Fried Tomatoes

• 2 eggs
• 6 large red tomatoes, cut into 4 slices each
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 cups olive oil
• 1 strip of bacon (optional)
• 3 cups mayonnaise
• ½ cup mustard, any kind
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup parsley
• ¼ cup thyme

1. Heat oil in large fry pan.
2. Make egg wash with the eggs, add a little water.
3. Dip tomatoes in egg and then in bread crumbs.
4. Place in fry pan and fry until golden brown on both sides.
5. Set aside on paper towel to remove excess oil.
6. To make sauce, mix together mayonnaise, mustard, onion, salt,
pepper, cayenne. parsley and thyme. Mix well.
7. On salad plate place three tomatoes in an arrangement and place a
large tablespoon of mayonnaise in the middle

Mediterranean Salad

• 1 medium head romaine lettuce, torn
• 3 small tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium cucumber, sliced
• 1 small green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small onion, cut into rings
• 6 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Salt & pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh mint, minced
• Pita bread halves

Combine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion, radishes
& parsley in a salad bowl. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice,
garlic, salt, pepper & mint. Pour over salad & toss to coat.
Serve immediately with warm pita halves.

Basic Tomato Sauce

A good tomato sauce is the foundation for so many wonderful dishes - pizza, pasta, chicken, and fish. Here is a recipe for a basic tomato sauce that starts with a soffritto of onions, carrots, and celery cooked in a little olive oil, to which garlic, tomatoes and seasonings are added. Simple and delicious. The sauce can be dressed up with mushrooms, sausage, olives, wine, and all manner of vegetables. For a tantalizing version of a tomato-based sauce check out Sean's sauce over at Hedonia. What's your favorite tomato sauce recipe?

Basic Tomato Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot or 1/2 large carrot, finely chopped
• 1 small stalk of celery, including the green tops, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, including the juice, or 1 3/4 pound of fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1 Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and parsley. Stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and cooked through.

2 Remove cover and add the minced garlic. Increase the heat to medium high. Cook for garlic for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, including the juice and shredding them with your fingers if you are using canned whole tomatoes. Add the tomato paste and the basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. If you want you can push the sauce through a food mill, or blend it with an immersion blender, to give it a smooth consistency.
Makes 2 1/2 cups of sauce.