Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes

The following recipe was made & shared for my Tomato Event. You can read and get links to other recipes shared HERE.

Baked Tilapia with Tomatoes
shared at the event by Joelen
recipe HERE and omitted olives

4 Tilapia fillets
salt and pepper
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
¼ cup pitted black olives, diced
¼ tsp hot red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup red onion, diced
1 Tbsp lime juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange fillets in greased baking dish large enough so fillets do not overlap.
Season with salt and pepper.
3. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl.
4. Spoon tomato mixture evenly over fillets.
5. Bake uncovered 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Heirloom Tomato Tart

The following recipe was made & shared for my Tomato Event. You can read and get links to other recipes shared HERE.

Heirloom Tomato Tart
shared at the event by Chrissy
recipe HERE

2 large onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), sliced thin
2 tablespoons olive oil
butter pastry dough for a single-crust 12-inch tart
1/2 pound Jack or Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound plum tomatoes cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/2 pound medium yellow tomatoes (about 2) or 1/2 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/4 cup Niçoise olives, pitted

In a large heavy skillet cook onions with salt to taste in oil, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Remove lid and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until golden and any liquid evaporates. Remove skillet from heat to cool onions slightly.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll dough into a 14-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Fold round in half and transfer to a 12-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim or a 12-inch quiche dish. Unfold dough, easing to fit, and trim overhang to 3/4 inch. Fold overhang toward center and press against side of pan or dish. Spread onion mixture over dough and top with cheese. Arrange tomato wedges and olives in concentric circles over cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Bake tart in middle of oven 1 hour, or until pastry is golden, and cool on a rack. Remove rim of pan if necessary.

Serve tart warm or at room temperature.

Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed w/ Spanish Olive Tapenade

The following recipe was made and shared at my Tapas party. You can read about the event and view links to the other recipes shared HERE.

Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed w/ Spanish Olive Tapenade
shared at the event by Linda
recipe from here

For the tapenade:

1/2 cup Spanish olives with pimento
1 1/2 teaspoons drained capers
1 teaspoon brandy, preferably a Spanish brandy such as Solera Gran Reserva
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
32 small cherry tomatoes
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Make the tapenade: in a food processor, pulse the olives until chopped fine.
Add the remaining tapenade ingredients and pulse until olives are minced.
With a sharp knife, slice the stem end (1/4-inch down) and the bottom (1/8-inch up) from each tomato and discard.
Using a 1/4 teaspoon, remove the juice and seeds from each tomato half, leaving the outside shell intact.
Spoon a generous 1/4 teaspoon of the tapenade into each shell and garnish with the parsley.

Black & Green Tapenade

The following recipe was shared during my Chef Spotlight Dinner highlighting recipes of Chef Wolfgang Puck. You can view other recipes and pictures of the event HERE.

Black & Green Tapenade
shared at the event by Jenn
Original recipe here

The tapenade can be served as an hors d’oeuvre, in a small bowl, surrounded with tiny toasted bread slices or crackers. At Spago, we spread goat cheese onto lightly toasted croutons, top them with the tapenade.

1 cup Niçoise olives, pitted
1 cup small green French olives (Picholine), pitted
1/4 cup oven dried tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon capers
1 garlic clove
1 anchovy fillet
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil. Using the pulse button, process until coarsely chopped and well blended. Continue to process, slowly adding the olive oil. Refrigerate in a covered container. Use as needed.

To prepare ahead: Tapenade will keep up to 1 week, refrigerated, in a covered container.

Garlic, Olive & Cheese Bread

Savory Breads

fresh out of the oven:

We made the following bread during my Quick Bread Cooking Class, which you can read & view pictures of HERE.

Garlic, Olive & Cheese Bread
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
12 oz. beer
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients.
Pour into greased loaf pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 50-55 minutes.

Balsamic Vinaigrette Tossed Salad

Balsamic Vinaigrette Tossed Salad

romaine lettuce, chopped

roma tomatoes, diced
sliced black olives
fontina cheese, cubed

Dressing:
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon dried italian seasoning

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, except dressing ingredients.
In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients and pour over salad.
Toss to coat.

S is for Salad & Salsa.

I came home early today because I’m not feeling too well… and after a 3 hour nap, I decided to get some culinary therapy. There were quite a bit of random fruits, veggies, cheeses and misc foodstuff to be used – all of which were in varying proportions. So I decided to put my Iron Chef thinking cap on to create 2 things – salad and salsa.Here is my recipe for a Mediterranean Inspired Orzo Salad:

1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
water for boiling
1 teapsoon olive oil
1cup baby grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup sliced black olives
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
crumbled feta cheese to your preference
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste

Boil water in pot and cook orzo.
Drain orzo and place in large boil with 1 teaspoon olive oil; stir.
Add remaining ingredients and fold in.
Here is my recipe for Spicy Mango Peach Salsa, which I will be using later tonight with dinner:

1 ripe mango, diced
2 ripe peaches, diced
1 roma tomato, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lime

Combine the above ingredients; chill.

Feta & Spinach Pasta Salad

Independence Day is normally celebrated with a traditional cookout of burgers, brats and hotdogs… and this year, I made this Mediterranean inspired pasta salad:

Feta & Spinach Pasta Salad
with balsamic vinegrette

Here’s my recipe for the Feta & Spinach Pasta Salad:

1/2 box of bowtie pasta

3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 bag fresh spinach

1/2 cup sliced black olives
3-4 baby yellow bell peppers, sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 jar marinated mushrooms
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup balsamic vinegarette dressing

Cook pasta until al dente.
In a large salad bowl, add the cooked hot pasta, spinach, feta, olives, peppers, mushroom, oregano.
Pour dressing over the mixture and toss.
Top with chopped tomatoes and serve.

Mediterrean Olive Dip

Mediterrean Olive Dip

1 cup pitted black sliced olives
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2-3 fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

– Place the first 6 ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process to combine stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture becomes a paste. Transfer to a bowl.
– To the olive paste, add feta cheese and sundried tomatoes; combine thoroughly.
– Serve with bread or crostini.