plum tomato

I could use all sorts of fancy words to explain this dish, but the best description is this: pizza in rice form. The inspiration for the recipe, though, is oddly enough not Italian — it’s a hybrid of a classic South Indian tomato rice with onions and a shockingly fantastic Spanish rice recipe my mom and I photocopied out of my seventh-grade Spanish textbook for a school project. The crispy, bubbly, broiled Cheddar topping (use the sharpest white Cheddar you can find!) adds a little something something, making it a worthy dinner party dish.

Tomato Rice With Crispy Cheddar

olive oil

yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

Indian green chile

tomatoes

salt

basmati rice (from about 1 cup dry rice)

shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese

Adjust an oven rack to the highest position and heat the oven to 500 degrees.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and chile, spread them out in an even layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and starts to lightly char, 5 to 7 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes, using the back of a wooden spoon to lightly crush them. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down into a chunky sauce, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the salt and remove from heat.

Stir in the cooked rice and transfer to an 8-inch square (or similar size) baking dish. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top in an even layer.

Switch the oven to broil and place the baking dish on the oven rack closest to the broiler. Broil until the top bubbles and turns golden brown, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

The simplest of tomato sauces, this quick-cooking marinara is fresh-tasting and bright. It freezes well if you want to double up on the quantities, though you might have to cook it a bit longer to make up for the extra volume. In the accompanying picture, it's used in a recipe for <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017170-cauliflower-parmesan">cauliflower Parmesan</a>.

Simple Tomato Sauce

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

red chile flakes (optional)

plum tomatoes

basil bay leaf

kosher salt,

black pepper

In a large, straight-sided skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add garlic and cook until just lightly golden. Add chile flakes if desired and cook 30 seconds.

Stir in tomatoes and juices, basil or bay leaf, and salt and pepper.

Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until sauce is thick and tomatoes have mostly fallen apart, about 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust heat as needed to keep at a steady simmer. If using whole plum tomatoes, mash them up with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to help them break down. Remove sauce from heat and discard basil or bay leaf.

This recipe was developed to accompany the dense, earthy wines of Sicily, specifically the ones made with the grape known as nero d’Avola. It is a hearty beef ragout enriched with the wine, fresh herbs, olives, chiles and tomatoes, roasted to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavor. Like most treasures of the stew pot, the dish benefits from a rest and a reheat. If you store the tomatoes in a microwave-safe container, they can be warmed with a 30-second zap.

Sicilian Beef Ragout

plum tomatoes,

extra virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

thyme

beef

fennel bulb

leeks (white only)

shallot, finely chopped

garlic,

flour

red chile flakes

robust red wine

beef stock

rosemary

Place tomatoes in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the oil, season with salt and pepper and toss. Add leaves from 4 branches of the thyme, toss again, then spread the tomatoes in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin side down. Set aside.

Heat remaining oil in an ovenproof casserole on medium high. Dry meat and sear in several batches to avoid crowding until lightly browned on all sides. Remove to a bowl. Lower heat to medium low. Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Add fennel, leeks, shallot and garlic to casserole, stir, season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned. Stir in the flour, cook for a moment or two, than add olives, chile flakes and wine. Stir, scraping pan, and bring to a simmer. Add stock. Return meat and its juices to the casserole. Top with branches of rosemary and remaining thyme. Cover and place in the oven. Place the pan of tomatoes in the oven. Cook both for 2 hours.

Remove the pans from the oven. Check seasonings of meat. Transfer meat and sauce to a serving dish, arrange tomatoes on top and serve together.

A good stew is delicious, comforting, nutritious, homely, nostalgic, cheap to make and can be eaten and enjoyed in so many different ways. This basic stew will work every time and should be thought of as a principal recipe that you can chop and change, using different meats, herbs and liquids – think chicken or butter beans and white wine, lamb and red wine, or pork and cider. Stews are great to serve up for family dinners, because once they’re cooking away in the oven you’re free to do other things.

