Stir-fried steak and tomatoes with scallions, garlic and ginger.

I know what you're thinking…. "What the heck is Marc doing posting a tomato recipe in January?!"

Well, I'm not sure I have a good reason, but I have a good excuse: The cold, dreary weather has me craving something bright and sunny. And my local grocery store had a sale on hothouse tomatoes.

While hot house tomatoes may not be the sweetest or most fragrant, they do have one thing going for them: they tend to be firmer than tomatoes at the peak of summer. This makes them great for use in stir-fries. The high temperature concentrates the sweetness and flavors of the tomatoes, while their lack of ripeness keeps them from disintegrating as you toss them around the pan. My other trick is adding a bit of ketchup, which adds bold tomato flavor and a hint of sweetness.

Stir-fried with tender slices of marinated steak, scallions, and oyster sauce, it's a delightfully simple stir-fry that makes for a hearty meal with a bowl of rice.