Gazpacho: for Cook the Books: "How to Cook a Wolf" by M.F.K. Fisher and for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Recently I made  a vow to stop making soups for my Cook the Books entries. Basically because for the last five book selections for this bi-monthly virtual foodie book club I co-host, I made soup for four of them. What can I say? I make a soup every week. Soup is love, soup is comfort. Soup often best represents what a book makes me feel or is the food I gravitate to in a book. Our June/July Cook the Books pick is "How to Cook a Wolf" by famous food writer M.F.K. Fisher and hosted by Simona of Briciole and I find myself again making soup. 

"How to Cook a Wolf" is a series of essays first published in 1942, during wartime, when money was tight and ingredients often rationed or scarce. Fisher's book offer up witty and insightful tips for making the most out of what was available, while still enjoying the pleasures of a good meal. There are all manner of recipes woven in Fisher's advice and storytelling in chapters like How Not to Boil an Egg, How to Keep Alive, How to Make a Great Show, and How to Comfort Sorrow. At times funny, at times poignant, always insightful, Fisher has a great ability to bring her writing to life, not matter what decade you are reading it in.

The book offers up plenty of inspiration for the kitchen. I was tempted to try Fisher's version of Tomato Soup Cake--something I actually tried a few years ago back in my early days of blogging for a retro recipe challenge. I was tempted by the Hawaiian Shrimps recipe because I love old-school local-style recipes like it. But, it was the chapter titled How to Boil Water--that I kept going back to. The chapter discusses "the natural progression from boiling water to boiling water with something in it" and making soup. To me, soup is the quintessential food to make in times of need or ration. It is comforting, filling, can be added to to feed more bellies and can be easily made from leftovers. 

Fisher offers several soup recipes in the chapter but I kept going back to the Gazpacho, which was slightly different from most of the other gazpacho recipes I have tried. More of a thick, herby "marinade" of ingredients according to Fisher. It sounded perfect for a humid weekend and thus I am making soup for Cook the Books yet again! 

Fisher says, "Within the past few years I have found myself involved in a discussion, esoteric as well as practical, about the correct way to make a gazpacho. I still stay loyal to this recipe, while accentuating the fact that it, like rules for all good native soups, can vary with each man who makes it."

It was Fisher's prose about Gazpacho that sold me on it:

"This gazpacho can be altered to fit what comes from the garden, but it should always have oil and garlic and lemon juice and herbs rubbed heavily together (this is the important trick: a kind thick marinade, really, of the macerated herbs, oil, acid...) and onion and some other vegetable floating around in it; and it should be very cold indeed. Then it is a perfect summer soup, tantalizing, fresh, and faintly perverse as are all primitive dishes eaten by too-worldly people."

"It is especially good if you have a barbecue, and want some legitimate and not too alcoholic way to keep your guests busy while you turn the steak: put a big tureen of it on the table, and let them serve themselves into cups, and eat toasted crusts with it if you want to." [I always see to it that I have made too much gazpacho. It ripens well, when kept chilled, and is a soul-satisfying thing to drink, chilled, midway in a torrid morning. It is also one of the world's best breakfasts for unfortunates who are badly hung over.]"    
 

Gazpacho
Adapted from How to Cook a Wolf, MFK Fisher

1 generous mixed handful of chives, chervil, parsley, basil, marjoram... any or all but fresh. (I used parsley, marjoram, basil, chives and tarragon)
1 garlic clove
1 sweet pepper, pimiento or bell
2 peeled and seeded tomatoes
1 small glass olive oil (or really flavorful nut oil or substitute)
juice of 1 lemon
1 mild onion, sliced paper thin
1 cup diced cucumber
salt and pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Chop the herbs and mash thoroughly with the garlic, pepper and tomatoes, adding the oil very slowly and the lemon juice.  Add about 3 glasses of cold water [I still say this is the correct liquid. But often I use good meat or fish stock.] or as much as you wish. Put in the onion and cucumber, season, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and ice for at least 4 hours before serving. 

