Classic French Tomatoes Provencal Recipes

RECIPE: TOMATE PROVENçALE SAUCE

Steps:

• Peel the garlic and crush in a mortar and pestle.
• Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan at low heat.
• Sauté the garlic (and onions) in the saucepan until they turn lightly translucent.
• Add the tomatoes, herbs, and olive oil into the saucepan and cook for around 10 minutes at medium temperature.
• Add the optional heavy cream and stir in. Let cook for another 10 minutes.
• Season to your liking with salt and pepper and whisk until it is well blended.
• Serve while warm.

PROVENCAL TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the cores from the tomatoes, removing as little as possible. Cut them in half crosswise and, with your fingers, remove the seeds and juice. Place the tomato halves in a baking dish.
• In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs, scallions, basil, parsley, garlic, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle the tomato halves generously with salt and pepper. With your hands, fill the cavities and cover the tops of the tomatoes with the bread crumb mixture. Bake the tomatoes for 15 minutes, or until they're tender. Sprinkle with the cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for 30 seconds more. Serve hot or at room temperature.

PROVENCAL TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and salt and pepper the cut surfaces. Place the tomatoes cut-surface up, in the pan, and cook the tomatoes for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and flip the tomatoes so the cut surface is facing down, and cook another 2 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and set aside. Add the bread crumbs and herbes de Provence to the pan and saute, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the crumbs are coated, adding a tablespoon more oil, if necessary.
• Meanwhile, preheat the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the tomatoes cut-side up on the foil. Divide the crumbs among the tomato halves. Broil for 1 minute and serve.

TOMATOES PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Remove and discard stems from the tomatoes and cut in half crosswise (parallel to stem end). Chop the parsley and garlic together to make persillade. There should be 1/2 cup.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
• In each of two heavy skillets heat about 1 tablespoon of the oil until very hot. Put the tomatoes cut side down in the skillets and cook over high heat about 2 minutes, covered, until the tomatoes soften slightly. Arrange the tomatoes cut side up in a gratin dish suitable for serving. Sprinkle with the pepper and salt.
• To the drippings in the pan add the remainder of the oil and the persillade. Mix 10 to 15 seconds to cook slightly; divide equally and spread on top of the tomatoes. Put the tomatoes in the warm oven for a few minutes before serving. If the tomatoes must wait 30 minutes or more before being served, saute as directed and keep warm in a 180-degree oven, but don't add the persillade until serving time.

JULIA CHILD'S PROVENçALE TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt and cook slowly for about 10 minutes, until tender but not browned. Sprinkle on the flour and cook slowly for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally; do not brown.
• Meanwhile, fit a food processor with the coarse grating blade. Working in batches to avoid overfilling the machine, push the tomatoes through the feed tube to make a coarse purée.
• Stir the tomatoes, sugar, garlic, herb bouquet, fennel, basil, saffron, coriander, orange peel and 1 teaspoon salt into the pot. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, so the tomatoes will render more of their juice. Then uncover and simmer for about an hour, until thick. The sauce is done when it tastes thoroughly cooked and is thick enough to form a mass in the spoon. Remove herb bouquet and taste. Season with salt, pepper, sugar and tomato paste, and simmer two minutes more. The sauce may be used immediately, refrigerated or frozen for up to 6 months.

TOMATOES PROVENCAL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 2-quart baking dish. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, zest, thyme leaves and oil; season with coarse salt and ground pepper.
• Arrange tomatoes, in prepared baking dish, overlapping slightly; season with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake until tomatoes are tender and crumbs are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.