There is still an abundance of life to savor in the summer season. The arrival of berries in vibrant shades of scarlet, ruby, and black signals a delightful wave of flavors. Early plums and gages are ripe and ready to be transformed into delicious pies and jams. Fresh filbert nuts offer a satisfying crunch, and the abundance of tomatoes ensures we will have plenty to keep us busy.
During my dedicated tomato-growing years, whether in terracotta pots or sprawling across cane supports in the vegetable beds, the tomatoes would often ripen all at once. This necessitated that I have a plethora of tomato recipes stored in my memory. I would make tomato soup, of course, but also experiment with crisp tomato tarts layered with fragrant basil pesto. The fleshy Marmande variety lent itself perfectly to being stuffed with creamy cannellini beans and parmesan or grated onto toasted focaccia slathered with olive paste.
The larger tomatoes also proved to be excellent candidates for roasting. Their glossy skins would glisten with olive oil and their scarlet juices would transform into a sumptuous sauce, perfect for coating pappardelle or gnocchi. This year, I have been using the roasted tomato juices to enrich a thick sauce made with butter beans and Korean chili paste. This creation is both indulgent and satisfying, with a tantalizing spicy kick.
While the oven was still warm, I whipped up a favorite dessert – a vanilla-infused pudding that rises soufflé-style as it bakes and is accompanied by a luscious summer berry sauce. The sauce features a combination of redcurrants, blackcurrants, and raspberries, giving it the same vibrant flavors found in my beloved summer puddings. This versatile pudding can also be enjoyed cold, slightly deflated, and served with a dusting of powdered sugar, the fruit sauce, and a dollop of cream.
Roast tomatoes, butter beans, and gochujang combine beautifully to create a flavor profile that exudes deep, fruity warmth. The sweet onions require a patient, slow cooking process to reveal their natural caramelized sweetness. The reward for this patience is a delightful dish that serves 4.
For the baked tomatoes:
– 8 large tomatoes
– 3 tbsp olive oil
For the sauce:
– 2 onions
– 3 tbsp olive oil
– 3 cloves garlic
– 350g tomatoes
– 2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
– 2 tsp cumin seeds
– 2 tbsp gochujang
– 650g butter beans (or cannellini beans if preferred), canned or bottled
Preheat the oven to 220C/gas mark 8. Arrange the tomatoes in a roasting tin, ensuring they touch each other. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the tomato skins have browned, and a layer of flavorful juices has formed at the bottom of the tin.
While the tomatoes cook, prepare the sauce. Peel and chop the onions, then heat the olive oil in a wide saucepan. Add the onions and cook slowly for about 20 minutes until they are soft, translucent, and golden in color. Thinly slice the garlic and stir it into the onions. Roughly chop the tomatoes, then add them to the saucepan along with the mustard seeds and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes until the spices are fragrant, then simmer for 10 minutes, crushing the tomatoes with a fork as they soften. Stir in the gochujang, butter beans, and about 100ml of their liquid. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes, adding about 250ml of the tomato juices from the roasting tin to achieve a rich, thick sauce.
Serve the butter bean sauce alongside the roasted tomatoes for a delectable meal.
For an elegant and delightful dessert, try these cream cheese puddings with a heavenly summer berry sauce. This recipe makes 5 individual portions.
For the pudding:
– Butter (for greasing)
– Caster sugar (for dusting)
– 3 eggs
– 50g caster sugar
– 250g full-fat cream cheese
– 25g cornflour
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– Icing sugar (for sprinkling)
– 125g redcurrants
– 125g blackcurrants
– 2 tbsp caster sugar
– 75ml water
– 200g raspberries
You will need 5 ramekins, each with a capacity of approximately 200ml. Lightly grease the ramekins with butter and sprinkle with caster sugar. Place them on a baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a food mixer bowl and the whites in a large mixing bowl. Add the 50g of caster sugar to the egg yolks and beat until combined. On a slow speed, mix in the cream cheese, cornflour, and vanilla extract. Be careful not to overmix; the mixture should be thick and fragrant with vanilla.
Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then gently fold them into the cream cheese mixture, ensuring there are no lumps of unmixed egg white.
Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins and bake for 15-20 minutes until the puddings have risen and developed a golden crust on top.
While the puddings bake, remove the currants from their stalks and place them in a stainless steel or enameled saucepan with the caster sugar and water. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the raspberries and cook for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Once the puddings are ready, remove them from the oven and serve immediately. Sprinkle with icing sugar and spoon the fruit sauce into the center of each pudding.
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