Everyone's Planting Tomatoes...

   Tomatoes...big, fat, red juicy tomatoes...(and they are actually considered a fruit, not a vegetable!)  Oh, the many, many ways they can be served.  Some of my best recipes are based on tomatoes and, of course, I have a story to go with a tomato recipe. 
             

                                                         

   I was the interior designer on a huge renovation project for a high-powered executive's family home.  I had to be on the site almost daily and the hours were long and exhausting.  It was summer and since the house was undergoing extensive work, there was no air-conditioning except for the bedrooms upstairs.  I rarely saw the husband and worked mostly with the wife.  She would often have a list of things prepared by her husband for me to take care of.  Actually, this was preferable to me since I found myself quite intimidated by this powerful man.(well, it was a long time ago...I do not intimidate so easily anymore!!!) One morning I arrived there and saw it was going to be "one of those days".  One problem after another had to be attended to...one decision after the next to be made.  At about 4:30 I was so ready to  head home, hot, tired and all tapped out...but just as the construction crew was pulling out, the long, black car belonging to The Husband pulled unto the driveway.  His driver got out and came over to me, directing me over to the limo.  With little expectation of a negative reply, my employer asked me if I could do him a huge favor.  Could I go with him to his mother's nearby house and see what we could do to fix it up before she returned from visiting relatives in Europe..she had left that morning.  Naturally I agreed, and off we went... I sat in the back with him as he fielded phone calls on not one, but two phones...wow..and this was before everyone even had one cell phone, and he had two!

   We had worked on plans and discussed ideas and the  implementation of them for a long time, when we realized it was after seven o'clock.  I called home and told my husband to eat dinner without me ... I would grab a sandwich on the way home.  My client overheard me and said he would not allow this...HE would prepare dinner for me as a way of saying thank-you for my time.  He quickly wrote a list and handed it to the driver who went off to the supermarket.  Now, with a dish towel tucked into his two thousand dollar suit pants and the sleeves of his Armani shirt rolled up, he began his prep.  He grabbed some garlic and onions from the fridge and with a surprisingly expert hand, began chopping.  As soon as the driver returned with the groceries prep got serious!
I saw tomatoes, basil, shrimp, wine and seasonings set out ...a pot for pasta was on to boil...and all the while he was mellow and conversational...talking about his mother, his children and his wife.  He told me how this renovation was a dream of his...of his struggle from humble beginnings to this lofty position...and never did those hands stop dicing and chopping and stirring.  I was no longer intimidated by him, here was a sweet and caring man who just happened to have a huge position.  We laughed and talked while he cooked and the resulting meal was outstanding!!!  He could not give me measurements but gladly shared his recipe.  Since I have made it many, many times I have measurements now...

SHRIMP AND PASTA  (serves 4 -6)

10-12 large plum tomatos, diced...with seeds removed
1 bunch of scallions cut fine including green part (or med. onion diced fine)
2-3 cloves of garlic minced
8 leaves of basil, julienned
olive oil
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 cup white wine
1 box linguine
parmigiana cheese, grated
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. of large, raw cleaned shrimp

1- Heat 3 tbsp. oil in a large saute pan and add scallions (or onions)... as they become transparent add the garlic and cook until you can smell the garlic...be careful not to burn it
2-add the tomatoes and cook on medium until they start to soften, then add oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.

Put up pasta water to boil...add pasta  to boiling water. Cook for 9 minutes

3- As tomatoes soften, add wine and let simmer...it will begin to look like sauce...add shrimp and only cook them 2-3 minutes until pink on both sides
4- Add basil and mix through
5- Add linguine directly into the sauce in the saute pan and mix through.
Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with grated parmigiana cheese!

A nice, crusty semolina bread spread with garlic-butter, Caesar Salad and a good white  wine go well with this easy, delicious dish.