I LOVE the farmers’ market. I get a real kick out of buying produce that was grown just down the road. I should probably go into a long-winded rant here about carbon footprints and the cost of shipping produce around the world and use words like “locavore” and “farm-to-table” (which I guess is three words). But, I will spare you. I will say however, that eating local produce and meeting the farmers that grow it is fun. And you would probably like it too, if you haven’t already tried it.

 

So anyway, I went to the Morningside Farmers’ Market yesterday and bought tomatoes. DELICIOUS HEIRLOOM TOMATOES. And I made them into a dish that I am calling Scalloped Potatoes and Tomatoes, mostly because that is what it is and also because it rhymes.

 

So, I started by slicing and seeding the tomatoes.

 

 

Then, I salted them and laid them out on a paper towel to sit and release some of their liquid.

 

 

While I was waiting on them, I made a cheese sauce with onions, garlic and oregano.

 

 

Then, I layered it like a lasagna. First tomatoes, then sauce, then potatoes.

 

 

And finally, sprinkled cheese on top and baked it.

 

Before:

 

And After:

 

 

The final product was pretty delicious. And since I substituted half of the potatoes for tomatoes and used 2% milk instead of heavy cream, this recipe is relatively light compared to other scalloped potato recipes. So, you can enjoy it and still be able to button your pants!

 

 

Scalloped Potatoes and Tomatoes

 

4-5 tomatoes (I used a variety of heirlooms, but you can use any tomatoes you like. I also used a handful of cherry tomatoes in place of a fifth tomato.)

3-4 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 slices

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 Tb. All-purpose flour

1 cup 2% milk

1 1/2 cup cheese (I used a fancy kind that I got at Whole Foods called, Piave Nord Straveccio, but this recipe could be made with almost any kind of cheese as long as it has a good flavor.)

1 Tb. fresh oregano, chopped

salt and pepper

 

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

 

Wash and seed the tomatoes by cutting them in half at the equator and scooping out the seeds and the goop around them. Then, slice them into thin slices and lay them out on a paper towel. Salt the tomatoes and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes and release some of their liquid.

 

In the meantime, make the sauce. Sautee the onion in 1 Tb. of the butter on medium high until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Push the onions and garlic to the side and melt the other Tb. butter. Add the flour to the butter and mix to form a paste (or roux). Cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes or until paste starts to slightly turn color. Mix with onions and garlic and add milk. Cook until sauce starts to thicken, then remove from heat and add 1 cup cheese and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Cover the tomatoes with another paper towel and push down to squeeze the excess liquid out of the them. Spray the dish with cooking spray and begin layering. Start with a layer of tomatoes. Cover that with a third of the cheese sauce and then a layer of potatoes. Season potatoes with salt and pepper and then repeat layers twice more.

 

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top and cover. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 30 minutes or until the middle is soft when poked with a knife and the top is brown and crispy. Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving.