Best Heirloom Tomatoes With Bacon Blue Cheese And Basil Recipes

Sliced Heirloom Tomato Stack with Blue Cheese image

Provided by Michael Chiarello : Food Network

Time 45m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 cups buttermilk
2 cups Arborio Rice coating, recipe follows
6 red onions, thickly sliced, loosely separated into rings
8 cups peanut oil
4 vine-ripened tomatoes
Gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
1/2 cup basil leaves, julienne
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, frozen
Onion Rings:
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semolina
2 tablespoons table salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl spread out the rice coating. Take onion rings and coat with buttermilk, and then cover with coating, shaking off excess. Place coated rings on a tray.
In a large deep saucepan, heat peanut oil to 375 degrees F. With a slotted wire spoon, carefully lower the coated rings into pan to fry. Do the rings in small batches to allow oil to remain a consistent temperature. Place fried rings on a paper towel on a tray to dry.
Tomato Stack:
Cut a small slice from the bottom of the tomatoes - enough so that they will stand. Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 2 or 3), leaving the stem on top.
Season the slices with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with olive oil.
Place the basil leaves in between the tomato slices, and re-stack tomato. Serve re-stacked tomatoes around a larger stack of onion rings in center of a large serving plate. Drizzle more olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Grate the frozen blue cheese over top.
Grind the rice in a blender until very fine. Put it in a bowl and add the all-purpose flour, semolina, salt and pepper. Toss until well blended. Store in a sealed container in the freezer for maximum freshness.

Contessa's Heirloom Tomatoes With Blue Cheese Dressing image

Provided by Sharon123

Categories Vegetable

Time 15m

Yield 6-8

Number Of Ingredients 8

3 lbs heirloom tomatoes, mixed colors and sizes
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 lb Roquefort cheese, divided
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Steps:

Core the tomatoes and cut the large ones into thick slices, halve or quarter the small ones. Arrange to look pretty on a platter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
To make dressing:.
Place half the Roquefort cheese, maoynnaise, cream, vinegar, 1 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper in the bowl of a food processor: process until combined but still chunky.
Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes. Crumble the remaining Roquefort cheese over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

Heirloom Tomatoes with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Basil image

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

6 slices firm white sandwich bread
1/4 lb sliced bacon (about 5 slices)
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
4 assorted medium heirloom tomatoes (2 lb total), cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices
30 small fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 oz blue cheese (preferably Maytag Blue), crumbled, at room temperature
Garnish: very small heirloom cherry or currant tomatoes
Special Equipment
a 3-inch round cookie cutter

Steps:

Cut 1 round from each bread slice with cookie cutter.
Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until crisp, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off bacon fat from skillet and reserve fat (do not clean skillet).
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then toast 3 bread rounds, turning over once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes total. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool and season with salt and pepper. Toast remaining 3 bread rounds in 1 1/2 tablespoons more oil in same manner.
Cook shallot in 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat and remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and simmer, whisking, until emulsified, about 1 minute. Season dressing with salt and pepper and keep warm, covered.
Crumble bacon. Arrange bread rounds on 6 plates and divide tomato slices among them, stacking slices and sprinkling some basil and bacon between slices. Sprinkle cheese and remaining basil and bacon over and around tomatoes. Spoon some of warm bacon dressing over and around tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.