My tomato plants have done very well this year, maybe from the heat, maybe from extra care, who knows! So they are very prolific right now and I have more than I can eat raw. So time to make sauce! This is a simple riff on the lovely recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Fresh Ripe Tomato Sauce

about 4 lbs ripe tomatoes

2 Tbs olive oil

two small onions

3 cloves garlic

2 ribs celery

1 small carrot

basil, cut very thinly

salt and pepper

Bring a pot of water to boil. Score the ends of the tomatoes in an X. Dunk in the boiling water and then slip off the skins. Chop roughly and put through a food mill. If you do not have a mill you can quarter the tomatoes, squeeze out the seeds and then chop into smaller pieces- you will get a chunkier sauce this way unless you puree it.

Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan (I use a Le Cruset). Put onions, garlic, celery and carrot in food processor and chop until very fine (you can do this by hand too). Add to hot olive oil and saute a few minutes. Add a dash of salt and saute a bit more. Add pureed tomatoes and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 1-2 hours or until deep red and thicker. Add some pepper. Add basil right before serving.

I served ours with breaded eggplant cutlets, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese! Yum!

Even though our chickens are still too young to lay eggs, we adore fresh eggs. I picked some up today as I was in the area of a great egg farm (Flamig Farm in West Simsbury CT). I decide to make a riff on Eggs Florentine for dinner!

Eggs Florentine

1 recipe polenta (I used 2 cups salted water, 1/2 cup polenta, cooked for 4 minutes then allow to cool and firm up a bit)

1 med onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbs olive oil

8 oz baby spinach

3/4 cup cream

dash of nutmeg

salt and pepper

about 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 Tbs each salt and lemon juice

4 eggs

1 very rip tomato, sliced (homegrown!)

fake (or real) bacon, crumbled (I like Morningstar Veggie Strips)

Prepare the polenta. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onions and stir until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic, cook about 2 minutes then add spinach and stir until wilted. Add cream and cook until reduced, about 10 minutes. Add pepper and salt and stir in Parmesan.

Heat a large pot of water with salt and lemon juice. When boiling reduce heat to keep at a simmer. Stir the water a bit on one side while you slide in one egg (break it into a small bowl first). Agitating the water will help the white form a nice ball. Don’t worry if they look crazy at first, they come together in the end and will taste good no matter how they look. Cook each egg about 2.5 minutes. I found I could do two at a time.

Assemble each plate with polenta on the bottom, a slice of tomato, a spoonful of the creamed spinach and then an egg. Top with a bit more of the cream sauce and sprinkle with bacon.

These are a great entree for the hot weather. It is delicious at room temperature and can hold well if you want to make ahead. They are very flexible too, if you want to add other veggies or use another protein source (cooked chicken, shrimp, etc). I was lucky enough to get some fresh, homegrown Thai Basil from my mother this weekend!

Summer Rolls (to make 8)

For Sauce:

1/2 onion, finely minced

1 large clove garlic, minced

sirracha, to taste (I only add about 8 drops as my little ones are heat sensitive!)

1 tsp vegetable oil

6 Tbs water

2 Tbs creamy peanut butter

1 Tbs Hoisin sauce

2 tsp tomato paste

1 Tbs soy sauce

1/2 tsp sugar

For Rolls:

2 oz bean thread noodles (vermicelli)

1 Tbs rice vinegar

12oz extra-firm silken tofu

Potato starch

1/4 cup peanut oil

8 rice paper rounds

bibb or iceberg lettuce (ribs cut out)

approx. 1/4 cup  chopped cilantro

approx 1/4 cup Thai basil, cut in strips

shredded carrot

Cook onion and garlic in vegetable oil in a small saucepan over medium high heat until golden. Whisk in remaining ingredients and cook 1 minutes. remove from heat.

Cover noodles with boiling hot water and let soak 15 minutes. Drain well and pat dry between paper towels, then toss with vinegar in a bowl.

Slice tofu into 8 planks and dredge with potato starch and a sprinkle of salt. Fry until golden in the peanut oil over medium high heat. Remove from pan onto a plate with paper towels.

Place a dampened paper towel on your work surface and have everything ready to fill the rice papers. Soak the rice paper in water for about 1 minute or until pliable. Be careful when you pick it up not to rip it.

Place the wrapper on the paper towel and put a piece of lettuce on the bottom third. Spread with some of the peanut sauce. Add a plank of tofu, basil and cilantro and some of the noodles. Fold the wrapper up and over the filling. Fold in the sides then put some carrot along the crease and fold the rest of the way (see the pictures in my previous post). Transfer finished roll to a plate covered in paper towels. Be careful that they do not touch each other or they will stick together.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve with peanut sauce for dipping.

Summer is the perfect time for salads and one of my favorites is Corn Salad. I made cooler corn for dinner last night as my parents and my sister joined us for a meal. Much to my surprise we had three ears of corn left over. So I made salad for tonight’s dinner!

The best part about Corn Salad is that you can make it whatever you want, add any vegetables you like or have on hand. Add a simple vinaigrette and you have a winner! Today’s version is three ears of corn, half a red onion, orange cherry tomatoes and chives.

Today I served Chinese Broccoli to my family. I have eaten it before in Thai restaurants but never cooked it at home. Much to my delight the kids all liked it (after complaining that it was ugly!) and it will definitely return to our menu.I have several great Asian markets in my area, it is worth trying to find one, they always have great produce and such interesting things! This is also where I get my stir fry sauce.

Tofu and Chinese Broccoli Stir Fry

1 block of tofu, cubed

2 Tbs peanut oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 0.5 inch piece of ginger, minced

about 1 lb Chinese broccoli

2 eggs

3 Tbs Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir Fry Sauce

Take leaves off Chinese Broccoli (cut them in half if they are large) and cut stems in half then into 2 inch pieces. Set aside.

Heat peanut oil in wok until very hot. Fry tofu until golden. Remove from wok with slotted spoon. Add 1/3 of minced garlic followed by eggs. Stir until cooked very well. Remove from wok and hold with tofu.

Add stems of the Chinese Broccoli to wok. Fry until starting to turn color on cut sides. Add the leaves and stir until wilted. Add the remaining garlic and ginger and stir a few times then add the tofu and egg along with the stir fry sauce. Stir well until everything is coated.

Serve with rice or rice noodles.