Notes/Results: Cold, crisp and refreshing. I love the "herby" taste of this version of gazpacho--the tomatoes and juice are a player in the soup but unlike many gazpachos, the herbs really are the star here. This is a great soup to make after a trip to the farmers market. The freshness of the local ingredients adds a lot to the flavor. I think it tastes best after at least a day--allowing all the flavors to meld. Although I wasn't hung over as the "unfortunates" that Fishers mentions, it still made a tasty breakfast on a warm morning, especially when accompanied by pieces of grilled garlic bread. I would make this again.

This round of Cook the Books ends on Monday, July 29th and Simona will be doing a round up at the CTB site, shortly after. If you missed out this round, consider joining us for August/September when our book will be the novel, "The Baker's Daughter" by Sarah McCoy, hosted by Heather at girlichef.

Now let's visit the Souper Sundays kitchen and see who is here.

Joyce from Kitchen Flavours is here with Giada's Chicken Stew and says, "Made this Chicken Stew and have seen the many good reviews about it. It was delicious. I have however added in one Russet potato since it is sitting in my pantry basket begging to be used! And since I have a can of black-eyed beans, I used that instead of kidney beans.
The kids love this Chicken Stew. I, myself rather enjoyed it! Just a bowl by itself and it makes a filling lunch. There's no leftovers!"

Janet of The Taste Space shares a Zesty Lemon Cilantro Chickpea Salad and says,"Super simple: mix and marinate. It looks uninspiring but it was a nice balance between the tart lemon, fresh cilantro and sharp garlic. Lemon zest? Well, without my zester, I shaved off the lemon peel and chopped it with a knife instead. However, the zest in this salad is from the garlic, not the lemon zest. The garlic was stronger when I originally made it, but it tamed itself for leftovers, which made it perfect for lunch. It was also delicious overtop mixed greens for a more green salad."

Tigerfish of Teczcape - An Escape to Food made this Arugula Apricot Salad and says, "Salad is a great way to balance out the heat from grilled (outdoor grilling, BBQ) food. As with more grilled foods, salads are also perfect cut-the-grease (or cut-the-guilt?) accompaniments or should I say, a complementary balance of clean and fresh flavors to the charred smoky grilled items."

Mireille of Chef Mireille's Global Creations brings Cilantro Pesto Cole Slaw and says, "From my experience cooking at a nursery school, I can tell you children will eat salads and vegetables if it's introduced as soon as they start eating solid foods. ... In this version of cole slaw, I added the sweetness by using sweet gherkins, which is a perfect example of sweet and acidic that my nursery school kids seemed to love!"

Elizabeth of The Law Student's Cookbook is back with these Mediterranean Burgers and says, "The 30th book on my shelf was The Mixer Bible, a book I got when I first got my KitchenAid stand mixer. I haven’t used this book nearly as much as I should. I like that it teaches techniques with the mixer. Page 30 had two recipes: Hummus and Roasted Garlic Hummus. I decided to go with the Roasted Garlic variety. It was good, but I think it actually needed more garlic. I spread it on the bun of this burger and YUM!"  

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. if you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week! 
 

Garlic Soup with Chickpeas and Harissa: Immunity-Boosting Goodness for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

My immune system sucks. My mom is convinced that it is because I don't eat meat and poultry, even when I remind her that my immune system sucked equally, if not more two years ago and at least now everything I catch doesn't end up trapped in my lungs with me on steroids and the nebulizer for weeks on end. Is any of it due to food choices? Who knows for sure--but I like to think so. What does it have to do with today's soup? Well, mom is convinced that my week-long cold culminating in four days of laryngitis, was due to a lack of chicken soup, and if I would only eat chicken soup, I would get better and get my voice back. My perspective is that any hot soup, full of alliums like shallots and garlic, with some ginger tossed in works just as well. Add some spicy pepper paste, to clear out those sinus passages and I think we have a winner... This Garlic Soup with Harissa by Yotam Ottolenghi.

The recipe takes a soup chock full of garlic--25 cloves in fact, and adds flavor and spice with homemade harissa, which I have been wanting to make and is surprisingly easy to do. Mom still had concerns about the lack of chicken but I added protein by adding a few cups of canned chickpeas. That and the dollop of Greek yogurt on top that Ottolenghi suggests, make this soup satisfying and a good shot for the immune system and almost mom approved. ;-) 

In addition to finding these recipes in Plenty, you can find them at TheGuardian. My few changes to the recipe are in red below.

