Unripened Tomatoes On Your Vines?

You planted and nurtured the tomato vines all summer and still have green fruit that won't ripen.  So now what?  With the weird weather patterns that we've had this year, our vines haven't been as productive.  It finally got cold and so we've pulled off all the green tomatoes - mostly romas but a whole bunch of cherry and grape tomatoes, too - because obviously they were never going to get ripe.

Thakali Masiyal (Green Tomato and Lentil Stew)
5 cups water

3/4 cup dry toor dal (yellow split peas)*

4 heaping cups of chopped green and pink tomatoes (about 2.5 pounds, I think - I don't have a scale; chopped into 1/2" dice) – I used half green and half that were pinkish and not fully ripe)

1-2 small green chilies, ribs and seeds removed and chopped - add at least one, and add the second to taste

1 cup water

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon tamarind paste*

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sambar powder*, optional

*all of these ingredients are available at Indian grocery stores; good supermarkets (such as Whole Foods) will probably have the Tamcon tamarind paste and the dal.
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1. In a large stockpot, bring the 5 cups of water to a boil. Add the toor dal and turn heat down to medium-high. Cook uncovered until the dal is tender and starting to fall apart, about 30-35 minutes.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and chilies and water and cook covered for 10 minutes on medium heat.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and cover the pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Cook for another 20-30 minutes – the tomatoes should be very soft and falling apart, and the mixture should be thick and brownish/red and have reduced by about 1/3.
4. Mix with basmati rice (about 2/3 cup dry rice will make enough cooked rice to go along with this recipe) and serve with papad.

http://www.thekitchn.com/green-tomato-fi-4-36015

 

 

Cajun Shrimp Boil - A Feast Fit For A Queen



A Feast Fit For A Queen

Well California Dungeness Crab Lovers we're in a big pickle since the season has been denied!  What's a cook to do?  Pull out the

CAJUN SHRIMP BOIL & PARTY ON!!

Ingredients                     

Servings 6                                              

• 6 quarts water
• 3 cups beer
• 4 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 4 tablespoons dried parsley
• ¹⁄₄ cup yellow mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons celery seeds
• 15 bay leaves
• ¹⁄₄ cup cayenne
• 5 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 3 tablespoons dill seeds
• 2 tablespoons whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 5 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 5 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
• ²⁄₃ cup seasoning salt
• ¹⁄₃ cup salt
• 6 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 lemons, quartered
• 2 large jalapeno peppers, quartered
• 2 large onions, quartered
• 18 new potatoes (or 6 medium potatoes, cut into thirds)
• 6 ears fresh corn, shucked and broken in half
• 3 lbs large shrimp, in shell

• Dipping sauce

• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
• 2 teaspoons chili sauce (Heinz)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

 

November Harvest of the Month - Persimmons

Persimmon is one of my favorite colors, I've used persimmons to decorate the Thanksgiving table.
Food52 Review: Everything about this recipe is lovely, simple, and delicious. The mild ricotta and tangy chèvre balance each other out nicely and create this amazing pillow atop the crunchy bread, buoying the flavors of the persimmon, hazelnut, and rosemary. The warm honey and sprinkle of sea salt holds it all together. I wanted to eat all of them myself! (less) Everything about this recipe is lovely, simple, and delicious. The mild ricotta and tangy chèvre balance each other out nicely and create this amazing pillow atop the crunchy bread, buoying the flavors of the persimmon, hazelnut, and rosemary. The warm honey and sprinkle of sea salt holds it all together. I wanted to eat all of them myself!

Serves 4

• 4 Ripe but not too ripe Fuyu persimmons
• 1/2cup fresh tangy goat cheese (at room temperature)
• 1/2cup fresh ricotta
• 1/4cup light colored honey (not buckwheat)
• 8 Slices crusty country bread
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4cup toasted hazelnuts (or pistachios), coarsely chopped
• Coarse ground black pepper
• Flaky sea salt
• 1tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (or mint if using pistachios)
• 1tablespoon lemon zest (Meyer, if you have it)
• 1tablespoon lemon juice (Meyer if you have it)

1. Brush bread with olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle with salt & pepper, and bake at 375°F until crisp and lightly browned.
2. Cut the persimmons into 8 lovely juicy orange petals. Remove seeds and peel (I use a paring knife), and sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice.
3. Whisk together ricotta, goat cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and rosemary.
4. Dollop cheese mixture on warm toasts. Lay 4-6 slices of persimmon on each toast, and sprinkle with coarse pepper and sea salt flakes.
5. Heat honey gently.
6. Drizzle with warm honey and sprinkle with toasted Hazelnuts. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

This recipe is a Community Pick!

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Persimmons

By Aliwaks