beans, cooked (I like to cook mine in chicken or veg stock for more flavor)

1 Tbsp oil

1 hot Italian sausage

1/2 cup mushrooms, diced

1 Tbsp basil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1. In a small pot, heat the tomato sauce over medium heat (you can also cook the beans in the tomato sauce, just add some liquid (stock or broth). Add the white beans, and bring mixture to a simmer.

2. In a small saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage, and cook until evenly browned on the outside, turning occasionally, about 3-4 minutes. Slice the sausage, and add it to the white bean mixture.

3. Add the mushrooms to the saute pan, and cook briefly in the remaining fat. Add the mushrooms to the white bean mixture.

4. Simmer until the mushrooms are tender and the sausage is cooked through. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Pizza with White Bean-Rosemary Puree, Bacon, Broccoli Rabe, Tomatoes, Onions, and Parmesan

theapartmentkitchen — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:47:33 +0000

I love making pizza for a quick meal. Now, normally, some people think of “pizza as a quick meal” as picking up the phone, ordering, and waiting with $20 by the front door. But since I love making bread doughs and freezing them in individual portions until I need them, pizza is a great thing to make when I need a fast dinner. I just take the dough out of the freezer (put it into the fridge) on my way into work, and when I come home, I have dough ready to go. I can fish through the fridge and use whatever meat, veggies, and herbs I have on hand. For this version I made a quick puree of white beans and herbs from the garden (I just love the white beans – so rich and creamy, makes a great sauce substitution for this pizza).

Best of all, the warm, bubbly, cheesy result is incredibly satisfying – like I’d spent hours waiting for it to come to fruition (or to the front door). But the whole thing is done in minutes. All in all – the ideal meal: portioned for one (especially convenient as Matt hates pizza), uses up leftovers, and is done super fast. Hmm. Maybe I’ll go make another one.

Pizza with White Bean-Rosemary Puree, Bacon, Broccoli Rabe, Onions, Tomatoes and Parmesan

Served 1.

Leftover Potential: Leftover dough freezes well – just thaw when you want another pizza! Or if you think it will take less time, just refrigerate the dough until you’re ready for more! Just use whatever you have on hand for toppings!

pizza dough (or naan dough)

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained

2 Tbsp rosemary

1 Tbsp basil

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 Tbsp oil

5-6 pieces broccoli rabe (if the stems are thick, peel the tough outer part off, or just remove the leafy heads)

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

4 pieces bacon, diced

handful cherry tomatoes, halved

parmesan cheese, grated, as desired (I only use a little bit)

1. Roll the pizza dough out to the thickness you want. If you like a thicker crust, anywhere between 1/2″-3/4″, if you like a crispy, thin crust, anywhere between 1/8″-1/4″. When the dough gets thinner, you can also press it out with your hands. Place the dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet, brush the top of the dough with olive oil.

2. In a food processor or blender, puree the beans, herbs, and oil. If necessary, add water 1 Tbsp at a time to make a smooth, spreadable mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the oil in a small saute pan. Add the broccoli rabe and onion, saute until beginning to become tender (1-2 minutes). You just want to get it started so it will be completely tender when it’s done baking.

4. To assemble the pizza, spread a layer of white bean puree onto the pizza dough. Add the broccoli rabe, onions, raw bacon, and tomatoes. Finish with grated parmesan cheese.

5. Bake in a 400 degree oven until the crust is crisp and the toppings are golden brown. Eat hot (or later, cold from the fridge!)

Warm Salad of Arugula, Tomatoes, Fava Beans, Shallots, Sausage, Mozzarella, and Whole Wheat Pasta

theapartmentkitchen — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:12:50 +0000

Pasta is something I don’t make too often…which is a shame because it is such an ideal dish for the apartment kitchen! Fast, simple, and you can really use whatever you have. On the rare occasions that I do make pasta, I usually plan it out pretty carefully: what flavors I want to use, what ingredients will go together, etc. but you don’t have to! Toss together whatever is in the fridge and eat it warm or cold!

This is one of my favorite things to do with pasta – use it as an element in a leafy green salad. It’s not pasta with arugula, it’s arugula with pasta. This makes it a little healthier but also puts the emphasis on the veggies and other toppings which is really the most exciting part of pasta, isn’t it? My favorite part is how the warm pasta gently wilts the greens making it the ultimate warm, delicious, and slightly unexpected dinner. Dressed with a little red wine vinegar, it couldn’t be simpler.

Warm Salad of Arugula, Tomatoes, Fava Beans, Shallots, Sausage, Mozzarella, and Whole Wheat Pasta

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: This is also a great cold pasta salad! Made 2 meals after the initial dinner.

1 cup whole wheat pasta

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, mincd

5 sausages (I used spicy chicken sausages)

1 cup fava beans, shelled (I also halved mine because they were especially large!

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 large bunch arugula, washed, stems removed

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper, as needed

1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until tender, 6-8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add the shallots, garlic, and sausages. Cook until the sausages are cooked and the shallots are translucent.

3. Add the fava beans and saute until tender. Turn off the heat.

4. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan. Add the tomatoes, arugula, and cheese. Toss to combine. Season with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Serve warm or chill until needed.

Stuffed Peppers

theapartmentkitchen — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 21:04:28 +0000

Comfort food can be healthy…which is something I was reminded of when Matt and I made stuffed peppers with tomato sauce this week. We didn’t get home until 8:00 pm from a meeting, and we needed something to cheer us up and fill us up. I topped the quick and delicious chicken and brown rice filling (precooking the filling saves time) with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese for a crispy crust out of the oven – and then finished it with a tasty fresh tomato sauce. After what had been an extremely long, hard day, we went to bed happy and, of course, full.

Stuffed Peppers with Tomato Sauce

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: You could stuff more peppers than you need and refrigerate for more meals later in the week (about 3 days).

2 large bell peppers

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp tomato paste

8 oz ground chicken

1/2 cup brown rice, cooked

2 tsp paprika

salt, as needed

pepper, as needed

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese

tomato sauce, as needed

1. Slice the tops off of the peppers, and scoop out the seeds and membranes.

2. Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.

3. Deglaze the pan with tomato paste. Add the chicken, stirring occasionally until the mixture is cooked through. Stir in the brown rice. Season with paprika, salt and pepper. Scoop the mixture into the hollowed peppers.

4. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs and cheese. divide evenly between the two peppers. Bake in a 350 degree oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce.