A glorious blue morning*.

The greyish-blue hue on the white blinds pulled me outside with camera in hand to capture this photo.

Back in the kitchen, still wearing my PJ, I poured myself a cup of coffee and then filled a pot with water, enough to cover some chicken bones, leftovers from last night’s roasted chicken dinner.

Another pot of chicken stock was simmering on the stovetop.

Are you using store-bought stock/broth? Then read this: Invest in stock.

If you’re using a store-bought stock, I really really want you to give this a try, at least once, and make your own stock—invest in the stock! After you try and taste the difference, you’ll understand why I insist. And here are a few tips, just in case…

Time

*This works with the evening’s cup of coffee too. PJ included.

Whether morning or evening, simmer the stock for 1, 2, 3 hours—as much time as you have. We’re not making stock for the Culinary Institute—taking a shortcut is OK. The result would still be far superior to any store-bought brand.

If you work full-time, you can do this during the weekend, while drinking your coffee and flipping through the newspaper. (Who reads a newspaper in the morning these days?)

Chilling

If you’re not going to use the stock right away after it’s done, (Although if you start making stock when you’re drinking your morning coffee, it might be done in time for lunch), cool it and store in the fridge, or freeze it.

To cool the stock quickly, create an ice bath. Do not let it sit for hours outside the fridge to chill! Fill a clean sink with cold water and lots of ice, soak the pot in the ice bath and stir from time to time until the stock gets cold enough to store in the fridge.

Finding Nemo bones and carcasses

Chicken bones are getting hard to find in the stores. (I bet they use them to make pet food.) So when I find some, I buy as many as I can/enough to fill one pot.

If there’s none to be found at the store, what can you do? Roast a whole chicken and/or start a savings account, a.k.a “a collection”, of bones from the roasted chickens you cooked and store in the freezer until you have enough to invest in the stock.

Fat

Roasting the chicken, versus using it raw in the stock, is an added step but in the end it makes concocting a stock easier and just as fast because it saves you the fat skimming step.

See how much fat is accumulated:

(This is after I put the cooked carcasses in the pot and poured the fat into a big jar.)

You’d want to skim the fat or else you’ll have a too fatty stock.

As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing’s wrong with some fat rings twirling at the top of a soup/stock. I remember playing with the little rings of fat floating in my grandma’s chicken soup, trying to create one large circle of fat… Fascinating, really. But, ah, that happened a zillion years ago.

This fat is delicious to use instead of (on in addition to) butter or oil for frying food, in (bacon) mashed potatoes, etc. This is what our grandmas used to do—use the chicken fat. Well, at least mine did. They did not throw away food.

The mesh skimmer

To skim the fat that rises to the surface, use one of these fine mesh skimmers. Get one with really tiny holes. I’ve got one like that with teeny tiny holes that even hold the liquid-y fat! It’s marvelous.

However, if you roast the chicken or use leftover cooked chicken bones and scraps, you won’t have a lot of fat to skim.

… and by the time I finished this post, ta-da!, the stock was done!

What tips do you have up your sleeve?

Last week I went grocery shopping. (How exciting is that?) I stopped by the plastic bags dispenser and grabbed two handful of bags, anticipating to fill up my cart with a bounty of fruits. To my surprise, there were no peaches, no nectarines, no plums, no pluots, no… no summer fruits in sight—No summer fruits! (OK, there were grapes.) I slightly panicked.

Two days later, full of optimism, I went shopping again, but to another store on a hunt after some summer fruits. I found nothing. So I had to interrogate the produce guys about the whereabouts of the fruits.

“You got no peaches”?”

“No.”

“No nectarines?”

“Nope, no nectarines.”

“No plums?”

“No”.

“Reeeally??? What about pluots?”

“Oh, we might have pluots. Let me check in the back.”

Yes!

And then he returned with a case of wonderful, red, flowery smelling pluots. I almost bounced with joy—but I didn’t—and I bought 6 lbs.!

Now, what do I do with 6 lbs. of pluots?

