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Friday, July 07, 2006

A Garden Update and Recipe

I've been having to race against birds this summer. Not a flying race, of course, but an eating one. They want to eat all the best tomatoes in my garden just before they're completely ripe, and I've had my heart broken several times when I've gone out to harvest the biggest, reddest tomato only to find that it had been half-eaten overnight. So I've resorted to picking them earlier than I normally would and letting them ripen in the window. Even with the competition from the birds, I've got a window-full of ripe tomatoes now, enough that I'm starting to cook with them a little, rather than just devouring them raw, juices running down my chin as I eat them over the sink. (Sorry, not a pretty picture!)

In other garden news, my prolific basil hit its peak today, and I spent the morning harvesting it. I saved a little to use over the next few days and froze the rest in ice cube trays to get us through the bleak, basil-less days of winter. Then I went right back outside and planted a second crop, this time some Thai and Black Opal varieties. I'm hoping that in a month or so I'll be overrun with basil again. For now I'm content with having a house and hands that smell like pesto.

After working with the basil all morning, you'd think I'd be sick of the stuff, but somehow I wasn't. I was hungry, though, and I wanted something a little different for lunch, so I decided to throw together a hummus-like dip using roasted tomatoes and basil. And it was great, bursting with fresh, sweet tomatoes, peppery basil, and garlic--but zero added fat.

Roasted Tomato Bean Dip

Roasted Tomato Bean Dip
(yet another hummus!)

2 medium-large tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano, and salt (optional)

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice)
10-12 large leaves fresh basil
salt, to taste (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch slices and place them in a large, oiled baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle each slice with garlic, using only half of the garlic. Add a sprinkling of black pepper, oregano, and salt to the top of each slice. (You can also add olive oil, but I resisted the temptation.)

Place in the oven for about 30 minutes, until tomatoes are totally cooked but are not burning. Remove from oven to cool (or use warm and then chill the dip after preparing).

Place the remaining garlic into the food processor along with the chickpeas, vinegar, and roasted tomatoes. Blend well. Add the basil leaves and salt, if you like, and blend again. Serve chilled with vegetables or crackers for dipping. Also makes a good sandwich spread or salad dressing.

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12 Comments:

Blogger Milinda said...

I am so fixing this tomorrow. What a fabulous way to use up the last of my tomatoes before Sunday's farmers' market.

About those birds--are you sure that it is the birds eating your tomatoes and not hornworms? My entry for 08/16/05 has a picture of a hornworm attacked pineapple tomato.

10:27 PM, July 07, 2006  
Blogger SusanV said...

Hi Milinda--It's definitely birds. They're very brazen about it and don't fly away until I'm just a few feet from them! They used to sit on the stakes holding the plants and just peck on the topmost tomatoes, but lately they get deep inside the bushes to get the other tomatoes too. The ones I've actually caught have been mockingbirds, but I suspect that cardinals are at it too, since there are so many of them around.

This is the first year I haven't had any hornworms--but then again, the birds probably ate them!

8:14 AM, July 08, 2006  
Blogger Melody said...

The dip looks lovely... and you can never, ever have too much basil.. the smell is so wonderful and cleansing.. and of course, the taste is out of this world.

5:51 PM, July 08, 2006  
Blogger Michelle said...

man, if i had the basil, i would make this today!! hmm, maybe i'll walk up to the store and get some :) i LOVE tomatoes.

7:51 AM, July 09, 2006  
Blogger Urban Vegan said...

that looks like the epitome of good summer food. sorry to hear about your gorumand birds--but they do have good taste, right?

11:48 AM, July 09, 2006  
Blogger funwithyourfood said...

My grandpa always has trouble with birds on his garden to. Have you tried puttin netting around the plants? It makes it harded for the birds to get in and it requires no chemicals :)

Teddy


ps just got home from visiting my grandparents in upstate NY. I have some pictures of a month old Colt I saw while I was there. It's too cute!

7:07 PM, July 09, 2006  
Blogger Ellen said...

Hi Susan,

I just wanted to let you know that I ordered and just received a pressure cooker, after some advice from you. I got a 7 liter Kuhn Rikon duromatic and am looking forward to using it tomorrow. Thanks so much for your help!
Ellen A.

8:47 PM, July 09, 2006  
Blogger KleoPatra said...

*sigh* Love birds but i can imagine the frustration...

Basil is beautiful! Good for you to have so much of it. I'm sure you'll have tons of situations where it's gonna be perfect!

9:56 PM, July 09, 2006  
Blogger Michelle said...

okay, made it and loooooove it!

6:41 PM, July 10, 2006  
Blogger Merry said...

One of my past co-workers had the same bird issue. His trick was to cut up his wife's old (clean) panty hose and put a "tube" around each green tomato. The sunlight still gets in to ripen the tomatoes but the birds can't seem to figure out what they are so they don't eat them. I've never done it myself but it's worth a try!

4:59 PM, July 12, 2006  
Anonymous Miko said...

I think you're not giving yourself enough credit: eating anything with the gusto that makes the juices run down your chin is a beautiful thing!

12:26 PM, July 21, 2006  
Anonymous ruthemily said...

Just made this
- tried it warm from the food processor, could have eaten the entire lot with a spoon! Real comfort food, like baby food!
I imagine I'll make this a lot, it has a deliciously subtle flavour and is very morish - good job it's so healthy!

ruthemily

4:34 PM, October 23, 2007  

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