a bag of tomatoes is a bag full of promise.
slow-roasting summer's best, Italian & Spanish flavour bombs, and some always necessary food waste chat
My partner has an irrationally strong distaste for fresh tomatoes. They get pushed to the side of the plate, explicitly omitted from all burger orders, and left to hang out with the serving spoons in the salad bowl.
So when I bring home a chocka-full, bursting at the seams, brown paper bag with 3kg of tomatoes, the burden of responsibility on my spindly shoulders to eat them weighs heavy.
Like most of my food writing, this edition of Eating Who I Want to Be is inspired by what’s hurtled my way in the preceding weeks, and this time it was a blessing of a predicament that one only dreams of having to solve - what does one do with ‘too many’ tomatoes?! … my hope is that by the end of this newsletter, you’ll quickly realise that there’s never such a thing as ‘too many’ tomatoes once you know what to cook with them.
**PSA - from next week, all previous newsletters from 2023 (and the vast collection of almost 100 kick ass recipes included in them) will only be accessible for paid subscribers.
Now you’re probably wondering, “who’s going around giving out 3kg bags of tomatoes?” And in answering this question, I thought I’d take the opportunity to promote an awesome organisation NZ organisation that’s reducing the negative impacts of food waste on our environment. In line with my values for Eating Who I Want to Be, in an attempt to connect with community and be more planet-conscious, this past year I’ve been volunteering at KiwiHarvest in Dunedin.
KiwiHarvest are a homegrown food rescue organisation that rescues good quality surplus food (around 200,000Kg/month) and strives to divert it back to people who are struggling for food across Aotearoa. Founded in 2012 by Deborah Manning, KiwiHarvest has provided the equivalent of over 30,000,000 meals to NZers while playing its part to lessen the significant contribution our country’s food waste makes towards carbon emissions. They’re always looking for more food donors, recipients, sponsors and volunteers - so check out their website for more info!
**On a side note, if there’s one place to start when thinking about how to be more planet-conscious in your own home kitchen, considering ways to reduce your food waste at an individual or whānau level is a great place to start. And one of the easiest ways is through starting a basic home compost for organic matter ~ here’s an excellent article that talks through why composting can have such a positive impact on tackling climate change.
Back to the tomatoes. Unfortunately, because of the nature of supply and demand, sometimes the amount of food produced is such that even when unsold, excess or ‘damaged’ (but still good quality) goods are diverted to food rescue organisations like Kiwiharvest, and then distributed to all the local support groups, food banks, schools, night shelters etc., there is STILL excess food at risk of being wasted. Which emphasises that while organisations like KiwiHarvest are one part of the food waste solution, significant change at other stages of our food system needs to happen. For my last shift at KiwiHarvest (unfortunately my new job means I’m unavailable during daytime hours to volunteer anymore), tomatoes were the food of the month, and despite trying their best to give as many as they could to whoever would take them, there were still pellets full of tomatoes left, now over a week old and starting to turn.
Sometimes, there is resource, time and manpower to turn food rescue items into meals for the community. Guys like Rob Rietveld, the operations supervisor at KiwiHarvest Dunedin, also a trained chef, do some incredible work in this area (ie local businesses donate their employees’ time as Rob guides them to make ready-to-eat meals from KiwiHarvest items) ~ and this undoubtedly helps to further reduce any potential food waste from perishable produce in the organisation. There needs to be more investment from higher powers to support initiatives like this to progress further. But waste still occurs, and on my final day with the team, it was the tomatoes that were starting to turn. So my parting gift was gladly diverting some potential waste onto my kitchen bench…
After that long-winded, but hopefully enlightening and useful explanation for my bag of tomatoes, let’s get to the good part. The eating!
I realised that to avoid the risk of turning into a human tomato (which would most certainly happen if I ate them all myself), I would have to cook them, so that their goodness could be shared with the whole household (yes, my partner still eats cooked tomatoes, picky fellow I know).
In my humble opinion, the way to maximise the flavour in tomatoes is through caramelisation. And when dealing with a large quantity of tomatoes, this is best achieved through the roasting process. So, this week, I bring to you my approachable, affordable and delicious recipe for Roasted summer tomato sauce. It uses (mostly) authentic fresh ingredients, that mingle together for simple-yet-interesting flavour. Whether you’re struggling to keep up with a glut of tomatoes from your homegrown plants, or wanting to make the most of cheap in-season NZ tomatoes and get ahead for meal prep for the year ahead (this sauce freezes excellently or keeps for months in sterilised jars), this is the recipe for you!!