Luckily, the day before I stumbled upon Melissa Clark’s Plum Polenta Upside Down Cake. I used nearly 2 lbs. of pluots for my cake.

2 individual pluots made it into the fridge—they softened/over ripened so quickly—and the rest I used to make ice cream. Mmm…

I hope that wherever it is that you live you can still enjoy summer fruit. As for me, I am mentally preparing myself for a few good months of pears, apples, and oranges. Clementines too. They’re nice, I like them, but it’s just not the same thing, you know…

Pluot Polenta Upside Down Cake

Slightly adapted from Melissa Clark: I used less sugar for cooking the fruit and I added thyme and salt. (I know I was tempted to grind some black pepper too but I’m not sure if I did it or not.)

Makes a 9-inch cake, 10-12 servings

1 3/4 pounds pluots, rinsed, pitted, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 1/4 cups sugar
2-4 thyme sprigs
Pinch of salt
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whipped cream or ice cream for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9-inch springform pan* with parchment paper and grease the parchment and pan well (I like to use butter).

Cook the pluots and 1/4 cup sugar in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the pluots are tender and most (but not all) of the liquid has reduced, about 20 minutes. Scrape the pluots mixture into the prepared cake pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one a time and beat to combine. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients, using a spatula.

Spread the batter on top of the pluots and smooth with a spatula.

Bake until the cake is golden and springs back when touched lightly, 45 to 50 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and release the sides. Invert onto a plate.

Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

NOTE: I know that my springform pan leaks so, to make cleanup easier, I wrap it with foil and place it on a baking sheet.

In my previous post, an interview with Shauna, Gluten-free girl, I asked her where does she find her food inspiration, because they seem to be making all kinds of cool foods over there at her place… It makes me feel like such a bore.

Shauna replied with a few names of people she knows and a food book that inspire her cooking, but summed it up simply with “I’m inspired by food all the time.”

She is right. There’s so many things within close reach and people around us from whom we can get inspired about the next dish or meal to make, or life. Or dessert. We only have to look more closely. The inspiration might be right there, waiting under our nose.

Just look at this mint. I have–It was hard to ignore–and it made me want to run back into the kitchen and make mint ice cream.

My ice cream maker has been standing lonely and neglected since 2 summers ago. 2, summers, ago!

Last summer sucked—my father was really sick and last August he died. I was in no mood to celebrate. Making ice cream feels like a celebration.

This summer I’ve decided to slow down with work and spend as much time as I can outdoors, in the sun, and with the kids. June was wintery, rainy, and grey (I used the F-word a lot in June), which makes the current Seattle summer very, very shot—only 2 months!

I know we’ll have a long winter (The temperatures drop at the end of September) and there’s going to be plenty of time to stay inside the house, and in front of the computer, and hibernate until next May or June. The ice cream machine had to be used, immediately, while the mint is lovely and at its prime time.

The same as I was, still am, crazy for soaking my feet in water and sand at the beach and watch as many sunsets as time and schedules allow, it burned in my mind, “I must make ice cream this summer!”

And so I did.

The recipe I used is from David Lebovitz’s book, “The Perfect Scoop”. It has many recipes that I marked with little Post-It notes but the fresh mint in the backyard was so gorgeous, so that recipe was the first one to be made. Luckily, you can find it on his web site as well under Mint ice cream with an addition of chocolate. Hmm, why haven’t I thought of that?

Do you have an ice cream machine? Have you used it this summer? What did you make?

From that point on, I noticed more and more inspiring stuff around, like… Thyme.

Ah, these beautiful beets reminded me of a wonderful dish, Rib Roast of Beef with Beets, Potatoes, and Horseradish, a friend, Mark, once cooked for dinner and we had the pleasure of eating. It’s a recipe by Jamie Oliver from his cookbook, “Cook with Jamie” (which I bought after seeing it in Mark’s kitchen–what a gorgeous book! The pavlova recipe is taken from that book.)

The recipe is on Martha Stewart’s site + a video how to make it. (I must make it myself soon.) In the video Jamie is making this dish with Martha—you must watch it! I can’t get over him calling Martha “my darling”, and “sweet heart”, and “love”… I must add a to that! Jamie Oliver is always very inspiring.

