Winning Recipes from the Great Tomato Recipe Contest

1st place overall and 1st Place Appetizer
from Becky Hamill and George Tittman
Janet Davis – Technical Advisor

Roasted Tomato Crostini with Summer Tomato Martini

For the Crostini:
Using Kogler’s Old World Bread baguette, sliver off most of the crust. Cut into very thin slices. Brush both sides with equal parts melted butter and olive oil. Toast in a 350 degree oven till golden and crunchy. These toasts will keep in the fridge for several weeks so make the whole loaf while you’re at it!

Slow Roasted Tomatoes
Using an assortment of heirloom tomatoes or ripe Roma tomatoes, cut the top off and drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Roast at 275 degrees for two hours – turn, top with a small amount of minced garlic and return to oven and roast one more hour. If a lot of liquid remains turn oven up to 300 degrees. The evaporation of the tomato juices is what makes these tomatoes so special and intensely flavored. Season with salt and pepper and basil and pour any brown, rich the pan juices on top. Will keep five days in the fridge.

Spread the crostini with fresh dairy butter or goat cheese and top with the room temperature tomatoes. Serve with the tomato martini.

Tomato Martini
To get the tomato liquor for martini, coarsely chop 10 large ripe tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, one sliced clove garlic and 2 sliced shallots. Place tomatoes in a colander over a pan to catch the liquor. After about 12 hours you should have 3/4 cup to one cup of liquid. This will be almost clear to light gold in color. Add 1/2 to one tsp. lemon or lime juice. Mix with tomato liquor and equal part vodka. Pour over crushed ice – or serve straight up – garnish with a tooth picked cherry tomato, flat leaf parsley and a good olive. Should yield five to six generous martinis.

Use reserved tomatoes for tomato sauce, salsas or fold into cheese grits casserole.

Tomato Cheese Grits

2 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1 clove of crushed garlic
1 tsp. of salt (or to taste)
1 tbsp. Franks hot sauce
1 cup quick grits
8 ounces cheese
5 tablespoons butter
reserved seasoned tomatoes
2 eggs

Bring all liquids, garlic, hot sauce to a boil and add the grits in a steady stream. Keep whisking till combined. Cook for 10 minutes stirring frequently to keep from clumping.

Remove from heat, add 5 tablespoons butter and 8 ounces shredded cheddar or cheese of choice. Add 2 eggs. Fold in one cup of the drained tomatoes – correct seasoning then bake at 350 degrees till golden brown and casserole is set.

2ndplace

2nd place overall and 1st Place Entree Category
from Bob Hyberg and Bob James

Deep Fried TBLC (Tomato, Bacon, Lettuce and Crab) (makes 6 servings)

Ingredients:

6 Tomatoes (Firm, ripe and slightly larger than a baseball)
1 lb. fresh jumbo lump crab
9 chilled peppered bacon strips (keep chilled until ready to use)
¼ cup diced 1/8 halved sun-dried tomatoes (seeds removed)
½ tsp. Delmarva or Chesapeake seasoning (Delmarva found on epicurious.com./Chesapeake is stronger)
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 scallion (green onion), white and green parts, finely chopped
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. sea salt
3 – 4 cups fresh bread crumbs (seasoned to taste)
1/8 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 ½ cups all purpose white flour
2 tsp. milk
2 tsp. olive oil
1 egg
3 pints Planters Peanut Oil 100% Pure

Prepare tomatoes:

Blanch tomatoes in boiling water 20-30 seconds, cool immediately in bowl filled with icy water (do not skin until core is removed)
Cut 2-2 ¼ inch hole in top of tomato and core insides using a melon baller (cup tomato firmly in the palm of your hand), remove ridges and seeds
Lightly stuff paper towel (or napkin) inside cored tomato
Remove skin, wrap outside with paper towel and gently place in refrigerator upside down while preparing crab and breading

Prepare crab:

Mix together mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt and Delmarva or Chesapeake seasoning
Mix fresh jumbo lump crab, diced sun-dried tomatoes, chopped scallion (try not to shred crab)
Combine crab mixture and liquids (again try not to shred crab)
Prepare breading (you will need four cereal size bowls):
Put flour in first bowl
In second bowl, mix egg, milk and olive oil; DO NOT whip, mix lightly (egg wash)
Mix seasoned breadcrumbs and grated cheese in third bowl
Slice chilled bacon in half lengthwise and place three cut strips evenly in fourth bowl

One tomato at a time, roll and coat with flower, transfer to egg wash bowl and ensure entire tomatoes has egg wash, transfer to breadcrumb bowl and coat entire tomato (use finger to pack evenly), transfer breaded tomato to the four bowl containing the bacon placing upside down in bowl (opening down); wrap the bacon strips across bottom and insert half of toothpick to hold bacon together. Return to refrigerator

Deep-frying:
I used an asparagus cooker (6×8) w/removable basket
Bring peanut oil to 360 degrees (use thermometer)
Once oil has reached proper temperature remove tomatoes from refrigerator and fill with crab mixture.

Place the prepared tomato one at a time into the deep fryer basket and submerge into the hot oil. Cook for 20-30 seconds or until bacon strips appear crisp. Remove from oil, place on paper towel, remove tooth pick (carefully) and turn right side up.

3rd place overall and 2nd place Appetizer Category
from Barbara Heiser

Grandmother’s Ketchup

Ingredients

10 ½ lbs. cored, sliced, unpeeled, ripe tomatoes
1 ½ cups peeled, sliced onions
3 cups seeded, sliced red peppers
3 tea whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cloves
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. paprika
2 tbsp. salt
1 cup vinegar
3/4 cup sugar

Cook the first 3 ingredients uncovered 30 mins.
Put through a food mill
Boil the liquid for 30 mins., uncovered
Make a spice bag for the whole spices and put it with the remaining ingredients in the liquid, boil uncovered another 30 mins. or until thick.
Remove the spice bag and pour into sterilized jars.

May be preserved by boiling filled jars for 30 min. counting the time from when the water begins to boil.
This recipe has been passed down through my Mother’s family. She’s 88, so we believe the recipe is nearly 100 years old.

My Grandmother went to the King Street Market in Wilmington to sell her produce, eggs and canned goods when my mother was a child.