Beef & ale stew

celery

carrots

onions

½ a bunch of fresh rosemary (15 grams) or 3 bay leaves

plain flour

500 ml ale Guinness or stout

x plum tomatoes

Simple, beautiful and rustic, this dish originates from San Fele in the Basilicata region of southern Italy. The name essentially means stretched pasta with pangrattato (crispy breadcrumbs), but I’ve added an ingredient that’s unique to the region – a sweet, dried pepper known as peperone crusco (Senise), which are picked, hung and dried, and have long been integral to many local dishes. Toast them back to life in a hot pan, then chop and scatter them through your pangrattato for something truly special. A joy to eat.

Danny Devito's family pasta

durum wheat flour

kg ripe tomatoes

garlic

peperoni cruschi (dried Senise peppers)

breadcrumbs

This falls somewhere between a mezze salad, a sauce and a dip. It is rich and intense on its own but great as part of a meal with warm flatbreads, soft-boiled eggs and perhaps some labneh or thick yogurt on the side. Try to get your hands on the best-quality tomatoes you can find; the simplicity of this dish really lets the fresh vegetables sing. This is lovely eaten warm or at room temperature. It reheats quite well, its flavors intensifying as they sit overnight, and can be repurposed as a sauce spooned over grilled meats, couscous or pasta.

Grilled Tomatoes and Onions With Feta-Harissa Pine Nuts

red bell peppers

jalapeños,

cilantro

coriander seeds

Kosher salt

cherry tomatoes

pine nuts

harissa paste

Heat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit/245 degrees Celsius. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Add 2 tablespoons oil, the onions, bell peppers, jalapeños and garlic to a large 10-by-13-inch/26-by-34-centimeter roasting pan (tin) and give everything a good stir. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring two to three times, until softened and well charred. Remove the garlic halves and use a small knife to remove the cloves, adding them back into the roasting pan (tin) and discarding the papery skins.

Meanwhile, use a small knife to remove the core from the plum tomatoes and then carve a small X mark across the bottom of each tomato. Add half the plum tomatoes to the simmering water and blanch just until the skins begin to pull away from the flesh, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the plum tomatoes to a large colander to drain, then repeat with the remaining plum tomatoes. Once cool enough to handle, peel the plum tomatoes, discarding the skins, then roughly chop the flesh, seeds and all.

Add the plum tomatoes, 1/2 cup/20 grams cilantro (coriander), coriander seeds and 1 3/4 teaspoons salt to the roasting pan (tin) and use the back of a large spoon to mash everything together, breaking up the garlic and jalapeños a little. Return to the oven for another 35 minutes, stirring twice throughout, or until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture has thickened. Remove from the oven and set the oven to the broil (grill) setting.

Top the charred vegetables with the cherry tomatoes and feta and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Return to the oven on the middle rack and broil (grill) until the feta and cherry tomatoes have taken on some color, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium-high. Once hot, add the pine nuts and cook until golden, shaking the skillet frequently, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully stir in the harissa, then transfer to a small bowl.

When ready to serve, spoon the harissa pine nuts all over the vegetables and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro (coriander).

Succulent lamb stew

½ a bunch of fresh rosemary (15 grams)

lamb

g mixed-colour olives (stone in)

x onions

Inspired by tikka masala, this beautiful curry is destined to become your new Friday night favourite. The grilling here is super-important, as you want your paneer and veg to get nice and charred and take on those smoky flavours. Take the same time over it as you would cooking meat and you’ll have something truly special on your plate. 


