Lori’s Slow-Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

Here is the simplest, most savory recipe I’ve seen in ages. Everyone who’s tasted it has raved about it, and asked me for the recipe. It couldn’t be easier to make, or more delicious.

15 plum tomatoes

olive oil

kosher salt and ground pepper

herbes de Provence (optional)

garlic (optional)

On a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, drizzle some olive oil and spread around. Slice tomatoes lengthwise and lay them face down on sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. You can add garlic and other herbs if you like, but it’s not even necessary. (If the tomatoes are winter hard, and don’t have the sweetness of summer tomatoes, just sprinkle with a tiny bit of sugar to facilitate caramelizing.) Bake in a 300-degree oven for one hour. Turn off the oven and leave the tomatoes inside for another hour. The tomatoes should wrinkle up and caramelize along the edges. Place a tomato half on toasted bread to make bruschetta. Keep leftovers in the fridge; they’re great on sandwiches.

Lynda’s Moussaka

This is a savory traditional Greek dish that resembles a lasagna in its assembly, but the flavors are all its own. Don’t be afraid to use plenty of garlic, as the flavor softens in the cooking.

2 small eggplants or one large

4 medium potatoes

¾ pound minced lamb

¾ of a large can of peeled tomatoes

1/3 cup oil

2 chopped onions

1 bay leaf

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese

oil for frying the eggplants

kosher salt (the large granules add wonderful bursts of flavor to foods)

freshly-ground pepper

White sauce (Here’s a great tip: Instead of laboring over a complicated white sauce, use a béchamel or white-sauce mix, and just add liberal amounts of freshly ground nutmeg and cinnamon)

Slice eggplants into circles, and fry. Peel and slice potatoes thinly, and fry. Set aside on paper towels. Sauté onions and garlic, add minced lamb, and stir for 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, reduce heat, and simmer for a half hour.

In a buttered baking dish, layer potatoes, then half the meat mixture, then half the cheese, then another layer of potatoes, then a layer of eggplant, another layer of the meat mixture, and the remainder of the cheese.

Make the white sauce following instructions on the packet (and add nutmeg and cinnamon). Pour the sauce over the moussaka. Bake 40 minutes, till browned. Remove from oven and let it sit for 15 minutes before slicing. Sprinkle with the kosher salt (adding it at the end intensifies the flavor), grind pepper over it, and serve. Serves 6.

Lori’s Szechwan Green Beans

This crunchy vegetable side dish makes a terrific accompaniment to a simple main course, it’s beautiful, and it’s loaded with flavor.

4 tablespoons Chinese sesame oil

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed

8 cloves of garlic, minced (Use the entire amount. Don’t skimp!)

½ teaspoon kosher salt

crushed hot red pepper to taste, for a terrific spike of flavor

Place deep skillet or wok over medium heat/high heat for one minute, then add oil. Wait one minute. Add beans. Turn heat to high and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until beans are well seared. Add garlic, hot pepper, kosher salt, and stir-fry for another couple of minutes. Serve hot.