Garlic Soup with Chickpeas and Harissa
From Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi
(Serves 4)

For the harissa
1 red bell pepper 
1/4 tsp each coriander seeds, cumin seeds and caraway seeds
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
2 medium-hot fresh red chiles, seeded and roughly chopped
1/2 Tbsp tomato purée
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2/3 tsp coarse sea salt (or to taste)

For the soup
4 medium shallots, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely diced
3 Tbsp butter (I used 1 1/2 Tbsp non-dairy butter)
2 Tbsp olive oil (I used 1 Tbsp)
25 medium garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped  
1 cup white wine 
generous pinch saffron strands
4 bay leaves
1 quart good-quality vegetable stock (I used homemade)
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt, or to taste
4 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped 
(I added about 3 cups cooked chickpeas)
fresh coriander, roughly chopped (I omitted)
Greek yogurt (optional)

To make the harissa: Preheat grill to high, then grill pepper 15-20 minutes, or until blackened all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool, then peel and discard the skin and seeds. 

Place a dry frying pan on low heat and lightly dry-roast the coriander, cumin and caraway seeds for 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and grind to a powder. Add oil to the frying pan, heat and fry the onion, garlic and chillies over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until dark and smoky. Cool slightly, then tip into a blender or food processor. Add remaining harissa ingredients, including the roasted red pepper and spices and blitz together to make a paste. Set aside.

For the soup: Gently fry the shallots and celery with the butter and oil for about 10 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for five minutes more. Stir in the ginger and thyme. Pour in the wine and leave to simmer for a few minutes, then add the saffron, bay leaves, stock and salt. Simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Remove the bay leaves, add the parsley. Blitz with an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor. Do not blend to a complete purée--keep some bits of vegetable for texture.

To serve: Divide soup in shallow bowls. Swirl in some harissa and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Finish with a dollop of Greek yogurt, if you like.
 

Notes/Results: This is a good one! The soup itself is full of flavor--sweet, herby and garlicky and tasty on its own. Stir in the tangy yogurt and add the heat of the harissa paste and it becomes even better. The yogurt is optional--but adds extra flavor and texture. Omit it and change out the butter to make this a vegan option. I would say the chickpeas or another bean, are a must, along with leaving it partially chunky (I puréed about a third of it and added it back into the rest before adding the beans). The texture of the beans along with having the pieces of shallot, garlic and celery make it satisfying. I am going to confess that I wasn't in the mood to peel all that garlic so I used the lazy girl's friend, already peeled cloves from the produce refrigerated section that I just had to slice. My only issue with the soup--I really wished it made more than four servings-worth. It's really delicious. Can't say that it has completely cured me--but four bowls of a good "soup-and-spice-sweat" certainly made me feel better. ;-) I will make both the soup and the harissa again.

A note about the harissa. I have had this condiment before and like the fiery red pepper paste. The Ottolenghi version has great flavor and is easy, much less expensive, and easier to find than store-bought. I made the recipe as directed, except for grinding the spices before tossing them into a food processor. Again, I am lazy and I figured they would be pulverized enough in the processor and they were. I can think of lots of great uses for my harissa leftovers--on veggies, other soups, with fish, etc.

This soup is my entry for our Potluck theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs (a day early) as well as my harissa entry for the Optional Monthly Community Recipe. You can check out all the great Ottolenghi dishes everyone makes by following the links on the post starting tomorrow. 

Now lets visit the Souper Sundays kitchen and see who is here.  

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog brings both a soup and a salad this week. About her vegan Mushroom Artichoke Soup she says, "This is one of the best homemade mushroom soups that I have ever made. It's simple, it's vegan, and of course it's gluten free. The combination of mushrooms and artichokes is amazing. I know the temperatures outside have been brutally hot, but I love good soup anytime of the year. I find it soothing  and filling. AND  a bowl of this magical soup is zero Points Plus on Weight Watchers!!"

Judee also shares this Quinoa Lover's Salad and says, "Doesn't this salad look amazing?  It contains quinoa,  fresh spinach, oranges, chick peas and roasted beets making it a nutritional powerhouse of antioxidants and vitamins. In addition, quinoa is high in protein making this salad a meal in a bowl. I also love the light orange citrus dressing, which I found very refreshing."