Up next, tarragon. To be more specific, chicken braised with white wine, cream, mushrooms, and tarragon. I haven’t made this in… 10-15 years??? Wow.

So, remember, inspiration is right under your nose. Start looking.

***

No, no beer-braised squirrel in that pasta dish. Don’t worry.

I told you about my snail, beer, and a beer stealing squirrel problem. And I have received some advice. Thanks!

Crystal commented that what I have are slugs and not snails and suggested “A tried and true method I have used to make a beer trap is to get a used margarine or butter tub. Cut slug-sized holes on the side of the container near the top around the perimeter of the container. Fill it with beer and snap the lid back on. Then take it to your vegetable bed and bury it so that the soil comes up to where the holes are. The slugs will smell the beer and slither right on in to meet their drunken deaths! The lid will keep the neighborhood animals out. Good luck – the beer really works! We would grow pristine strawberries year after year using this method.”

Lo wrote “Oh, gosh! We’ve totally used the beer trick with our slugs (usually shallow lids filled with beer work nicely — though I love the butter tub concept), and it really does work! But, we’ve never had squirrels pilfering our beer supply “

Tamar had another problem and solution “We don’t have slugs but we have caterpillars eating our tomato leaves. Supposedly mint water irritates them out of the pot. We shall see…” In an e-mail she sent me later she reported back “… we boiled the water and added mint.  I don’t think it works.  We ended up buying caterpillar killer spray and 5 of them dropped off dead.  5!!! That’s so many!”

Lara added “… a length of copper around the whole thing will keep new ones out.”

Snails or slugs, they are snacking on my leafy greens!

So…with a new and improved trap, I went out again; I dug a little dent and placed the beer trap in the veggie bed right under the slugs’ nose!

Man, it was so hot that day; the second I took the beer container out, I could smell its sweet aroma. That made me very optimistic about achieving some serious results!

37.5 hours (or so…) have passed.

This is what I found this morning.

Someone is messing with the beer and it ain’t no slugs…

I took a pick inside. Found only a few dead gnats(?) Someone has been trying to steal the beer.

To save what’s left until I get rid of the pesky, slimy slugs, I harvested me some greens. That’ll show ‘em!

I picked green kale, red kale, and chard

Soaked them in water and rinsed them well a few times. Pulled the leaves off the stems, torn them to pieces and put it all in a big bowl.

How lovely is that?!

The leaves are so much tender compared to the bunches I buy at the grocery store. And much sweeter.

I blanched them in boiling salted water for 4-5 minutes, cooled them in icy cold water and then squeezed them dry.

The big bowl was reduced to only two handfuls of cooked green stuff. (Twice the amount you see below.)

I used one handful to make an omelet and the other handful to cook a simpler variation to my wild mushroom ravioli with kale and cream recipe.

Creamy orecchiette with leafy greens

1/2 box orecchiette
1 handful blanched leafy greens, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt
pepper
extra virgin olive oil
grated parmesan
a handful toasted pine nuts (Toast in 350 F oven for a few minutes)

Cook the pasta according to the instruction on the package. Drain.

Return it to the pot with the blanched greens, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Mix and heat over medium heat until it is warm.

Serve with grated parmesan and pine nuts.

***

Next we’re going to have peas… I see some good looking ones on the vines. Those are Suburban Cowboy’s babies. He is cultivating them very gently and lovingly.

In the meantime, can someone tell me what do you do with so much lettuce?

“… I did it myyyyyy waaaaay….” (And so did Sid. Proceed with caution.)

Ok, I know what you’re thinking – or do I? – I’m not going to tell you anything you haven’t heard before.

But maybe I will?

It’s pesto. We’ve heard of and seen it a million times before. So what else is new?

Well, Suburban cowboy told me that pine nuts are now being sold for $20 per something (Per pound? Per Costco sized bag?) so Costco stopped selling them. I guess no one bought them for this high price.

I love pine nuts. Do you?

I love all nuts. Do you?

