2.07.2009

Yaller tomater salat

Off topic note: Whew! Ain't gotta worry none--I doan drive one of the most ticketed cars in the nation.





Doan know iffin'y'all heered how Florida done froze up fer two days. This is a hardship...oh I know most of ya' ain't cryin' no tears fer us, but it is tough on the tropical landscape, the citrus growers and home gardeners.

Our buggy barn is full of plants we thought we might save...and to day is real real purty--sunny and bright an the high will be back up in the 70s.

But as the basket top in the photo above shows, we harvested a few zillion yaller pear tomatoes--what's above is the last of 'em since we eat these beauties like peanuts--jes' pop a few in yore mouth when ya's passin' through the kitchen. (Them two red ones on the right is alien store boughten ones--Uncle brought them back from the huntin' camp --they ain't got no garden down thar, so they does buy vegetables--but that BIG yaller one? Thas' home grown!)

Anyhoo....we's had some many of these wee yaller tomatoes, I'se thinkin' I'd share one of the salat recipes I like fer usin' them up.

This looks long, but it takes jes' 10 minutes! Serves four.

Get these thangs together: ( out of yore garden is best!)

two handfuls of yaller pear tomatoes
one medium cucumber
handful of fresh mint
one head Romaine lettuce
1 red bell pepper
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon quartered
salt/ pepper

wash the veggies, mint leaves and romaine
peel and dice that cucumber
halve the tomatoes lengthwise
chop the mint, reserve 4 small sprigs
slice four thin rings from the red pepper

In a bowl put the tomotoes and cucumber and 1/2 the mint

in a mortar (or a small wooden bowl--can be a stone or pottery bowl) place the other half of the mint, 1/4 tsp salt and use pestle to crush mint with salt, drizzle in the 1/2 c of the olive oil until you have a nice minty oil. ( YES, okay, you may do this in a small food processor) (If ya' like garlic, add a bit to the mint and crush it too)

Pour the most of the mint oil over the tomotoes and cucumbers, grind some pepper over it, and toss lightly, then add lemon juice, toss a few times, then the feta cheese and toss VERY lightly.

On 4 of yore salat plates put a trio of romaine leaves and the red pepper ring at the junction of them romaine leaves, drizzle a wee bit of the reserved minty oil over them,
then pile the yaller tomaters and cucumber /feta mix in the red pepper ring,
place a quarter of lemon and sprig of mint on the side of the plate an' serve!

This recipe is light on salt, so ya may wanna add more at table.

Now fer an entree salat, to the tomater /cucumber mix add in 1 cup well drained room temp couscous (or bulgar wheat) and a cup of drained chick peas, and chunks of roast chicken--increase minty oil by a 1/2 cup, an' another 1/4 c fresh lemon juice. Grind pepper generously over all, toss, add feta and toss lightly.
(vegetarian? Omit chicken.)

Happy Saturday to all y'all!

9 comments:

Jenny said...

omit chicken and add tofu!

Happy Saturday Aunty. xoxox.

darkfoam said...

man ..
i should avoid reading recipes around lunch time.
now i'm even more starved ...

but it does look might tasty.
might just have to try it in the summer.

fishy said...

Hey Belle, You makin me hungry for a trip to Florida. I was looking in the seed catalogs recently while I was feuding with Blowfish ( come read the new Pond post )
I folded the page corner on those yellow pear tomatoes. Now I'm saving your recipes for when I harvest some of my own. Youse an inspiration you are.

h said...

Add bacon and stuff entire dish into a nice fresh-baked Pita roll so the young-uns don't know they are eating a healthy salad-type thing.

The Phosgene Kid said...

We can work something out here. I'll swap you lemons for your tormaters...

Big Shamu said...

That sounds so good. Except for the peppers. Not a pepper fan. I hope you didn't lose too much because of the weather.

Dani said...

We love the Yellow Pears, they're so tasty!

moi said...

I can pop those things like candy – delicious! The salad looks totally yummy, too. Hope things warm up soon.

fishy said...

Morning Aunty,
just wanted you to know I woke up this morning with the picture of those yummy yellow pear tomatoes sitting in my brain and making me have a cravin'. I've already been to my Publix....they don't have any of those little yellow gems in February .... between you and Dani's pictures and Troll's Come On Down post, on top of the gray Winter here ... I am seriously hankering for a trip to Florida... s-i-g-h ... maybe next month.