Creamy paneer & veg curry

turmeric

cumin seeds

lemon

red onions

mixed-colour peppers

mixed-colour fresh chillies

cauliflower (400 grams)

paneer cheese

groundnut oil

½ a bunch of fresh curry leaves (15 grams)

ginger

garam masala

paprika

almonds

x chickpeas

x coconut milk

mango chutney

cucumber

red cabbage

¼ of a white cabbage

lime

½ a bunch of fresh coriander (15 grams)

mug of self-raising flour

black mustard seeds

g creamed coconut

Neapolitan-style pizza is typically baked in ovens heated past 900 degrees to achieve its signature crackly, thin, charred crust with a moist, stretchy crumb. But you can easily yield similar textures and flavors at home by baking pizza dough directly on the grates of a hot grill until it’s bubbly and crisp. Once the dough is baked, it can be topped and finished via indirect heat. Because grilled pizzas cook mainly from below, the cheese should be layered underneath dollops of hand-crushed tomatoes and toppings to get a good melt.

Grilled Pizza

store-bought pizza dough (defrosted overnight in the fridge, if frozen)

All-purpose flour,

Neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed

low-moisture block mozzarella (see Tips)

Toppings, (see Tips)

basil leaves scallions

Two to three hours before grilling, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using a sharp knife or a bench scraper, divide the dough into three even pieces. Drizzle a teaspoon of neutral cooking oil into three soup bowls. (Each bowl should be able to hold at least twice the volume of the dough pieces.)

Working with one piece of dough at a time, shape each into a ball by stretching it and pinching it into a point at the bottom, forming a sort of “skin” that wraps the whole ball. Lightly dust your hands with flour as necessary to prevent excessive sticking. Transfer the ball to one of the oiled bowls and turn it a few times to completely coat the surface in oil, then let it rest seam side down. Repeat Step 2 with remaining dough pieces, then drape a damp kitchen towel over all three bowls. Let the dough balls rest until roughly doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Transfer the tomatoes to a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl and shake the strainer, allowing the tomatoes to drain thoroughly. Still working in the strainer above the bowl, season well with salt, and, using clean hands, squeeze them through your fingers until a rough purée is formed. (The pieces of tomato should end up ranging from 1/4 inch to roughly 1 inch in size.) Allow any excess liquid to drain (you can save the strainer tomato juice for another use), then transfer the crushed tomatoes to a bowl and set aside.

Turn out one ball of dough onto a floured work surface and dust thoroughly with more flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 10-inch-by-12-to-14-inch oblong. Dust both sides thoroughly with flour, then transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining two dough balls, stacking them on top of the first with a layer of parchment paper between each.

To cook, ignite a full chimney of charcoal. When the coals are mostly covered in gray ash, spread evenly under half of the grill. (If using a gas grill, set half the burners to high, leaving the remaining burners off. Cover, and allow to heat for 10 minutes.)

Using your fingers, carefully lift one piece of rolled-out dough from the stack and drape it quickly on the grill grates directly above the fire. Let it cook without moving until the top starts to bubble and the bottom is lightly browned, about 20 to 30 seconds. Continue cooking, using metal tongs and a large spatula or thin metal pizza peel to move and rotate the crust as it cooks, until the bottom is evenly browned all over with a few charred spots, 1 to 3 minutes. 

Flip the crust, and brush the cooked side with a thin layer of olive oil. Continue cooking until the second side is browned, charred and crisp. Flip again (so that the bubblier side faces up), transfer to a clean baking sheet, and brush the second side with olive oil. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 with remaining two pizza skins, stacking the crusts as they finish cooking. (If using coal, the heat may start to dip. Extend cooking time to compensate, or add 15 to 20 fresh coals to the top of the embers and allow them to ignite before continuing.) 

Working one pizza at a time, transfer the crust to the pizza peel. (A cutting board or the back of a baking sheet will also work.) Spread a thin layer of shredded cheese across the surface of the crust (about 1 cup should do it). Using a spoon, add tablespoon-size dollops of crushed tomatoes, spaced an inch or two apart, across the whole surface of the pizza. Add toppings as desired (see Tips). Slide the pizza onto the cooler side of the grill, cover, and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is crisp, 1 to 5 minutes total, rotating the pizza occasionally to encourage even melting and crisping. Transfer to a cutting board, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil or scallions, cut into squares, and serve immediately. Repeat Step 8 with remaining pizza crusts.

