Sun-dried tomato bread

This sun-dried tomato bread is dense and flavorful. It bakes up as a tall, golden, pretty loaf. For lunch today, I sliced two pieces and made a grilled cheese sandwich with fontina cheese.

WOW!

The recipe originally came from a Junior League cookbook but the Miami Herald adapted and reprinted it.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO BREAD

1 bunch green onions

1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

5 ounces provolone cheese, grated

2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, at room temperature

2 tablespoons sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9-inch loaf pan or three 5-by-3-by-2-inch pans.

Slice the green onions thin, and include 1 inch of the green part. Drain and chop the tomatoes, reserving 2 tablespoons of the oil. Heat the tomato oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, and saute the garlic and rosemary just until the garlic is soft, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and baking soda. Stir in the cheese until well distributed. In antoher bowl, beat the shortening and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and buttermilk, beating until well combined. Stir in the cooled garlic-oil mixture, the scallions and the dried tomatoes.

Add liquid ingredients to the dry, stirring just until combined. Fold in the pine nuts.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the middle of the oven until a cake tester comes out clean, 25-30 minutes for the small loaves, 45-50 minutes for the large loaf.