What I realized when I returned to San Francisco, however, was that it doesn't make much difference. A good, in-season tomato is simply a good tomato, no matter the locale.
With tomatoes comprising the bulk of my weekly produce delivery, I turned some of them into a quick sauce for fish with white wine and garlic - it's about as much as I'm willing to manipulate them at this time of year.
The sauce comes together in minutes, and is hugely versatile. Here, it's on mild, flaky sole, but it would be delicious tossed with pasta or shrimp, served over chicken, or even piled on toast. In fact, you'll want plenty of bread around to sop up the extra sauce.
In between Tomatogate back East, I also found time to enjoy a favorite childhood meal. Making no apologies for its retro nature, my mother cooked lamb chops with mint jelly - with a better brand of the condiment that wasn't eye-searing green.
Remembering the pleasure of this pairing but realizing it was a bit of a non-recipe - grill chops, top with jelly - I turned it into kebabs, using lamb steaks that could be cut into fat squares. The skewers are threaded with the meat, zucchini and halloumi cheese, which is firm enough to crisp up on the outside while it cooks on the grill, yet stays creamy in the center.
If you're feeling above the whole mint jelly thing, you can keep it simple by squeezing fresh lemon juice and chopped mint over the skewers. But I'd recommend going with the good stuff - throwback or not, it'll pull the meal together in the best way possible.
Sole With White Wine & Tomatoes
Serves 4
Use the freshest, peak-season tomatoes you can find for this quick, versatile sauce, which is just as good tossed with pasta or shrimp as it is with mild white fish. Be sure to have good bread nearby - you'll want it to soak up the extra sauce.
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound mixed cherry tomatoes
2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
-- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/4 pounds sole filets
1 tablespoon thinly sliced basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions: In a large skillet or saute pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, until it just begins to color, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until they just begin to burst and release some of their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, and cook about 3 minutes more. Stir in the butter, and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the sole with salt and pepper, and nestle the filets in the sauce. Cover the pan and cook until the fish is just opaque throughout, about 4-5 minutes.
Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve immediately with crusty bread, garnishing with fresh basil, if desired.
Per serving: 316 calories, 30 g protein, 17 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat (3 g saturated), 76 mg cholesterol, 148 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.
Lamb, Halloumi & Zucchini Kabobs
Makes 8 skewers, serves 3-4
Serve these with purchased mint jelly (if possible, look for the kind that's golden brown with pieces of mint as opposed to the bright green jelly) for a quick, easy condiment. Or, squeeze lemon juice over the hot skewers and garnish with some chopped fresh mint.
3/4 pound lamb steaks, about 1-inch thick
1/2 pound halloumi cheese, drained
1 large zucchini (about 1/2 pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
-- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
-- Mint jelly or lemon and fresh mint, for garnish
Instructions: Soak eight wooden skewers in water for at least 20 minutes. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat, about 375°. Clean and grease the grates well to prevent sticking.
Trim the lamb steaks of excess fat, and cut them into 24 1-inch cubes. Cut the halloumi and zucchini into 1-inch pieces, 24 of each. Divide the olive oil between the lamb, cheese and zucchini, and toss well to coat. Season the lamb and zucchini with salt and pepper.
On each of 8 skewers, thread a piece of lamb, cheese and zucchini, repeating this pattern 2 more times, so that you end with zucchini.
Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the lamb is cooked through. Serve hot with mint jelly for dipping, or garnish with lemon juice and fresh mint.
Per serving: 487 calories, 27 g protein, 2 g carbohydrates, 42 g fat (20 g saturated), 102 mg cholesterol, 653 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.