So first, let me tell you a secret. If you’re using your nuts untoasted, you’re nuts, or simply throwing away your money. They just don’t taste like nuts when they are raw. Nuts should be lightly toasted to get the best flavor out of them. Capish?

Some pesto recipes will direct you to use the nuts, pine or not, raw and you won’t be able to taste them since the basil is so potent.

Now. Second point, pesto is really like Hummus:

1. you have to follow your instincts

2. you have to listen to your inner self

3. you have to do it “my way”. Ok, your way.

4. and, rely solely on your own judgment/don’t listen to me

So… the other day… I sent Suburban cowboy to the grocery store. One of the items on the list was basil.

I’m pretty sure I made a note regarding the quantity.

And… He… He came home with this -

A live basil (it had more leaves at the time). Costs more; Has less. Instead of basil in the BIG container I have expected. Good news is that this plant is still alive, has new leaves, and is about ready to be planted in a pot and join his other herby friends (unlike his cut and boxed siblings). So, buy a fresh living herb. We’re gonna have enough for a second batch of pesto soon for the same price!

Back to that day.

Since I had less basil than I had originally planned for – it’s always the men’s fault, right girls?! –  I had to opt for plan B: Less basil, more nuts!

Turned out beautifully. Even better than what I usually make (more basil and less nuts).

From that time on, this is how I make basil-based pesto. With lots of walnuts.

But you? You can do whatever you want.

Do you like garlic? Make a Basil-garlic pesto or a Garlic-basil pesto. Use cilantro. See if I care.

For a basic approach to pesto I recommend Ina Garten’s recipes as a general guideline minus a few garlic cloves… (click here to see it) unless you are nuts for garlic, that is.

Have I confused you?

Am I messing up with your minds?

I hope not.

And if I did, I deeply apologize.

Just, just, do your “thing”.

Capish?

Walnut pesto

1-2 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 to 1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted in a 350 F oven
2-3 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put the garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it’s finely chopped. Add the walnuts and pulse again to roughly crush them. Add the basil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the pesto is pureed. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve with cooked pasta, as a sandwich spread, or a side or topping for meat or fish.

The pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen, topped with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent it from blackening.

You have probably noticed it too. Deep in your heart, you know it’s about to happen. But maybe you don’t like to say it out loud, just like me. And if you blink, they will be gone. Summer fruits. That’s it. Finished. Over. All done ‘till next year! A few more sunny days and any minute it might start raining for days and and days that a person might forget that there IS a sun behind the clouds.

I know, I know, I have already posted a wild mushroom soup recipe and potato leek soup recipe and I showed you how much fun we had at the Harvest Fall festival… I am already in a “Fall mode”. But then I saw these photos that I took only two months ago – Gosh, two months have passed so quickly! – of roasted nectarines with ice cream, white chocolate, and raspberries.

Summer fruits… If you have been following my blog for a while, you might have noticed that only on rare occasions there is any baked or cooked fruit here. A sporadic recipe for summer fruit crostata and you there might be a special one-time appearance of an apple pie. Soon. But no promises. But you will never ever catch me making jam, marmalade, bake any fruit pie, or do any cooking with fresh fruit for that matter. OK, you got my point. Fresh and in season fruits are too good to be punished with sugar and heat. That’s what I say. Oh so good and perfect, like those figs, they don’t need anything added to them. Really.

That said, you might have noticed that the nectarines and peaches in the stores right now do not taste as they do when it’s the peak of their season. however, those in the photos, taken in August, were not so awesome either. You got to know where find the good stuff! Real fruit that taste real good and not like a plastic-ness nothingness. And this is why they got a sprinkle of sugar and went into the oven. I swear, that was the only way to save them.

They were just mehh, ehh ok, not too exciting, or sweet or juicy, so I used Ina Garten’s recipe for roasting them (You can find the recipe is here on the Food Network web site). They got sugared and baked, then out of the oven, they went straight into a bowl of ice cream, got a sprinkle of chopped white chocolate, and some fresh tangy raspberries to keep them company.

