Thomas Kellers Tomato Confit Food

THOMAS KELLER'S TOMATO CONFIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. With a sharp paring knife, cut out and discard stem end of each tomato; score opposite end. Place tomatoes in a large bowl.
• Pour boiling water over tomatoes; let sit until skin is easily peeled, about 15 seconds. Drain tomatoes, and cover with ice.
• Peel tomatoes when cool enough to handle. Halve lengthwise and place, cut-side up, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
• Roast until tomatoes are dried halfway through, about 5 to 6 hours. Let stand until cool. Transfer tomatoes to a storage container; pour oil from baking sheet over the top. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

THOMAS KELLER'S MEDITERRANEAN BASS WITH SQUID, FENNEL, AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Place squid in a small bowl; add enough milk to cover. Let soak, refrigerated, for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice-water bath. Add fennel; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice bath; drain, and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, bring shellfish broth to a simmer over medium heat; reduce by half.
• Meanwhile, drain squid on paper towels; season with salt and pepper. Heat 1/8 inch olive oil in a medium ovenproof skillet over medium heat; add fennel, garlic, and thyme. When oil begins to sizzle, transfer pan to oven. Add tomato confit after 2 minutes.
• Lightly coat a large skillet with canola oil; set over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the fish with salt; season the flesh side with pepper. Add fish to pan, skin-side down, reducing heat to medium-low; weight fillets briefly with another skillet to prevent curling. Remove skillet, and cook until skin is golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a spatula, turn over fish and cook for 1 minute; drain on paper towels.
• Bring shellfish broth to a simmer; add squid, and simmer until bodies begin to curl, about 1 minute. Stir in parsley; remove from heat.
• Remove pan from oven; drain fennel and tomatoes on paper towels.
• Divide fish among 4 serving plates, centering them skin-side up; arrange fennel, tomatoes, and squid around fish. Pour one-quarter broth around each serving. Serve immediately.

THOMAS KELLER'S SLOW COOKER CASSOULET

Steps:

• Directions:.
• Season the pork generously with kosher salt and pepper; set aside.
• In the stovetop-safe insert of a slow cooker over medium-high heat, combine the canola oil and panko. Cook, stirring constantly, until the panko is toasted and golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the panko to a baking sheet and season with kosher salt and pepper.
• Add the bacon to the insert and cook until crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Reserve the bacon fat in the insert.
• Add half of the pork to the insert and brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining pork.
• Add the onions and 1 teaspoons kosher salt to the insert and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes and broth. Remove the insert from the heat and add the beans, pork, chorizo and garlic.
• Place the insert on the slow-cooker base, cover and cook on low until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork, 9 to 10 hours. Skim off the fat, and remove and discard the garlic. Fold in the panko and the 1/4 cup parsley. Adjust the seasonings with kosher salt and pepper.
• Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat the broiler.
• Brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Arrange the slices, oiled side up, on top of the cassoulet, overlapping them. Broil until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Let the cassoulet stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with the reserved bacon, sea salt and parsley. Serves 8 to 10.
• Adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller, Chef/Owner, The French Laundry.