Volume 12, Issue 065 - March 30, 2007

Hello Chef,

Tomatoes:

Lycopersicon lycopersicum is the scientific term for the common tomato.

Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit. This is because, generally, a fruit is the edible part of the plant that contains the seeds, while a vegetable is the edible stem, leaves, and roots of the plant.
Tomatoes belong to the same family as nightshade, the tomato's deadly cousin.

The tomato is native to the Americas. It was initially cultivated by Aztecs and Incas as early as 700 A.D. Europeans first saw the tomato when the Conquistadors reached Mexico and Central America in the 16th century. Tomato seeds were taken back to Europe where they quickly found favor in the Mediterranean countries of Spain, Portugal and Italy.

California is the number two producer of fresh market tomatoes behind Florida. Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin A and are high in Vitamin C. Recent studies have determined that tomatoes are one of a few food sources of the antioxidant lycopene which is related to beta carotene. A study conducted in Italy showed that consuming seven or more servings of tomatoes a week reduced the risk of developing colon, rectal and stomach cancer by sixty percent!

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Broiled Tomatoes with Humboldt Fog and Fresh Basil

Humboldt FogŪ is an elegant, soft, surface ripened cheese. The texture is creamy and luscious with a subtle tangy flavor. Each handcrafted wheel features a ribbon of edible vegetable ash along its center and a coating of ash under its exterior to give it a distinctive, cake-like appearance. An American Original!

Ingredients:

4 firm-ripe tomatoes, sliced 3/4-inch thick
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1 cup Humboldt Fog goat cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

Preheat your broiler.

Lightly oil a baking sheet and place tomato slices on it. Drizzle slices lightly with the olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Top with the basil chiffonade and Humboldt Fog. Place the prepared tomatoes under broiler and cook until slices soften a bit and cheese is slightly browned, About 4 minutes.

Mushrooms

Button Mushrooms or common mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) are a gilled fungus, but not yet opened to expose those gills. They are one of the most cultivated mushrooms in the world today. You find them stuffed, in salads or on salad bars, sautéed and topped on steaks, in stir fried dishes, in casseroles and almost in every cuisine on the planet. They can be cooked in every way imaginable or eaten raw.

These mushrooms are high in vitamin B and potassium and in their raw state they contain no cholesterol, fat or salt. A single button mushroom only has 4 calories!

A Portobello mushroom is a much larger brown version of the same strain of fungus, that has been allowed to mature and open up to expose the gills. They have a very meaty texture and a rich musky aroma. The are easily grilled or stuffed. If they are a little old, the gills will get soft and should then be removed. The gills should be rinsed prior to cooking but not before.

Interestingly, the crimini mushroom is actually an immature portobello. A crimini mushroom will grow four times its size in 2 - 3 days...and Voila! Portobello. Crimini mushrooms are smaller and more tender but still long on that portobello flavor.

Prairie Harvest ships game meats to professional chefs, home chefs, resorts and restaurants. Great source for wild mushrooms

Montreal Sautéed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound button mushrooms
1/2 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
Flat leaf parsley, chopped for garnish

Preparation:

Over medium heat melt the butter in a deep saucepan. Add the shallots and garlic, cook until they are translucent. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Cover the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the cover, increase the heat to high, and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until the juices released by the mushrooms reduces. Add the beef broth and continue to cook over high heat until most of the juice is absorbed.

Add the seasoning. Garnish with parsley.