Tomatoes in the News

• California Farm Bureau Rains help, but could be 'too little, too late'California Farm BureauIn the southern San Joaquin Valley, which did not receive as much precipitation as Northern California, Bob Wilson, a diversified grower in Kings County, said his tomato planting is "still pretty much on schedule," with three-quarters of his crop ...
• Ag leaders optimistic despite challengesGustine Press-Standard... hay continues to be a West Side staple commodity and the diversity of row crops ranges from broccoli and cauliflower to lima beans and tomatoes. Water issues are clouding this year's prospects, however. The Central California Irrigation District is ...and more »
• ConAgra Completes Del Monte DealFood Product DesignConAgra Foods, Inc., has completed its acquisition of Toronto-based Del Monte Canada, Inc., a leading provider and marketer of packaged fruits, fruit snacks and vegetables in Canada, from an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners.ConAgra Foods Completes Acquisition of Del Monte Canada from an Affiliate of ...MarketWatch (press release)ConAgra Foods completes acquisitionCBS Newsall 19 news articles »
• Tomatoes Ripe With Powerful Health BenefitsFood Product DesignResearchers from the National Center for Food Safety & Technology, Illinois Institute of Technology and ConAgra Foods Inc. examined current research to discover the role tomato products play in health and disease risk reduction. ...Tomatoes Pack A Nutritious Punch, Study FindsBETTER Health Researchall 3 news articles »
• Local companies face cap-and-trade deadlineFresno Business JournalEmitting more than 53000 metric tons of pollutants in 2008, the processing plant of Los Gatos Tomato Products in Huron will also be looking into allowances or offsets to fulfill its share of the emissions cap. Producing around 265 million pounds of ...
• California Farmers Feel PainTruth about Trade & TechnologyFIVE POINTS, Calif.—Sharp cutbacks in water for farmers threaten to trigger renewed layoffs in a large swath of California, eating into the state's $40 billion-a-year agriculture industry and damping its nascent economic recovery.and more »
• California Farm Bureau Commentary: Farm Bureau outlines programs key to farmers, ranchersCalifornia Farm BureauBy Rayne Pegg Programs in the US Department of Agriculture budget that benefit California farmers and ranchers include those aimed at fighting specific pests, such as Asian Citrus Psyllid. Programs in the US Department of Agriculture budget that ...
• Fresno Bee Smelt Supreme Court ruling goes against farmersSan Francisco Chronicle(10-31) 15:43 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- The US Supreme Court denied an appeal today by Central California farmers who claimed the federal government lacks constitutional authority to protect the imperiled delta smelt by limiting north-to-south water ...Supreme Court denies California farmers as Delta smelt swims onWestern Farm Pressall 47 news articles »
• Western Farm Press California tomato processors to contract for 12.7 million tonsWestern Farm PressAs of January, California tomato processors reported plans to sign 2012 contracts totaling 12.7 million tons of processing tomatoes. Processors estimate the contracted production for 2012 will come from 266000 acres producing an average yield of 47.74 ...

Ahi Tuna Steak with Tomato Sauce “Choron” and Caramelized Parsnips

Tomato Sauce “Choron”

• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon white wine
• 1 teaspoon minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Piment d’Espelette*
• 1/8 cup water

Parsnips

• 8 large parsnips, peeled and cored
• 3 teaspoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 cup freshly chopped thyme leaves

Tuna

• 6 (five-ounce) Ahi tuna steaks
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

Warm the olive oil in a large casserole or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
Add the chilies, onion, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato, sugar, Piment d’Espelette, and bay leaf.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Break the eggs directly into the pan and using a wooden spoon, stir the ingredients until the eggs are set and all the ingredients have bonded.

Cook for 5 minutes longer before serving.

Serves 4

*Piment d’Espelette is made solely from native red peppers grown in the tiny village of Espelette, in the Basque Region, where it is often used at the table in lieu of black pepper. Its rich aroma and gently spicy, fragrant character lend a magical depth of flavor to Basque cuisine. It can be purchased at Williams-Sonoma or by e-mailing Chef Hirigoyen at info@piperade.com.