This sauce can be frozen for a couple of months, or refrigerated for up to a week, and is the basis of a lot of dishes.

Basic tomato sauce

red chilli

oregano

red wine vinegar

basil

Easy tomato sauce made with plum tomatoes. You’ll need a few pantry staples like olive oil, garlic, vinegar, butter, and salt. Best of all, this will freeze so beautifully!

Plum Tomato Sauce

½ lbs plum tomatoes (about 6-8 tomatoes)

garlic ((I use 3 cloves))

balsamic vinegar

butter

Fill a large pot with water and bring to boil.

Score a shallow “X” on the bottom of each tomato with a sharp knife.

Pace tomatoes in the boiling water, and cook until the skin start to split, about 45 seconds.

Lift the tomatoes out with a slotted spoon and place them in the cold water.

Transfer the cooled tomatoes to a large bowl. Peel the skin and pull apart the tomatoes into small pieces with your hands. (This will produce a very chunky sauce, if you prefer a smooth sauce, use a food processor to blend until smooth.)

In a skillet over medium-low heat, add olive oil and garlic. Be careful not to brown the garlic.

Pour the tomato pieces (together with the juices) into the skillet and bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally until the sauce reach your desired consistency. (Simmer for about 30 minutes for a thinner tomato sauce, and for up to 90 minutes for a thick tomato sauce.)

Add in butter, balsamic vinegar and mix well. Then season with salt to taste.

Roasting the veg before immersing them in a ridiculously tasty sauce really intensifies their natural flavour, giving you even more bang for your buck. I’ve kept things fairly gentle on the spice front so that all my kids will give it a go, but feel free to add extra heat, if you like. I’m also giving you a cheat’s naan, which all my kids fight over. We’re using it as a vehicle to really bring spinach to life, but feel free to stuff with another veg of your choice, or to not stuff it at all! If you’re feeding fewer than 8 people, leftover portions of this curry freeze really well, so fill your boots. 

Roasted veggie curry

Madras curry paste

parsnip

½ a butternut squash (600 grams)

courgette

cauliflower

g frozen peas

unsalted butter

cloves

cinnamon stick

leek

spinach

g feta cheese

Green peppers are featured in many traditional Basque dishes. This piperade can be served as a main dish, usually with the addition of ham; a side dish, or a condiment.

Piperade

onion,

green bell peppers, stem, seeds

sugar

piment d’Espelette (or substitute hot paprika)

Cut a small X into bottom of each tomato. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add tomatoes and cook until skin begins to wrinkle and peel at the edges of the cuts, about 30 seconds. Drain, rinse with cool water and peel off skin with your fingers. Roughly chop tomatoes and set aside.

In a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onions, peppers and salt and sauté, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and peppers have started to lighten in spots, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 1 more minute.

Stir in tomatoes, sugar and piment d’Espelette, reduce heat to medium, cover and cook until tomatoes are starting to fall apart and peppers are soft but still hold their shape, about 15 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens like a slightly runny relish, about 5 minutes more. Adjust salt.

Tomato Frittata

eggs

Parmesan

garlic clove,

Sea salt and black pepper

Adapted from The River Cafe Classic Italian Cookbook by Rose Gray, Ruth Rogers, and Michael Joseph. Copyright Rose Gray 2009.

Bon Appétit

Preheat oven to 350°. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl. Stir in cheese and garlic and season with salt and pepper. When oil is shimmering, pour egg mixture into pan and cook until eggs begin to turn golden brown around the edges. Arrange tomato slices on top of egg mixture. (Some slices may sink.)

Transfer skillet to oven and bake frittata until eggs are just set in the center, 8–10 minutes. Using a heatproof spatula, loosen frittata from pan and slide onto a warm plate. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

Soy sauce, hot mustard, and a little butter make a luxurious sauce for set-it-and-forget-it braised chicken thighs with tomatoes.

