A quick recipe for Labrat

Commenting on a post I made yesterday, Labrat (the female half of the Atomic Nerds) asked for details of a recipe I cooked for supper. Sure, Labrat - it's quick, easy, and a very tasty light meal. Here goes.

First, get however many tomatoes you'll need. I allow two per person, assuming normal size and firmness. I also choose tomatoes with real flavor and texture whenever possible, not the cardboard-tasting mass-produced monstrosities that one finds at most supermarkets. Grow your own if possible, or find someone who does and buy from them, or from a farm stall where you're guaranteed to find something with flavor.

Wash the tomatoes, but don't peel them. Slice them into 3-4 slices per tomato, discarding the stem pieces top and bottom, so that each slice is about half-an-inch thick (cut them thinner if you want, but I prefer them thick and 'meaty'). Sprinkle the top of each slice with salt and pepper to taste, plus herbs of your choice (I prefer oregano or rosemary: some like mixed herbs of one or other description).

Prepare a frying-pan with a little (I emphasize: a little!) olive oil in the bottom. Pre-heat to medium temperature, and lay the tomato slices in the hot oil, with the herbed side upwards. Cook for 2-3 minutes, sizzling gently. Then flip them over, sprinkle more salt, pepper and herbs on the newly-cooked sides, then top with crumbled feta or chevrette cheese. This will slowly melt over the hot tomato as the rest of the slice cooks.

Prepare some toast slices (preferably a nice homemade loaf, otherwise something good from your local deli - not plain Wonderbread!). As the tomato finishes cooking (another 2-3 minutes for the second side), lift it out and place it on the toast. Serve at once. It makes a delicious light meal, very tasty, and not heavy on the calories.

To make it more substantial, serve with eggs florentine (poached eggs served on a bed of spinach, topped with hollandaise sauce), or with Italian spicy sausage. Tomato cooked like this makes a great side dish, or a light main course in itself. Yummy!

Peter