Now, that was more like it. Sweet and soft and mooshy and a bit caramely, the nectarines were hot and made the ice cream and chocolate melt. That was more like it. Something to devour.

And that’s all I had to say.

I do wonder what whipped cream and melted milk chocolate would have done to them…

An innocent and unsuspecting salad… but then… a little hand…

Who could it be?

…a little thief…

“I’m so hungry and I just can’t wait. Emmm… Yum!”, she can’t actually say it but her eyes say it all…

Finally, got her own plate

Happy…

The background story:

We got back from a little family vacation, and, as you probably know, you don’t eat too many fresh vegetables in restaurants. So I thought that making a pasta salad – which the kids love (do you know a kid who doesn’t like pasta?) – and adding fresh veggies will be a nice change from the usual mashed potatoes, French fries, roasted potatoes, potato salad… that we ate so much in the past week as potatoes are the most popular side dish served at restaurants.

I was doubtful about the kids willingness to eat this creation, but it turned out to be a great hit. As you can see…

One year ago I posted Try something new: Brussles sprouts 

Israeli couscous with fresh veggies salad
Makes 4 servings

1 box (12 oz., 340 grams) Israeli couscous pasta*
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 large and juicy lemon, zested and juiced
1/3 cucumber, chopped small
1/2 bell pepper, chopped small
3 medium tomatoes, chopped small
a few mint sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
small handful parsley, finely chopped

Sauté the pasta with the oil for 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Remove the pot from the heat and add salt and boiling water (Do this carefully! You’re adding water to a hot pot with oil.) and cook according to the instructions on the package (between 8-12 minutes, until al dente).

When the pasta is cooked, remove it from the pot into a bowl and let cool a bit. Add the lemon zest and juice. Mix and let cool a bit more, stirring gently from time to time.

Add the rest of the ingredients and more oil, salt, and black pepper to taste.

* I use only 1/2- 1/3 of the cooked pasta in this salad and save the rest for next day’s fresh salad (I don’t like the taste of leftover chopped vegetables).

Serve with grilled chicken…

As for the grilled chicken, I don’t have an exact recipe, in case you are interested. I threw all kinds of ingredients/condiments on (2 pounds of) boneless skinless organic chicken thighs like,

Mustard
Ketchup
Soy
Salt, black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
and Hawaij (a spice blend, sort of like Garam Masala, from the cuisine of Yemen. I highly recommend trying this spice blend. it’s delicious!).

Let it marinate for at least one hour so the meat absorbs the flavors.
Grill on medium heat.

Oh, what a summer it has been. Quite stormy, I’d say. If you have been following my family stories, you know what I’m talking about…

My father passed away 3 weeks ago after months of being very sick. I can’t still digest this fact and the only time I have to think about it is late at night before going to sleep.

My mom visited us for a month after three years that we haven’t seen her (with no connection to my father at all as they got divorced when I was a baby) which is a long time to be living in one’s family room, regardless of if you’re having fun together or not.

My son is on summer vacation from school and we spent almost every single day together for the past 6 weeks and there’s another one to go (but who’s counting?) before school starts.

After my father’s death and my mother’s return to her home, we went on a very much needed little summer vacation with the kiddies. Needless to say, although it was lots of fun, a vacation with little kids is not for rest and relaxation. I’m happy to be back home.

And brought a little souvenir from our trip, real Canadian maple syrup

But by now I feel very tired and stressed. All this family “stuff” has been keeping me so busy, too busy, that my head is spinning and I feel so drained. I am so ready to get back to our usual routine. To keep afloat, I’m trying to stay positive and focus on things that make me happy because otherwise, I could go crazy. The simple pleasures of life are filling me back with energies and bringing back the desire to write, to be productive, see people, go out, invite friends over, celebrate… Live.

Like stopping by a farm stand and buying the freshest corn that was picked that very morning at a local farm! 10 for $2! Support your local farmers.

And stone fruits that are the sweetest I have tasted in a long long time. 

     And although the tomatoes in the backyard were not watered for a week while we were away, they waited for us on their vines, ripe and waiting to be picked

and were good and sweet and juicy

Same as these most amazing plums!

