I’m Fixin’ to Make a Big Batch of Tomato Gravy

I’m fixin’ to make a big batch of tomato gravy.

Tomato gravy may sound like a strange dish to some folks, but to the blessed ones who have partaken of the dish just the thought of it brings fourth mouth-watering memories of the luxuriant and tangy taste of it.

Yes, it’s time. It’s the time of year when the crimson globes come tumbling in on you as plentiful as plump summer rain drops, after you have suffered a draught of anticipation. They become so plentiful that you need to go beyond the usual slicing for sandwiches, making salsas and salads.

I tried stuffing them by cutting off the top third and hollowing it out and them filling it with rice, ground beef, and seasoned bread crumbs, and them putting the top back on before I baked it.

Sometimes I cut ‘em in half and after taking out the water and seeds, I brush ‘em with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper before I grill them upside-down.

Another time I pureed a couple, strained them, then I added some garlic, lemon juice and oil to the juice to make a vinaigrette.
This morning I chopped one up and added it to the ham and peppers for my omelette.

This past weekend I arranged slices on my bought pizza, gave it a quick bake, for a quick and healthy take on the pizza.

I got a hankering for some soup recently, and since Gazpacho is the ideal cold soup for a hot summer day, I chopped up a big fat ripe one, added some chopped green onion, bell pepper along with some garlic and olive oil, and stirred in a little tomato juice to keep it thin. Then after chilling it, I garnished it with some bread crumbs and chopped fresh basil. Ummmm um!

There’s always a few green ones left for frying in between all these other dishes. After I dip the slices in an egg-wash and coat them with corn meal, I chill them in the freezer about 15 minutes before dropping them into the hot oil. Then after taking them out of the hot oil stand them up to drain. This method seems to keep them crispy. The late Ben Tillman taught me how to do that.

And if you want some cocktail juice, forget canned tomato juice. Just chop some real ripe ones up and strain the juice from them and add your own concoction of salt, pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice, and whatever else suits your taste.

Another tasty way I have discovered is to put tomato halves on a sheet pan, seed-side up. Season them with salt and pepper and a little olive oil, sprinkle on some fresh oregano and broil for about eight minutes. Then top them with some cheese and broil for one more minute.

I could go on and on about the many ways to satisfy your culinary desires with home grown tomatoes, but I digress. I was fixing to make some tomato gravy.

The first thing you do is saute about a quarter-cup of chopped onions in bacon drippings using a big black iron skillet. Of course you can use any kind of cooking pan, but it seems more like your momma made it if you use the black iron skillet. You can substitute the bacon drippings with olive oil or butter, but don’t expect the same down-home taste. Stick with the bacon drippings.

After the onions are a clear color add one tablespoon of flour and stir until the mixture browns and thickens before adding three or four ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped. Don’t puree the tomatoes, chop them for a “chunky” consistency. Then add one cup of water, a little bit at a time, and cook until it’s to your desired thickness.
Now comes the good part. You burst open a hot biscuit and spoon that wonderful mixture over the open-faced biscuit and serve it up with steam rising up from it.

Actually, my wife makes that gravy, and she baked the biscuits, but I’m fixing to be in charge of the consumption of it.