Sometimes things have to be quick. But they should also taste good. Perhaps they should even be vegetarian and low in calories. Impossible? No, not impossible. Take a look at the tomato. You will, of course, find the tomato—both a fruit and a vegetable—as the most important ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine.
Your health benefits from daily tomato consumption. This is because the tomato provides plenty of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and is said to have a protective effect on the heart. The "reason" for this is so-called lycopene, a special carotenoid with antioxidant properties. With 75 kilojoules (kJ) and 18 kilocalories (kcal) per 100 grams, tomatoes are particularly low in calories. They are 95 percent water.
Recipe: Tomato Carpaccio
Preparation time: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 SERVINGS
750 g beefsteak or salad tomatoes
6 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 bunch chervil, arugula, or other fresh herbs, leaves, or lettuce
Coarse sea salt
Pepper (coarsely crushed)
3 tbsp olive oil
PREPARATION
- Rinse the tomatoes, cut into thin slices, and arrange on a large plate.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and sugar to a pan and reduce to 3 tbsp. Let the liquid cool. Rinse the herbs or lettuce and shake dry. Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the vinegar reduction and olive oil, and garnish with herb or lettuce leaves.
You can find more recipes here.
You can find information on the topic of lycopene here.
