Tomatoes and Onions in Olive Oil with Fresh Basil – the Taste of Summer

by Dorothy Reinhold on August 24, 2014


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Olive oil has taken up more and more shelf space in our collective pantries as it has gained prominence in our kitchens during the past decade.

We drizzle it on our salads, we marry it with balsamic vinegar and sop it up with our baguette slices for a rustic lunch, we spritz it on our vegetables before we roast them and we even splash a bit on our vanilla ice cream. (Yes, we actually do!)

And if authors Laura Bashar and Mary Platis have their way, we’ll poach, braise, marinate, steam and bake with it, too.

Cooking-Techniques-and-Recipes-with-Olive-Oil-cookbookThey’ve written a wonderful new cookbook in praise of the liquid gold, and I’ve been successfully turning to them and their book for advice on how to coax the most out of my stash of extra virgin olive oil.

One day I asked Mary how to substitute olive oil for the butter in a recipe for Banana Breakfast Cake with Pecan Streusel, and her advice to substitute 3/4 cup of olive oil for every cup of butter was right on. It made one of the best snack cakes I’ve ever made, and I promptly made it nine times in one month. (No one ever got tired of it.)

Cooking Techniques and Recipes with Olive Oil leads us through the history, varieties, storage and cooking tips for olive oil, before we happily plunge into the gorgeous recipes, each one prettier and more delectable than the one before it. The book deservedly won a Gold Medal in the global Ebook Awards.

Cooking_techniques_and_recipes_with_olive_oil_coverI was tempted by Figs with Muscato Grapes, which could be either an elegant appetizer or a simple dessert. I wanted the Greek Style Vegetables with Tomatoes that day for lunch, and the New York Strip Steak with Warm Cabbage Salad for dinner. I wanted the Kalamata Olive Bread with Rosemary all for myself — just me, my loaf, and some olive oil to dip it in. And I wanted to put the cap on it all with an Olive Oil Sugar Cookie. Oh yes I did.

Since we’re high into tomato season, I made the Fresh Tomato Risotto, in which creamy Arborio rice is steeped in fresh tomato sauce and drizzled with olive oil. I sat out on the patio on a warm night and ate this, accompanied by a nice glass of wine. I also happily had it for lunch several times. (You can see it in the collage above in the middle right.)

For today, I chose the rustic charm of tomatoes and onions poached in olive oil flavored with basil and garlic. This deceptively simple combination is summer in a bowl.

Try it and then tell me you agree my friends Mary and Laura are the genius cooks I think they are.

Tomatoes and Onions in Olive Oil with Fresh Basil

Rating: 51

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 4

Tomatoes and Onions in Olive Oil with Fresh Basil

Warm tomatoes and onions poached in olive oil with garlic and basil are spooned rustically atop toasted crusty bread.

Ingredients

  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 3 large tomatoes, peeled and cored
  • 3 large onions, peeled and cored
  • 3-4 cups extra virgin olive oil (I used Arianna Trading Company Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • Garnish: 2-3 fresh basil leaves, julienned for garnish
  • 1 loaf artisan bread, sliced and toasted

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Line the bottom of a large ovenproof dish with basil leaves.
  2. Place tomatoes and onions core side down in the dish so they are snug but not touching. Pour enough olive oil to cover tomatoes and onions halfway up its sides. Add and submerge garlic cloves in the oil.
  3. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until tomatoes and onions are soft. Remove from oven and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and freshly sliced basil.
  4. Slice and toast the bread and serve with the warm tomatoes and onions.
  5. Serves 4.

Notes

Recipe source: “Cooking Techniques and Recipes with Olive Oil,” by Mary Platis and Laura Bashar (2014; Two Extra Virgins; $26.95). Recipe reprinted with the authors’ permission. Photos by Laura Bashar.

https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/tomatoes-and-onions-in-olive-with-fresh-basil/

Disclosure: The authors sent a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own.

{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }

Vinit panchal December 28, 2018 at 12:05 am

Thanks for sharing this delicious dish with olive oil. I love to eat dishes made from olive oil.

Reply

sami August 25, 2014 at 8:00 am

This book looks too good, I just ordered my hard copy….can’t wait for delivery

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold August 25, 2014 at 3:40 pm

Sami,
Oh good. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed! In fact, let’s cook our way through it, shall we?

Reply

Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) August 24, 2014 at 11:12 am

Beautiful recipe and you bet, I’ve been on that olive oil bandwagon for years now. I cook (sautee) almost everything in it. Putting that book on my wish list.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold August 24, 2014 at 1:51 pm

Oh Lea Ann, you will LOVE this book!

Reply

Judy at Two Broads Travel August 24, 2014 at 10:51 am

This is a total winner. I wonder if you could add a head of garlic to the mixl

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold August 24, 2014 at 1:51 pm

Judy,
I had the same thought and I would next time, for extra fun!

Reply

Laura August 24, 2014 at 8:28 am

I’m so glad you liked the poached tomatoes and risotto. Once you realize the beauty and potential of extra virgin olive oil, you don’t go back!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold August 24, 2014 at 1:52 pm

Laura,
I’ve been cooking with olive oil almost exclusively for awhile now, and your book really solidifies that idea! Love it!

Reply

Liz August 24, 2014 at 8:03 am

Thank you for the nice recipe.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold August 24, 2014 at 1:53 pm

Hi Liz,
Nice to see you back here again! Missed you!

Reply

SallyBR August 24, 2014 at 7:12 am

This sounds like a great cookbook, I am tempted…. and you picked a wonderful recipe to highlight it…

it will be hard to say goodbye to summer and the wonderful tomatoes that will leave us too 🙁

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold August 24, 2014 at 1:53 pm

Sally,
YOu can say that again. I nearly cry when summer tomatoes are gone.

Reply

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