But like after any vacation, there is A LOT of laundry to do, grocery shopping, and running errands. A nice quick and light lunch is the best for the day after. Like a good meal after a vacation hangover. Full of summer goodness and sunshine that was soaked into the food.

Quick summer lunch

Corn on the cob quickly cooked in the microwave with a light sprinkle of salt

Simple sandwich with your favorite bread, deli meat, avocado, mayo and/or a drizzle of truffle oil

Fresh mozzarella

10-minutes-ago picked cherry tomatoes

Building our little backyard garden with a raised bed and planting and seeding what grew up to be lettuces, arugula, fresh herbs, and tomatoes really paid off. We enjoy it so much. Next year we might even try raising corn! Now we’re waiting to see what happens with these melons. I hope they will provide a sweet ending to my crazy summer.

The end …

…

Dedicated to my friend Keren, the Frantic Foodie who is trying to do it all (she is getting SO much done! Amazing.) and all the mothers out there. I love you, Moms!

taking a nap…

curly hair… (OK, it has nothing to do with summer)

water and everything in it (well, most of it, but not sharks or crabs with big pinchy claws)…

baby’s first whole peach and an appetite for life…

best dad in the whole wide world… (actually, it’s an all seasons kinda thing)

playing chess by the lake (he won)…

chasing bubbles by the beach…

blinding sun and lots of colors…

day trips and trying new bakeries and restaurants

So what if we eat more of this?

as well as hot dogs… and corn on the cob… way more than usual. (More hot dogs in the past month than in my whole life)

OK, so I am risking being banned from the foodie community.

But time do fly by fast. And kids… they don’t wait, they grow way too fast.

This is where motherhood joins forces with creativity – OK, maybe creativity has nothing to do with it, reality is more like it – and we, mothers, are very good in getting things done, aren’t we?!

So I came up with a weekly meal plan that allows us to have fun in the sun, play and run, get the work done, and have a meal right on time, just before the sun goes down, another day ends, and another begun…

Last summer I posted my ideas for quick summer dinners. I guess I’m pretty consistent with my choices, aren’t I?! When the sun is out, I prefer to take the kids to the park than stay at home and cook dinner. I rather play with them instead of letting them play by themselves while I cook by myself in the kitchen. Honestly, I prefer to do that any day, no matter which season it is. Family comes first, right?! Food is somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd place. Check out August 2008′s “How to spend more time with your kids AND have a daily home-made meal”

More easy recipe ideas:

Sweet summer heirloom tomatoes soup

Home-made lettuce salad

Spaghetti with Carbonara

and, in general, see Summer recipes

One year ago: Kids menu – Is it good for them? Is it good for you? “I am not a big fan of the kids menu provided by restaurants. After spending a week on vacation and eating out 1-3 times a day, I like it even less.”

Meanwhile, waiting for more tomatoes…

Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?!

Summer.

Tomato = Fruit.

“Heirloom tomatoes” is the password.

Make those ripe, even overripe ones.

Go to the farmers market or a farm stand, ask about the hidden box containing very ripe and juicy heirloom tomatoes for only $2 or so per pound. Double sweet deal! Just like the markets in the old days…

Go back home with your treasure.

Warning: you really must have good tomatoes for this soup which has such a short list of ingredients. (Forget about the perfectly plastic tomatoes at the average grocery store)

Make soup.

It takes only 5 minutes!

And don’t forget the new cookbook giveaway in celebration of the blog’s 1 year birthday!

***  ****  *****  *****  ****  ****

Sweet summer heirloom tomatoes soup

Serves 4 as a first course

about 3 lbs. of ripe and juicy tomatoes, all kinds (optional – peel* and remove seeds)
1-2 tablespoons of basil leaves
1-2 tablespoons of mint leaves
salt and black pepper
about 1/3 – 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until all tomatoes are crushed. Do this to the consistency you like.

Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Add more herbs if you want.

Serve at room temperature.

* I find this serrated peeler to be very handy for peeling tomatoes.

Also try Love-ly Heirloom tomatoes salad