Roasted summer tomato sauce
Hands-on Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
makes about 1.25-1.5kg of sauce
Cost estimate: $10 (about 12 servings)
Ingredients
1.5-2kg ripe sun-kissed tomatoes, roughly chopped into large chunks
2 brown onions, peeled and sliced
100ml olive oil
12 cloves garlic, peeled (about 1 head of garlic)
1 large handful chopped fresh herbs (e.g. a mix of oregano, parsley and basil leaves)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
2 tsp sea salt
1 ½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp chilli flakes
Method
Preheat the oven to 140°C fan-forced (or 160°C conventional).
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss together to evenly combine. Transfer to two deep roasting/baking tins, spreading out into even layers, and bake for 1 hour, until the vegetables are deliciously softened and caramelised. Tip the contents of the roasting tins back into the large bowl and blitz with a stick blender to desired smoothness (or blitz in a blender/food processor).
Alby’s Advice:
If not using immediately, here are three easy storage options:
Leave to cool then transfer to jars and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Leave to cool then freeze in jars/containers or ziplock bags. Defrost and reheat.
Transfer to a saucepan and bring to the boil, then pour into sterilised jars and seal. Store in a cool dark place for up to 6 months.
I love the subtle heat the chilli flakes add, but feel free to leave these out. You can also leave out the brown sugar if desired (but it really helps to develop the flavour of the tomatoes by enhancing caramelisation), and you can use balsamic vinegar instead of red wine vinegar, depending what you have on hand.
Simple ways to eat:
Heat and stir through cooked pasta, adding a little pasta cooking water to loosen = quick and easy weeknight meal
Use as a base for pizzas
Blitz together with chickpeas and tahini for a quick tomato hummus, perfect for dipping
Warm and drizzle over roasted veg or protein (eg roast lamb)
Blitz together 200g feta and 6 tbsp greek yoghurt. Spoon into a small wide bowl and swirl through a couple of tablespoons of roasted summer tomato sauce. Serve with flatbreads.
It seems only fair that if I’m giving you this knockout flavour bomb sauce, I should probably give you some other killer recipes to use it for. This is where I sneakily bring it to your attention that if you’re a free subscriber, you’re barely getting half the experience! I’ve got two more recipes to share with you in this newsletter, that both utilise this very special Roasted summer tomato sauce. One of these is exclusively for Paid Subscribers. I’ll also be sending out a fourth BONUS RECIPE for the week, a very very good one if I say so myself, also inspired by summer’s tomato bounty, that is exclusively for Paid Subscribers… trust me, it’s worth it!
I love love love the late-summer aubergine (eggplant) season. When doused in olive oil and softened they have this mellow richness and almost creamy texture that is the perfect canvas for soaking up other bolder flavours ~ in comes our Roasted summer tomato sauce that we’ve made, and it is a match made in aubergine heaven. Pasta all Norma is a classic simple Sicilian pasta dish, and this is my slightly inauthentic but outrageously delicious version.
Pasta alla Norma with sticky walnuts
Hands-on Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
serves 4
Cost estimate: $16.20 ($4.05 per serve)
Ingredients
Pasta alla Norma
600g aubergine (about 2 medium)
1 tsp sea salt
6 tbsp olive oil
cracked black pepper
400g spaghetti or fettuccine
400g Roasted summer tomato sauce (see above recipe)
chopped flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves, to serve
Sticky walnuts
1 tbsp olive oil
75g walnuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
large pinch of sea salt
Method
First make the sticky walnuts. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook for a few minutes, tossing occasionally, until turning golden and smelling toasty. Add the maple syrup, balsamic, cinnamon and a decent pinch of sea salt. Cook for a further minute, tossing the walnuts to coat as the glaze reduces to a sticky consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside.
To prepare the aubergine, slice the aubergines into 1cm-thick rounds, then slice each round into 2cm-wide strips. Place the aubergine strips in a colander and sprinkle with the teaspoon of sea salt, tossing to coat. Set aside for 15 minutes. Rinse the aubergine with water then pat dry with paper towel or a clean tea towel. Transfer the aubergine to a large bowl, add 2 tbsp of olive oil and a generous amount of cracked black pepper. Toss to evenly coat, ensuring all of the aubergine is nicely oiled.
Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, place half the aubergine in the pan, flesh side facing downwards, arranged in a single layer. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping with tongs, until beautifully golden and softened. Transfer the cooked aubergine to a plate, add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan, swirling to coat, then repeat with the remaining aubergine until all has been cooked.
While frying the aubergine, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti or fettuccine and cook until al dente (about 8 minutes, or as per packet instructions). Strain the pasta cooking water, reserving ½ cup for your sauce.
Return the large frying pan to the heat and add the Roasted Tomato Sauce, along with your ½ cup of reserved pasta cooking water, stirring to combine. Once bubbling vigorously, reduce the heat to low, add the cooked aubergine and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring the aubergine through the sauce to coat and absorb all the delicious flavour. Taste, and adjust seasoning with extra salt, if desired.