One-Pan Braised Chicken with Soy Sauce and Tomatoes

lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces (such as thighs and drumsticks)

garlic cloves, finely grated

1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated

soy sauce

mustard

Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled

Tbsp. red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or unseasoned rice vinegar

plum or other medium tomatoes, chopped

scallions and/or cilantro leaves

The deep savoriness of soy sauce helps balance punchy-sweet tomatoes in this very saucy, very easy, and very flavorful summery braise. This dish is truly one-pot from start to finish, from marinating all the way through to cooking and serving. The marinade pulls double duty here: It first imbues the chicken with the flavors of soy sauce, hot mustard, garlic, and yes, even a bit of butter. Then as the chicken roasts in the oven, it cooks down into a generous sauce that begs be soaked up by rice or thick slices of toasted bread.
If you don't have an ovenproof straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven, you can also make this chicken on a rimmed baking sheet—simply marinate the chicken in a large bowl first.

Trim any excess skin and fat from 3 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces (such as thighs and drumsticks) and place in a large ovenproof straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven.

Whisk 4 garlic cloves, finely grated, one 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, ½ cup soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. Chinese hot mustard or Colman’s Mustard, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, and 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or unseasoned rice vinegar in a measuring glass or small bowl to combine. Pour marinade over chicken pieces and use your hands to work marinade into every nook and cranny, including underneath the skin. Turn chicken pieces skin side down and let sit at room temperature 20 minutes.

Place rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°. Turn chicken pieces skin side up and tuck 2 plum or other medium tomatoes, chopped, and 1 pint cherry or Sun Gold tomatoes between and under chicken pieces with a few on top as well. Roast chicken until skin is golden brown and meat is tender and tomatoes are soft and juicy with some bursting open, 40–45 minutes.

Transfer chicken and tomatoes to a platter and spoon some juices over. Top with thinly sliced scallions and/or cilantro leaves with tender stems. Serve with steamed rice or toasted thick bread slices.

Top 28 plum tomato recipes from across the web

The most viewed plum tomato recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Tomato Rice With Crispy Cheddar

Simple Tomato Sauce

Sicilian Beef Ragout

Beef & ale stew

Danny Devito's family pasta

Grilled Tomatoes and Onions With Fe...

Succulent lamb stew

Creamy paneer & veg curry

Grilled Pizza

Basic tomato sauce

Plum Tomato Sauce

Roasted veggie curry

Piperade

Tomato Frittata

One-Pan Braised Chicken with Soy Sa...

Spicy roasted parsnip soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Quick pitta pizzas

Full English Breakfast

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Queso (Ch...

Pappa al pomodoro soup

Sardine Toasts with Tomato Mayonnai...

Moroccan Slow-Cooked Lamb

Pork meatloaf

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Corn

Minestrone soup

Hearty sausage stew

Top 28 plum tomato recipes from across the web

The most viewed plum tomato recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Tomato Rice With Crispy Cheddar

Simple Tomato Sauce

Sicilian Beef Ragout

Beef & ale stew

Danny Devito's family pasta

Grilled Tomatoes and Onions With Fe...

Succulent lamb stew

Creamy paneer & veg curry

Grilled Pizza

Basic tomato sauce

Plum Tomato Sauce

Roasted veggie curry

Piperade

Tomato Frittata

One-Pan Braised Chicken with Soy Sa...

Spicy roasted parsnip soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Slow-Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Quick pitta pizzas

Full English Breakfast

Chiles Anchos Rellenos de Queso (Ch...

Pappa al pomodoro soup

Sardine Toasts with Tomato Mayonnai...

Moroccan Slow-Cooked Lamb

Pork meatloaf

Pasta Salad with Tomatoes and Corn

Minestrone soup

Hearty sausage stew

The most viewed plum tomato recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine