Odell Waddell opens today's conversation from his home in East Brainerd.
"Lots of good tomatoes this summer. And I love tomato pie, but I don't like mayonnaise. My plan had been to send you a request for a recipe that meets the above criteria, but then I noted in your last Wednesday's column that someone had requested a Tomato Pie recipe made with goat cheese, which I believe to be the substitute for mayonnaise.
"Anyway, my dear Daughter No. 2 was recently in town and made a great tomato pie using goat cheese but no mayonnaise."
That daughter, Katherine Waddell of Atlanta, supplied her version today, but please send your mayonnaise-less version too.
Mr. Waddell continued, "Also, we have several good friends who keep us supplied with apple butter. Do you have any special recipes using this product of good apples? (We've probably got a dozen bottles. Guess I could give to neighbors, but thought I could use in a special dish)."
Special dish makers, please reply.
Teri Purvis sent a photo of a favorite old cookbook, "Velvo Self-Rising Flour Recipes" and, as a fan of old cookbooks, suggested you share your favorite Tennessee cookbooks. Which ones are the most worn-and-torn regional cookbooks on your shelf?
PORK TENDERLOIN
Jean Moore supplied the Moore family's favorite recipe for pork tenderloin.
Pork Tenderloin
1 package of pork tenderloin (usually 2 tenderloins)
1 bottle of Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki marinade and sauce
Several cloves of garlic
Place pork tenderloins in a plastic zip-lock bag or other container, and pour the teriyaki sauce over it. Marinate several hours or overnight.
Before removing the tenderloin from the marinade, remove the papery skin from a handful of garlic cloves. Slice each clove into 4 or 5 pieces.
Remove the tenderloins from marinade. With a sharp knife, make slits every inch or so down the tenderloin, and insert a garlic sliver in each slit.
Grill the tenderloins on a charcoal grill or a gas grill for 20 to 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the tenderloin reads 145 degrees for medium rare or up to 160 degree for well done. Remove from the grill, and let rest for a few minutes before slicing into pieces.
TOMATO GALETTE
Tomato pie is a hot topic on these hot September days, and Nora Fitzgerald has a fine new version. She wrote, "The request in your column for the tomato pie with goat cheese sparked my curiosity, so I did a little research. The one that I usually make is made with Cheddar and Parmesan, and is in a traditional pie form, rather than as a galette. I make fruit galettes, but had never considered its use for a savory format.
"This one really jumped out at me. I have never made this particular recipe, but it seems to have a good balance of ingredients and to fulfill the reader's request."
It's from agoudalife.com (I like that spiffy name) and is described as "Tomato Galette with sweet summer tomatoes, tangy goat cheese and fresh herbs baked in a store-bought buttery flaky pie crust. It is a super-easy weeknight meal loaded with flavor, and whips up in minutes."
If you're wondering about the difference between these culinary creations, The New York Times' Melissa Clark explains it this way:
"A pie is homey. A tart is fancy. And a galette splits the difference, but is easier than either one.
"The defining factor of a galette (which can also be called a crostata if you've got Italian inclinations) is that it's a free-form pastry, baked without the stability of a pie pan or tart ring. The dough is rolled out flat, then folded around the filling. The appeal of a galette lies in its rusticity. Its juices can leak, the pastry can tear, the filling can singe at the top; it doesn't matter. As long as you've used good fruit or vegetables for the filling and real butter for the dough, it will bake up into something golden brown and utterly gorgeous, the kind of pastry you're happy to whip up anytime, not just on special occasions."
Tomato Galette
1 pound tomatoes, any variety
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
4 ounces garlic and herb goat cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced into ribbons chiffonade
1 pie crust, store-bought or your favorite crust recipe
1 egg
Parchment paper
Bring the goat cheese to room temperature on the counter. Slice the tomatoes, then lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let them sit 10 to 15 minutes so some of the juices release. Unroll the dough onto another parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
Carefully spread the goat cheese over the center area of the dough, leaving about a 2-inch border all the way around. Top with half of the Parmesan cheese. Arrange the tomatoes over the top of the cheeses, slightly overlapping, then season with salt and pepper and add the rest of the Parmesan cheese.
Fold the dough over the tomatoes, pleating it, leaving the center exposed. Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon of water together, brush the crust with the egg wash and lay the thyme sprigs on top. Bake at 400 degrees on the center rack 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is flaky and golden, then remove the thyme.
Let the tomato galette rest 15 to 20 minutes before cutting. Don't worry if there's excess moisture when you take the galette out of the oven. It will absorb as it rests.
TOMATO PIE
Katherine Waddell found this recipe in Garden & Gun magazine. She commented, "I abhor mayonnaise, which eliminates a lot of Southern culinary standards. So I was thrilled when I discovered this recipe. The shallot-Dijon mixture adds a wonderful layer of flavor, without overpowering the tomatoes' sweetness.
"I've used homemade and store-bought pie crust for this. (My grandmother Waddell, a stellar cook, used store-bought crust to make Dad's favorite blackberry cobbler one summer. Since then, Mom and I have felt no shame in using packaged pie crust.)"
Tomato Pie
4 shallots
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
9-inch pie shell
1 pound assorted heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 ounce fresh basil chiffonade
1 tablespoon Grenache or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a small pan, sauté shallots and garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in mustard, and set aside.
Place pastry shell in a 9-inch pie dish. Layer in half of the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper; spread shallot mixture over top. Add goat cheese and half of the basil, distributing evenly. Layer in remaining tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and vinegar over the tomatoes; top with remaining basil.
In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly over tomato filling.
Bake 30 minutes or until topping and crust are golden brown.
This recipe is from Drew Robinson of Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q in Birmingham, Alabama.
SOUS VIDE
We continue to discuss sous vide cooking, thanks to C.D. Pritchard, and Mr. and Mrs. Sunday will weigh in next week. Here is a tip to begin. "A freezer-type zip-lock bag works in lieu of a vacuum-sealed bag if all of air is removed." And here is one of Mr. Pritchard's favorite recipes.
Sous Vide Pork Loin
Brine:
3 tablespoons table salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 quart warm water
Dissolve salt and sugar in warm water, and cool in the refrigerator to below 40 degrees for at least overnight.
Pork loin:
1 natural, not "enhanced" pork loin
Soak loin in plastic bag in brine in refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, turning twice a day.
Heat sous vide to 133 degrees.
Drain loin, vacuum-seal loin in bag and put in sous vide.
Time in sous vide depends on temperature, shape and cross-section dimensions of the loin and if you want it pasteurized like I always do. See Douglas Baldwin's book or website. Mine was 70 millimeters, roughly round and cooked for 4 hours.
Before next step, heat lightly oiled cast-iron comal or skillet to just above smoke point.
Remove loin from bag, dry well with paper towels and sear well; two pairs of tongs help.
Serve immediately. You do not need to rest sous vide meat.
JUST A DASH
An anonymous visitor to the Sunday Chattanooga Market had this tip. "Find the man who sells bouquets of flowers, and buy from him an assortment of shoots and sprouts. They are beautiful and colorful. Arrange them in small sheaves on your dinner plate with your meat or other entree (and a starch if you choose), and lightly drizzle with good seasoned balsamic vinegar. Easy, beautiful and so good for you.
We will be watching for you next week.
REQUESTS
* No-mayo tomato pie
* Uses for apple butter
* Favorite regional cookbooks
TO REACH US
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send.
Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Email: chattfare@gmail.com
Jane Henegar