FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

It's not a good use...but my dog eats any of our tomatoes she can get at :)

Ah summer is almost over and I am hoping that the last of the tomatoes ripen. Our weather here in Burgundy is/and has been COLD!![poor vendangeurs, it has been wet and cold].
Back to the tomatoes, so many ways to eat, and I love them almost any way put in front of me.
Here is an easy recipe that I included on my last BLOG.
Enjoy
Sue K

Shrimp and Calamari Pasta.

I found this is an easy and good recipe. Goes together in no time at all/

INGREDIENTS

3 tomatoes chopped
1 onion chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine
1/3 cup tomato sauce
9 oz shrimp (cleaned shrimp...does not have to be exactly 9 oz.)
12 oz. Calamari (cleaned rings, again it does not have to be exact)
2 tsp sunflower oil
1/3 cup parsley chopped
8 oz. Pasta ( I used fusilli)
Salt and Pepper
PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a pan

2. On medium heat, add the chopped onions and simmer slowly (onions develop a richer taste when slowly sautéed).

3. When onions are translucent, add the garlic. Simmer for another 5 minutes, low to medium heat.

4. Add tomatoes, and sauce and wine.

5. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 30 minutes.

6. While waiting for the sauce, start cooking the pasta according to package directions, drain when done.

7. Check taste of sauce and add salt and pepper. If tart or astringent, add a teaspoon of sugar, or a tablespoon of milk (note : also some finely chopped carrots help to take the edge off a tomato sauce...if the tomatoes are ripe and sweet, the additions are probably not needed).

8. Let simmer another 5 minutes if you have added sugar or milk.

9. Add the shrimp and let simmer about 3 minutes. Then add the calamari and simmer another 4 minutes (time of cooking the shrimp will depend on the size. If large shrimp are used, cook a little longer...look for the pink color). Cooking shrimp or calamari too long will result in a rubbery texture. Note also, that they will continue to cook a little in the hot sauce after the heat is off.

10. Mix the pasta into the tomato sauce/shrimp/calamari. Mix in the parsley and serve immediately.

Bonjour Kristin.

Just popping in to catch up on your site after a several week blurrrrr of other activity. I am really enjoying the diversity of guest contributors as well as the satiating recipes and fun photos.

Today my darting eye was drawn to the shopping section of this post. Under"Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Spoken French" I spot soap!! I merge the two together and ponder the greatness of a magical French soap that would improve my conversational French. I'd be the cleanest person around these parts, je pense.

Meredith, I can relate, for a lot of tomatoes were eaten during the filming of this edition!

Susan and Tami, thanks for the delicious recipes with tomatoes! And Rive, for the tips.

Karen, oh, would that green tomato soap could improve our French conversation. Squeaky clean students we'd be!

Eleonore, I think a French wand is this:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000EGA6QI/mdj-20

Love the roast tomato soup recipe from Suzanne and will make for guests on Friday - I make one very similar with fewer calories and quicker, for everyday:
Roast 1 kg plum tomatoes, each cut into 4, with 2 fat cloves garlic chopped, S & P, and liberally sprinkle with olive oil before roasting in a large tin at 200C for 50-60mins.
Then on top of the stove, add 1 litre chicken stock to the tomatoes in their roasting tin, plus a few sprigs of basil, scrape up any burnt or blackened bits (good),
then put the lot through a mouli-legumes to make your finished soup.The mouli does both the job of sieving out the skins and pips and giving a lovely, slightly rough texture

My little papillion dog, Jasper, has decided my cherry tomatoes are little red rubber balls and carries them around playing with them - lol. A novel use for cherry tomatoes, oui?

I often make salsa. Amount and relative porportions are up to you. Skin or not your tomatoes. Cut in half and squeeze out some of the seeds. Medium chop them. Seed your chilis if you do not want it too hot. Chop them along with garlic and onions. Add dry or fresh cilantro. Mix all in large bowl, salt to taste and maybe a little cayenne pepper for more heat. Fill canning jars within about 1/2-1/4 inch of the top. Squeeze some lemon in. Boil jars 20 min. I use throughout the year and if I want to change it up to say mango salsa I will just add that when the jar is opened....

My favorite recipe is to chop red tomatoes (any kind will do, even cherry or grape tomatoes) add fresh chopped basil and garlic, and olive oil. Stir and serve over pasta. Easy and healthy.

I love the soup recipe and I'm ordering the wonderful tomato woman print. Here in Northern California our tomatoes are finally coming on after a gray summer. Many years ago I came up with the term Juicy Tomatoes for women over 50 and beyond - ripe, a little sun damaged but still on the vine and luscious inside.
susan
www.juicytomatoes.com

Hi Suzanne,
I'm a collector of soup recipes, since I'm adapting to cool Burgundy winters. This one sounds particularly yummy, to make now and go in the freezer for a cool fall day. Merci!