Grilled Bread with Roasted Tomato and Garlic Puree

Serves 6

¼ pound Sundown Roasted Tomatoes
3 garlic bulbs
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of cayenne
1 tablespoon chopped fresh leaf parsley plus sprigs for
garnish
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano plus sprigs for garnish
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Twelve ½-inch-thick slices coarse-textured bread

Place the garlic bulbs in a small baking dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water and cover with the foil. Bake until the garlic is soft, about 40 minutes.

Pass the garlic through a potato ricer or food mill, and discard the skins. Reserve the garlic pulp and garlic oil.

Chop the tomatoes and put into a small bowl. Add the reserved garlic and garlic oil, the lemon juice, cayenne, parsley, and oregano, and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Under the broiler, toast the bread until lightly golden. Spread with the tomato-garlic puree and place on a platter. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and oregano sprigs.

Roasted Tomato and Herbed Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Serves 4

¼ pound Sundown Roasted Tomatoes
Coarse Salt
1 large baguette, ends removed, cut into 2 pieces on the diagonal, and split open
5 ounces fresh goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons finely snipped fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Freshly ground black pepper

Wrap the baguettes in foil and heat in the oven until warm, about 10 minutes.

In a bowl, mash together the goat cheese, parsley, chives, oregano, and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (You can make the herbed goat cheese several days in advance and store in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Spread the goat cheese evenly over the inside of the warmed baguettes. Evenly distribute the roasted tomatoes on top of the goat cheese.

Roasted Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Salad

Serves 6

1 pound Sundown Roasted Tomatoes
1 pound mozzarella, cut into ½ inch cubes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and vinegar. Toss the tomatoes and mozzarella in a medium sized bowl. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and garnish with the basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Scrambled Eggs Cartagena

Serves 6

¼ pound Sundown Roasted Tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, diced
12 large eggs
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon
chopped flat-leaf parsley
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until almost soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for about 1 minute.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, 2 tablespoons of water, ¼ cup of the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the eggs slowly to the pan and stir very slowly until the eggs are set, 3 to 4 minutes. Fold the eggs over as you would an omelet and place on a plate. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon of parsley and serve immediately.

Penne with Gorgonzola, Ricotta, Peas and
Roasted Tomatoes

Serves 4

½ pound Sundown Roasted Tomatoes
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
¾ cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup frozen peas
1 ¼ pounds penne pasta
Freshly grated parmesan cheese to serve

In a serving bowl combine the gorgonzola, ricotta, butter and parmesan cheese. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place the frozen peas in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Allow to stand a few minutes, drain well, add to the serving bowl and gently fold the whole mixture together.

Meanwhile cook the penne in salted boiling water until al dente. Just before the penne has finished cooking, remove ¼ cup of the boiling water with a ladle and stir into the mixture in the bowl. Drain the pasta, add the roasted tomatoes and toss well with the cheese mixture. Serve immediately, with the extra parmesan cheese at the table.