Tomatoes for Dessert!
Are you looking for a delicious, summery dessert to compliment your dinner?
Well, try my Caramelized Tomatoes- sweet, juicy, and suprisingly indulgent. Don’t think tomatoes will make a good dessert? I’ll bet you’re wrong!
Try this simple summer delight and let me know what you think. Here’s what you will need to get started.
……………
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 orange
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
6 vine-ripened plum tomatoes, cored, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and seeded
1/4 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liquer
Sprigs fresh mint
If the ice cream is frozen solid, let it stand at room temperature while preparing the tomatoes.
With a vegetable peeler, remove the zest (orange part of the peel only, no the underlying white pith) from the orange in wide strips. Cut the zest into very thin strips. Squeeze the juice from teh orange and reserve the strips of zest and juice separately.
In a medium-size, heavy, nonreactive skillet, make a caramel with the sugar and water. Just as the caramel turns a medium amber color, remove the skillet from the heat and carefully add the orange zest and orange juice.
Return the skillet to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve any caramel that has hardened. Add the tomatoes and Grand Marnier. Stand back from the range and ignite the Grand Marnierwith a long fireplace match. (If you do not have a long match, let the sauce boil and extra minute or two.) Continue cooking, shaking the skillet vigorously, until the flames subside and the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes.
Scoop the ice cream into shallow dishes and spoon some of the tomatoes and the hot syrup over each serving. Garnish with mint sprigs.
August 22nd, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Delicioso! Almost made it to Istria last mon., from Slovania, detoured to Trieste! Next time, Lidia!
August 26th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Fantastic recipe! I have been telling a lot of my friends about this recipe. Thanks!
August 28th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Dear Lidia,
Thank you! Today we received a lovely welcome package from you, Susan Ungaro and The James Beard Foundation with your signed copy of LIDIA’S ITALY! My husband, Ray, our daughter, Beth, her companion, Victor, and myself, Donna, are looking forward to your Silversea October sailing to Italy! We have signed on to your cooking class in Catania, Sicily and are very excited about it!
Until then, we will be enjoying LIDIA’S ITALY!
Thank you. With best wishes,
Donna Suckow
August 30th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Unbelievable dessert sauce! Make this and you’ll know why a tomato is fruit and not a vegetable!
Lydia, every recipe of yours I try turns out well and tastes great! I’ve never cooked from cookbooks and had such consistent success as with yours. Thank you for sharing your family, your life and your recipes!
September 7th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Hello
Lidia,
I really do not have a question, I would just like to say thank you. I have been a fan for quite a long time. Yetserday, I spent most of the afternoon making your tortelli filled with chicken liver, spinach and ricotta along with the tuscan meat and tomato ragu. Along the way, my husband would ask me questions such as; shouldn’t you put the porcini water in along with the mushrooms? And I would answer each question starting with “she does not do it that way…” At the end of the prepration it hit me that I talk of you as I know you. Isn’t that odd? The truth be told, you have alway reminded me of my own Nonna, Leonetta Tognocchi who I lost six years ago. But it is more than that, you have reminded me of the lovely Italian ways of cooking and how it seems to bring and keep families together. Personally, you have taught me how important patience is in ensuring an incredible meal. My husband thanks you too, he told me that yesterday I made my best meal to date. I know that he was truthful as he made loud noises with each bite he took! You and my Nonna are my culinary heros and I say thank you, please keep doing what you are doing!
With love and blessings, Leonetta Tognocchi- Barone
September 14th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Lydia,
Your way of sharing with others your passion is what attracted me to you! I am on my way to your Kansas City location to embark on my externship from culinary school I hope to have the opportunity to chat with you or meet you during my time there. I feel privileged to be near your wealth of knowledge and to feel your presence in the beauty of your restaurant and the food you lovingly see over.
Thank you for all you the joy you bring to the world!
Tamara, Seattle WA
September 25th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Hello Lydia,
I just wanted to say that I love watching you on TV. You’re very much remind me of my mom when she’s cooking. Just watch you cook and follow your hands working all those beautiful ingridients remind me of my mom doing her magic in the kitchen. You have a unique touch of working with food that makes you hungry and try everything you do in the kitchen, everything you make look so delicious, hearty and tasty. There’s that undeniable sense of comfort certain chefs posses…You are one of them. I am sure you know waht I’m talking about. I come from a family of cooks and am myself a decent cook and know quite a bit about cooking. Italian cuisine is one of my favorite and I learn so much from your shows. I really appreciate what you do and I can see how much you love what you do. You are genuine and true to what you love to do and I love you for that. You’ve been an inspiration for me and continue to be for so many of your fans. I wish you much happiness and prosperity for many years to come…talented, real, warm Lydia!!! Thank you for being in our lives!