Recipes by Dan Rowan: Baked Apples Cointreau; Vegetable Tombe

Dan Rowan's Baked Apples Cointreau

4 Golden Delicious apples
Handful large raisins
1 tsp. finely grated orange peel
Few drops orange juice
1/16 tsp. ground cinnamon (or mace)
1 tbsp. Cointreau (or brandy)

Wash and core apples, cut off top-third of the peel. Place each apple core-side up in individual baking dishes (or muffin tin). Stuff each core with a few raisins mixed with orange peel, orange juice and cinnamon (or mace). Bake in preheated 375 degrees F. oven until skin begins to break. Serve alone or heat Cointreau (or brandy) slightly, pour small amount over each apple and ignite to flame. Serves 4.

Dan Rowan's Vegetable Tombe

Few drops of vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
1/2 cup chopped celery (few leaves thrown in)
2 cups peeled fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped potatoes
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 bay leaf
1 small clove garlic, pressed
Salt and pepper to taste
2/3 cups liquid (water or chicken bouillon)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place a few drops of vegetable oil in skillet (or saucepan). Rub most of oil off with absorbent paper towel. Add vegetables and seasonings. Cover and cook over low heat about 30 minutes, stirring often. Add liquid, cook about 45 minutes (or until reduced to a solid). Correct seasonings. Serve hot, generously garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, as side dish to cold roast chicken or turkey. Serves 2.

Thoughts: Tombe refers to "tomber," an old French cooking term (meaning literally "to fall"), describing a way of cooking meat in its own juices so that it reduces to a syrupy consistency. Tombe also refers to any substance like onion or shallot moistened during cooking with liquid, then boiled down to a solid consistency. Dan's tombe can be the beginning of a host of late summer slimmers made with assorted vegetables (regularly or organically grown): eggplant, zucchini, cabbage, spinach, green pepper, snap beans, yellow squash, Swiss chard or mushrooms. Vary seasonings with mint, parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, or marjoram; seasoned salt or condiments (Tabasco, Worcestershire or soy sauce).