Cherry tomato and feta bake with pesto.

This tomato feta bake is a recipe that’s been going around for a few years. I’m a bit late on the wagon, but here it is, with a twist. In summer we devour tomatoes. We are accustomed to picking our own tomatoes from the potager for the last 10 years, but here in Provence we don’t have a potager yet, having moved here only January this year. It is in the pipeline for next season, but in the meantime we rely on the Provencal markets of which there is one in a town each day of the week. So no excuse not to have fresh local tomatoes in the bowl!

We serve this tomato dish with just about everything as a side or on its own with crusty, rustic country bread. It makes a delicious sauce which all goes to waste if you don’t mop it up with bread. Originally on the internet and on TikTok it is served over pasta. It can be lunch or dinner or apero. I serve it here with baked salmon and I can’t tell how well they match together. You have to try it for yourself.

The ingredients are very simple and available. And of course you can play around with herbs and onions, omit the onions if you wish, or even change the feta cheese for goats cheese.

Recipe

• A handfull of cherry or grape tomatoes
• half a red onion
• block of feta cheese
• several branches of fresh thyme
• Fesh basil leaves
• 3 cloves of garlic
• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper

1. Clean the tomatoes and add to an ovenproff dish.
2. Add the block of feta cheese and press it inbetween the tomatoes.
3. Clean and finely slice the onion, add to the tomatoes and feta.
4. Chope the garlic and sprinkle over the tomao feta.
5. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and drizzle finally with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
6. Season with salt and freshly milled pepper.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 210 degr C for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are shrivled.
8. Remove from the oven and serve with pesto and fresh basil.

Serves 4

A pinch of salt

1. Use goats cheese instead of feta cheese
2. Use any other fresh herb of your choice.
3. Add some drizzled freshly squeezed lemon juice.
4. Sprinkle grated lemon peel over the feta
5. Use shallots instead of red onion.
6. Use a mix of grape and cherry tomatoes.
7. Bake at a higher temperature for a shorter time, until the tomatoes are charred.

A bientôt!

Ronell

Cucumber salad

When the summer days are hot as they are here in late august and we are getting a bit tired of tomatoes, we look around for something different. cucumbers are still in season, so why not alittle salad or salsa if you will.

Some people have problems with digesting cucumber. To fascilitate the digestion, I peel it and remove the seeds. In this case, I leave the peel of one half on simply for the touch of green in the salad, but the whole cucumber can be peeled.

 

As you can see, it is very easy and very quick, perfect for those days where time and energy are lmited.

Pincée de fleur de sel:

• Peel the whole cucumber for better disgestion.
• Add chopped chives along with the spring onion and chives for a touch of green.
• Add a tsp of mild mustard to the vinaigrette for a more pungent salad.

Enjoy!

Sunflowers for the home

 

à bientôt!

Ronell