Monday, September 03, 2007

OLS10: tardy!


How could I be late for the last One Local Summer post? I had some very good reasons (the main one being the excitement of a visit from one grandson), but as I tell my students: I don't want to hear your excuses. (My reasoning being that I don't want to have to decide if someone's grandmother really died; and anyway, I always give extensions.)

But here, late, is my last OLS meal:
OLS 10 Menu
Pasta with Sauteed Vegetables
(local noodles, peppers and onions from the market, kale and herbs from the garden)

Mixed Tomatoes with Honey and Olive Oil (garden tomatoes, market honey, nonlocal olive oil)

Cucumber Salad (D's father's cucumbers with my herbs, a little local vinegar)

Chocolate Ice Cream (from Honey Hut, our favorite local ice cream maker since the '70s)

This was a meal notable for its simplicity and ease: vegetables chopped and sauteed to a sputter, then thrown together with the pasta, or mixed with their oil or vinegar baths. My favorite part of it is also my #1 favorite salad of the summer, which I've eaten several dozen times, at both lunch and dinner--the tomato salad. I never thought before this year to add honey to tomatoes, and I'm not sure why I did the first time, except that I was feeling experimental. But the fact is that honey and olive oil (sometimes with a squeeze of lemon or lime, sometimes not) is ambrosial. Here's a loose recipe.

Ambrosial Tomato Salad
Several mixed tomatoes--whatever you have in your garden or market basket
A good olive oil; I used about a teaspoon per cup of tomatoes
A squeeze or 2 of honey
A pinch or 2 of salt, to taste
Whatever herbs need pruning in the garden: I've used dill, basil, mint, cilantro, and sometimes a combination, depending on the day. My favorite combination was mint and opal basil.
Chop the tomatoes; if you're using cherry tomatoes in the mix, cut them in half so that they absorb the flavors. Sprinkle with salt and let sit while you gather your herbs (the salt draws out the tomato juices, which in this case, you don't want to discard, but savor). Add olive oil and honey and the chopped or torn herbs. Eat immediately, preferably outside on a day of the perfect temperature (for me that would be a nonhumid 82).

8 comments:

El said...

(I give extensions, too!) SO glad you didn't forget, Lucette! And I have been eating tomato salads with wanton abandon lately, too. I will try the honey tip, thanks!

Anonymous said...

Browsing the Eat Local Challenge, I found your blog. I thought that you might be interested in our website Loulies which has two features: (1) "e-bites" which are sent out , onaverage, twice a week via email. The are short musings on anything and everything inspired by food and always include a great recipe, must-have tip, menu idea, new ingredient discovered etc. You must sign-up to receive the e-bites. (2) A Cook the Book club for those who want to learn to cookbetter with us (like a traditional book club, but we cook instead of read - this is how Suzanne and I met over 10 years ago and have learned to cook better with friends - it is really a great concept).

Please go to our website and sign-up to gain a better sense of who we are and how our site works. Everything we have written so far is archived on our home page.

Bettina
http://loulies.com/local_foods

OhioMom said...

This tomato salad is one I will definitely try. Enjoyed reading your blog.

Heather said...

Just found your blog and look forward to reading through your archives sometime soon.

Heather
www.sugargoddess.blogspot.com

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Al said...

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