There is always a festival of some sort in progress in New Orleans.  Years ago, wife Anne and friends Gary and Carroll flew to the Big Easy in late May for a few days of R & R.  Thomas, a friendly cab driver, picked us up at the airport.  He was so engaging that we hired him to drive us everywhere we went.

There was no Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest that weekend, only the New Orleans Tomato Festival – a party highlighted by fresh Louisiana tomatoes prepared in a multitude of ways.  One such way to prepare fresh tomatoes is Tomatoes Florentine, a simple and wonderful dish.  I found this recipe in the American Profile, a newspaper supplement included on Fridays with the Edmond Sun.

Reader Martha Wolf of Brighton, MI submitted this recipe to American Profile. Thanks Martha, it is wonderful.

Ingredients

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
  2 large tomatoes, cut into ¾-inch-thick slices
  ½ cup dry Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
  ½ cup chopped green onions (white and green parts)
  3 eggs, beaten
  ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
  ¼ cup grated Parmesan
  ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
  ½ teaspoon salt
  ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  2 to 3 dashes hot pepper sauce

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch glass-baking dish.
2. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well in a colander, pressing with paper towels to remove most of the liquid.
3. Arrange tomato slices in a single layer in prepared pan. Combine breadcrumbs, green onions, eggs, butter, Parmesan, garlic, salt, thyme and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Add spinach; mix well.
4. Spoon equal amounts of the spinach mixture on top of each tomato slice. Bake uncovered, 15 minutes. Serves 8.

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