Sunday, September 2, 2012

Provençales tomatoes (tomates à la provençales)

In france, like in a lot of other countries I suppose, there are two new way of thinking, two new way of eating :

First,  we want to respect seasons products !
Even for them who can't buy organic food, we want, more and more often, respect seasons vegetables and fruits.

Second, stop supermarket products who come from the other side of the world : we want to eat local food.
For those who can't buy organic food, we want to eat products cultivated not too far away from home.

So, since some years, local farmers propose something who is good for them and for us : no more intermediary, no more supermarket : they sell, we buy.

So, in a lot of town, you'll find group or lonely farmers who propose, each week, what we call "un panier" : a basket.
In this basket, for a small and fixed price, you'll have about ten or twelve vegetables and fruits, raised following the seasons.

Good point : the feeling to not be too bad for earth, for our body, for our local economy and for our  billfold !

Bad point : Usually, those farmers want you to pay one entire year first. It's not expensive at all, but this is a link you have with them. Even if one week, you don't want the basket they propose you, you payed for it.
And secondly, after 2 months eating black radish each week, you're dreaming of a enormous, red, juicy and totally cultivated in a glasshouse tomato !

The farmer I choose is not like that.
First, he proposes me each week an equilibrated basket. He tries to diversify his products, with what he makes grow in his "gardens". A challenge for him, I know ...

Secondly, he proposes 3 basket with 3 prices : a small basket (very good for one or two persons) for 9 euros, a totally fruits baskets for 12 euros and a family basket for 15 euros.

Third, I'm not obligated to take a basket each week. He sends me his list by email, and if I want, I reply, telling him which basket I choose.

An finally, he delivers me this basket AT MY JOB or AT MY HOME ! I don't have to run somewhere else !
I'm not in love with him, I don't know why !!... Maybe because my husband makes wonderful crèpes...

All for saying that... even if this man (and his family, because he doesn't work alone, of course) is almost a Prince for me, there's a product that we have the chance to have almost all year (remember, I live in the eats south of france), is TOMATO ...

So ... The first tomatoes of seasons are loved, and eaten with passion ! Their sugared flavor ...etc ...
But, at the end of the summer, after 12 kind of tomatoes salad, you'll have to be creative.

That's the reason why, I have cooked Provençals tomatoes !
This recipe is the traditional one (in a pan). My mother in law uses to cook them in oven, and she's so right !!
Easier and cleaner ... I'll do it the next time.

All this speech for that ?? Yes ... This is my blog, no one can stop me ! ;)

Here what you 'll need :

  • All the tomatoes you can't eat crude anymore ! 
  • Olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic ... But I used just one. 
  • A little bunch of parsley
  • 3 - 4 tablespoon of Bread-crumbs.



Step 1 : 
In a blender, pour 3 (or 4, no problem) tablespoon of bread-crumbs, one clove of garlic (if you like garlic, you can use the second one too) and the bunch of parsley. Blend all that. 





Step 2 :
Cut the tomatoes in two pieces.


Step 3 :
Pour enough oil in the pan ! 3 or 4 tablespoon.



Step 4 :
Place the tomatoes, the flat side toward oil, low fire, for 15 - 20 minutes.


Step 5 :
Turn them very gently.

Salt them. You can copper them with a lid. That's what I did.

After 15 other minutes, they have to be like this : 


Caramelized, with the peel who begins to go away.
If they need it, you can turn them another time. They just have to be fondant.

Step 6 : 
Stop the fire, and with a tablespoon, poor the bread-crumbs/garlic/parsley mix on the top of each tomato.



Eat with rice !

This is my son's plate ... Vincent and I eat 2 entire tomatoes, I'm sure you guess it ! 








8 comments:

  1. YUM! I'm in love with my CSA (community supported agriculture) program, and am so thankful to our farmer. He is amazing. This recipe looks amazing too!!

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  2. I'm happy to see that we're coming back to this kind of agriculture. When I think about 80's, where industrial food were THE reference ...
    Thank you for your words, Gina ;)

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  3. Yummy!!! Your baskets are not expensive!! Here, I pay $45 for the small basket of fruits and vegetables :( But it's worth it, of course.

    I like how you cook your tomatoes in a frying pan, I will try to do this. Usually I put my raw (not crude ;)) tomatoes in the oven with my potatoes, when I make roasted potatoes for breakfast...

    PS1. I don't know why my email address doesn't work but I have tons of email problems these days, but make sure to remove the brackets and the spaces :)
    PS2. I try to give you one or two "corrections" every time I leave a comment but it's because I am a teacher and you can tell me if it's too annoying :)

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  4. :D !
    Don't worry, it doesn't annoy me at all ! I have a lot to learn ! I'm just not ashamed when I speak a foreign language, because when I hear foreign people speak french with mistakes, I think it's too cute ;)
    So I guess, I hope it's the same for me.
    But, I accept all your corrections ;)
    I'm going to try once again your email. But I made a "copier - coller", because even the link on your blog doesn't work for me.

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  5. Tomatoes in the frying pan. This is new to me. But it looks wonderful.

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    Replies
    1. If only I could make you taste what I cook.
      I'm sure you would like it.
      Friendly, Donna.

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  6. I love tomatoes : ) My Dad has an abundance in his garden so I will get him to give me some so I can try this!

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    Replies
    1. The next time, I'll try the same recipe with oven. I think it will be easier and faster ! Saving time all the time ;)

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