 
Janet of The Taste Space offers up a healthy bean-filled salad and says, "While still in Toronto, I was had a cook-date with a friend after work. I suggested making Heidi’s Moroccan Chickpea and Carrot Salad. No cooking required, it was filled with my typical pantry staples. However, not everyone always has a lemon on hand, grows mint in their backyard (I don’t have that anymore), stocks prunes (um, yeah, not me either) or has a spice grinder. So we made do with what she had. Lime instead of lemon, cilantro instead of mint, dates instead of prunes and we kept the cumin seeds intact."

Brittany of Brittany Cooks made this fruity Grilled Peach, Chicken, and Goat Cheese Salad and says, "I love the idea of including fruit in my salad, and thought I would take advantage of the fact that I have so many peaches in my fridge. I remember seeing the original recipe on Eat Live Run about a year ago, and was stoked that I had nearly all the ingredients on hand. I substituted toasted hazelnuts for toasted pine nuts (yes, I slightly over toasted them...oops), and regular balsamic vinegar for white balsamic. I think I may have a thing now for balsamic vinegar and peaches. The pairing just works!" 

One sandwich this week, a satisfying Baked Eggplant Sandwich from Elizabeth at The Law Student's Cookbook. She says, "This sandwich is based heavily on this recipe. Mine is a little different, in that my tomato sauce is actually tomato paste and cherry tomatoes. And I used Asian eggplant instead of globe eggplant. It was super easy, but packed with flavors."

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week with their recipes. If you have a soup, salad, or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on my side bar for all of the details. 

Have a happy, healthy week! 
 

Baby Spinach Salad with Dates & Almonds

After seeing several of my blogger friends rave over Ottolenghi's Baby Spinach Salad with Dates and Almonds at I Heart Cooking Clubs, I knew I had to put this salad treat on my "to-make" list. Could the combination of baby spinach, red onion, dates and pita and almonds dusted with sumac and chile really be THAT delicious? 

Turns out, the answer to that question is ...YES!  

Baby Spinach Salad with Dates & Almonds 
Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi 

(Serves 4)

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
3-1/2 oz pitted Medjool dates, quartered lengthwise
2 Tbsp unsalted butter (I used 1 Tbsp non-dairy spread)
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 small pitas, roughly torn into 1-1/2 inch pieces (I used garlic naan)
1/2 cup whole unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped (I used sliced almonds)
2 tsp sumac
1/2 tsp chile flakes
5 oz baby spinach
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt

Put the vinegar, onion, and dates in a small bowl.  Add a pinch of salt and mix well with your hands.  Leave to marinate for 20 minutes, then drain any residual vinegar and discard.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and half the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat.  Add the pita and almonds and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring all the time, until the pita is crunchy and golden brown.  Remove from the heat and mix in the sumac, chile flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Set aside to cool.

When you're ready to serve, toss the spinach leaves with the pita mix in a larger mixing bowl.  Add the dates and red onion, the remaining olive oil, the lemon juice, and another pinch of salt.  Taste for seasoning an serve immediately.  

Notes/Results: Another excellent Ottolenghi salad--the man does know his flavor combinations. This one is an excellent mix of tangy and sweet with a little kick from the chile flakes. I was worried that the red onion might overpower, but it mellows sitting in the white wine vinegar with the dates. The sumac/chile-toasted bread and almonds are addicting on their own. I used garlic nan I had on hand rather than pita, so not quite as crunchy, but I liked the crisp/soft texture of the toasted garlic nan. I did add the bread and nuts to the top of salad at the last minute rather than mixing it all together to retain that crispness. A very tasty salad that I will happily make again.  

This week's IHCC theme is Fruitfull!--recipes with fresh, frozen or dried fruit.

You can check out what everyone made by following the links on the post.