To serve, stir the cooked pasta through the aubergine sauce to evenly coat. Pile into bowls, and top with the sticky walnuts, chopped parsley or basil leaves, and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper.
Alby’s Advice:
For an extra pop of heat, add ½ tsp chilli flakes with the maple syrup etc. when making the sticky walnuts
This dish is perfect for late summer eating, when aubergines are at their best and cheapest
My next recipe for this fortnight is a doozy - snacking comfort food at its best, but without any of the hidden ‘bad’ stuff. If you ever make it to a tapas bar in Spain, they’ll undoubtedly have Patatas bravas on the menu ~ crispy potatoes doused with a spicy tomato sauce. It’s like a levelled-up version of your bowl of fries & T-sauce at the pub. My recipe takes this simple snack food to the next dimension, with smoky spiced seasonal corn, roasted chickpeas, and a mustard mayo made from aquafaba (the brine you drain from a can of chickpeas). It’s the plant-based comfort food feast I crave.
Patatas bravas deluxe with spicy smoky corn, chickpeas & mustard mayo
Hands-on Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
serves 6 as a snack/side or 2-3 as a main
Cost estimate: $11.70 ($1.95 per side serve)
Ingredients
Potatoes & chickpeas
50ml canola oil
1.2kg agria potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized 2-3cm chunks
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
¾ tsp sea salt
cracked black pepper
400g can chickpeas, aquafaba (chickpea liquid) drained into a bowl
300g Roasted summer tomato sauce (see recipe above)
ground chilli, to taste
Mustard mayo
60ml aquafaba, drained from the can of chickpeas
1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated
½ tsp cracked black pepper
150ml olive or canola oil
sea salt, to taste
Spicy smoky corn
2 corn cobs, husks & silk removed
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground chilli
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp sea salt
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced (or 220°C conventional). Pour the canola oil for the potatoes into a large roasting tray and place in the oven to heat.
For the potatoes & chickpeas, in a bowl, toss together the chopped potatoes with the paprika, cumin, thyme, sea salt and a generous amount of cracked black pepper. Once the oil is hot, remove the roasting tray from the oven and carefully add the potatoes, tossing to coat with the hot oil. Ensure the potatoes are in a single layer, return to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Rinse the drained chickpeas then pat dry with a paper towel. Remove the potatoes from the oven, add the chickpeas to the tray and toss through the potatoes. Ensure the potatoes are still in a single layer, return to the oven and roast for a further 20 minutes, until the potatoes and chickpeas are golden brown, crispy and cooked through.
While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the mustard mayo and spicy corn.
For the mustard mayo, place the aquafaba, mustard, lemon juice, garlic and black pepper in a tall, narrow container. Using a stick blender, blitz for 20 seconds until the aquafaba whitens and is becoming frothy. While continuing to blend, gradually pour in the oil, little by little, moving the stick blender up and down to emulsify. Gradually it will form a deliciously creamy thick-yet-pourable mayo. Season to taste with sea salt (and extra lemon juice, if desired). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the spicy smoky corn, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Add the corn cobs and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and cool on a chopping board until you can handle them, then pat dry with paper towel or a clean tea towel. Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat. in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chilli, paprika and salt. Brush the spiced oil over the surface of the two corn cobs, so it etches into all the crevasses between the kernels. Add the corn cobs to the hot pan and grill for a few minutes, turning occasionally, until the corn is evenly charred - make sure there’s plenty of ventilation in your kitchen as the pan will smoke. Remove from the heat and once cool enough to handle, stand the corn upright on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to cut off the kernels.
To serve, place the Roasted tomato sauce in a saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of water to loosen it. Heat through until warm. Add a little ground chilli, if desired, to give the sauce some added kick. Pour the tomato sauce over the roast potatoes and chickpeas, tossing to coat in the sauce, then transfer to a large serving platter. Spoon over dollops of the mustard mayo and scatter over the corn. Serve warm
Alby’s Advice:
If you’re feeling game, add some ground chilli to the Roasted tomato sauce as you heat it, for extra oomph
If fresh corn is out of season, use frozen corn kernels - toss with the spiced oil then pan fry until starting to char
This is great as a shared plate, tapas-style, for snacking with mates, or a lap-style TV dinner
If you’ve made it to this stage of the newsletter, you’re a paid subscriber! Each fortnight I’ll be saving my extra special recipes just for you, like the Patatas bravas above. Plus, every other week I’ll be sending out a fourth bonus recipe in a separate email, plus some extra sustainable & seasonal eating advice for you to sink your teeth into ~ so look out for that email coming later next week!
The biggest thank you for supporting this publication above and beyond the status quo. I hope that you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth as we navigate the year together, with deliciousness at the centre.
Much love,
Alby xx