 

Green Grape and Marcona Almond Gazpacho: Cold and Refreshing for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Not everyone appreciates a cold soup. Although I go through the entire year eating mostly warm soups, I also like something cool and refreshing on the more humid days. Last week I bought a ton of organic grapes--both red and green for 99 cents a pound at Whole Foods. (I can't pass up a bargain like that.) ;-) I have been eating them fresh and frozen like they are going out of style, but I saved some to make this elegant Spanish-inspired Green Grape and Marcona Almond Gazpacho. If you aren't acquainted with cold soups, this one would be a great one to start with.

This recipe comes from Food & Wine magazine. 

Food & Wine says, "Most people think tomato when they hear gazpacho, but there's no tomato in sight here. This version of Spain's classic white gazpacho features cucumber and green grapes, thickened with a few luscious marcona almonds to a silky creaminess." 

Green Grape and Marcona Almond Gazpacho 
Susan Spungen for Food & Wine
(Serves 4)

1 large garlic clove 

2 1/2 large seedless cucumbers, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice (5 cups), + 1/4 cup finely diced peeled cucumber, for garnish  

1 1/4 cups whole green grapes, plus 1/4 cup diced grapes, for garnish  

3/4 cup marcona almonds  

3 cups crustless 1/2-inch dice of good white bread  

4 scallions, white and tender green parts, cut into 1-inch lengths  

1 cup packed watercress leaves  

1/2 cup cold water  

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil  

2 Tbsp sherry vinegar  

salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small saucepan of boiling water, cook the garlic clove for 10 minutes; drain.

 
In a blender, working in batches, puree the garlic with the 5 cups of diced cucumber, the 1 1/4 cups of whole green grapes, 1/2 cup of the almonds and the bread cubes, scallions, watercress, water, olive oil and sherry vinegar until very smooth. Transfer the soup to a large pitcher and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
 
To serve, chop the remaining 1/4 cup of almonds. Stir the gazpacho, then pour it into shallow bowls. Garnish the soups with the finely diced cucumber and grapes and the chopped almonds and serve.

 

Make Ahead: The gazpacho can be refrigerated overnight. 

Nutritionals: Per serving: 441 Calories, 32 gm Total Fat, 3.5 gm Saturated Fat, 33 gm Carbohydrates, 6 gm Fiber.

Notes/Results: Cool, smooth and not-too-sweet--it's very refreshing. A pretty, colorful soup--served in the small, shallow bowls with all of the toppings. In addition to the green grapes, I like the color contrast of adding a few purple grapes on top. The flavors combine well with the slight bitterness of the watercress a good contrast with the grapes. Boiling the garlic before takes away its edge and keeps it from overpowering the soup. Both the bread and the marconas thicken the soup, while still keeping it light. Simple, great as a summer starter, and quick to make, I would make it again.  

Let's see who is in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week!

Tigerfish of Teczcape --An Escape to Food made this Ground Sesame Organic Vegetables Salad and says, "Recently, I have been making this sesame seeds-dressed salad quite often, and enjoying it very much. First this salad is very easy to put together. But which salad is not? In addition, while grinding the roasted sesame seeds in my handy mortar and pestle, the aroma is indescribably good and when the salad is finally made, it exudes a lingering nutty aroma with those touch(es) of roasted ground sesame."

Graziana of Erbe in Cucina is back with this healthy homegrown Purslane Salad with Sesame Seeds. She says, "Green purslane was born spontaneously in this empty container, and I harvested many broad and fleshy leaves. With some magenta spreen and toasted sesame seeds I prepared a quick and tasty salad."

Joyce of Kitchen Flavours tried Ottolenghi's colorful Tomato and Pomegranate Salad and says, "A beautiful delicious plate of salad. I love the vibrant colour of the salad, the gorgeous red from the pomegranate seeds, red bell pepper and red cherry tomatoes, the sunny yellow from the yellow cherry tomatoes and fresh green from the coriander leaves. This is so yummy, I've enjoyed this very much, and one that I would definitely make again." 

Janet of The Taste Space shares a healthy Strawberry & Blueberry Salad with Cacao Nibs, Hemp & Maca and says, "To celebrate my first American holiday, July 4, I made this patriotic-looking salad: strawberries and blueberries with cacao nibs, hemp and maca. A fun fruit salad with unusual but not unfamiliar flavours. Kind of like a Canadian in America, no? A bit different but kind of the same. I will save my American-Canadian observations for another post… so stay tuned for that. In the meantime, enjoy your summer with some tasty berries."

Pam of Sidewalk Shoes offers up a pretty side salad saying. "I perused my books and in Food Network Kitchens Cookbook I found French Lentil and Roasted Beet Salad.  It had roasted beets and goat cheese – a winning combination, but it added an earthy lentil element. ...This was a winner!  It was the perfect accompaniment to my spatchcocked chicken.  The lentils added a deep earthiness, the beets a sweetness and that all played nicely with the tart goat cheese."  

Mireille of Chef Mireille's Global Creations made low-carb Roasted Asparagus Salad with Broiled Scallops and says, "For weight control, many people control their carbohydrate intake. However, you still want to feel satisfied after a meal. I have a flavorful combination for you that left me feeling satisfied and yet light and energetic, so that I could work out within 30 minutes after eating."

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog shares this healthful Cauliflower Couscous Tabbouleh salad and says, "It never ceases to amaze me how itneresting cauliflower tastes in so many different types of recipes, and doesn't really taste like cauliflower. This summer salad is light, low calorie, gluten free, vegan and low carb, making it a perfect salad for your next BBQ or family meal. Try it , you'll like it."

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!
 

Baked Tomatoes with Baguette: An Ottolenghi Summer Treat

If fresh ripe tomatoes aren't yet available yet where you live, then this is the second recipe I have posted lately that you really should bookmark for when they are. (Here's the first!) ;-)  Unlike many of the recipes on the Ottolenghi iPhone app that I decide to make while standing at the grocery store, I have been planning on making Baked Tomatoes with Baguette for a while. The thought of scooping up soft tomatoes bursting with flavor and topped with crispy bread crumbs and Parmesan, then sopping up the creamy juices with pieces of baguette seemed like a little bit of heaven to me. And it is...

I used an assortment of fresh local tomatoes--heirloom, Roma and sweet cherry and grape and made a half-ish batch. Perfect as an appetizer for two or a light dinner when served with a salad.

In addition to the Ottolenghi recipe app, you can also find the recipe at The Guardian here.

Baked Tomatoes with Baguette
Yotam Ottolenghi
(Serves 4)
 
2 tbsp heavy cream
3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1/2 rosemary sprig, finely chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
2 lbs good-quality tomatoes of as many colors and sizes as you can find
1 small French baguette, half to make croutons and half to serve
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix the cream, anchovies, sugar, garlic, rosemary, 1 1/2 Tbsp of the olive oil and one-third of the Parmesan. Cut larger tomatoes widthwise into 1/2-inch slices and halve smaller ones. Put them in a bowl and pour in the cream mix. Gently combine with your hands, so the tomatoes are coated, then place cut side up in an ovenproof dish (roughly 9 x10 inches) and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges of the tomatoes start to crisp.

Meanwhile, cut the crust off half the baguette and tear the bread into rough chunks ranging from small crumbs to 1/2-inch chunks. Toss them in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, spread out on a baking sheet and bake alongside the tomatoes for seven minutes, until dry and lightly golden.

Remove both trays from the oven and spread the croutons on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and the oregano, and bake for seven minutes more, until the cheese has melted. Remove, set aside for 20-30 minutes (the flavour intensifies), then serve with the rest of the baguette.

Notes/Results: This is a keeper. The tomatoes burst with flavor, the sauce is lightly creamy and full of the flavor of the garlic and herbs and is perfect soaked up by the bread. The crispy topping adds good texture. A couple of changes. I made a half-batch but ended up using about the whole 3 tablespoons of cream in it. (Actually unsweetened non-dairy creamer because that is what I had on hand.) I added the extra because my mixture was more a paste than pourable with the amount specified--plus a little extra sauce never hurts when you have bread to dip into it. I also added the whole clove of garlic rather than halving it. Finally, as much as I like the flavor anchovy adds to a dish, I don't like to see the hairy little buggers. I used an anchovy paste I buy at my local grocery store. Makes me happy because I don't have to cut them up. An easy recipe. The hardest part is waiting 20-30 minutes to start eating it. I will make this again. 

We are Painting the Town Red this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs with Ottolenghi recipes featuring red ingredients. You can check out what everyone made by following the links.