Enjoy the fresh tomato harvest this month

 

It’s prime tomato season, when the bright red and orange orbs are at their peak.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that every American eats more than 22 pounds of tomatoes a year — most in the form of catsup or tomato sauce.

But this time of year, tomatoes fresh off the vine tempt people. Their flavor can’t be beat, and they marry well with other foods.

Try making a simple caprese salad of halved cherry tomatoes with small pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil leaves, a little olive oil and salt.

Or a tomato watermelon salad. Combine four cups coarsely chopped tomatoes with two cups coarsely chopped watermelon, toss with two tablespoons olive oil, one teaspoon balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and two tablespoons chopped mint. Top with chopped pistachios.

Scoop out cherry tomatoes to create edible cups for fish or egg salads, herbed cheeses or caviar as an appetizer. 

Medium-sized tomatoes can also be hollowed out to create a bowl for side dishes or filled with various stuffings for an edible side dish.

Just remember to turn the hollowed-out tomatoes upside down to drain for about 10 minutes before filling them.

When picking tomatoes, choose those that are brightly colored and heavy. Avoid those with shriveled skin, blemishes, bruises or cracks. 

Ripe tomatoes should yield to pressure, but not be too soft.

Don’t be afraid of tomatoes that are light red or even green. They will ripen if you store them in a cool area away from direct sunlight.

Whatever you do, don’t store tomatoes in the refrigerator or they will lose flavor.

When cutting tomatoes, a serrated knife works best. 

If your tomatoes are overly acidic, add a sprinkle of salt and sugar to bring out the flavor. If you’re making sauce, add a grated carrot, which will dissolve and add sweetness but no hint of the carrot flavor.

And don’t use aluminum pots, cans or utensils. The acid in the tomatoes will react with the aluminum, making the cooked tomatoes bitter and potentially pitting and discoloring the cookware.

Following are tomato recipes from www.food52.com.

 

 

Tagliatelle With Corn, Tomatoes, ‘Onion-Bacon’ and Basil

Kosher salt

1 medium red onion, sliced

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

16 ounces tagliatelle or spaghetti

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pinch of dried red pepper flakes

4 cups corn kernels

3 to 3-1/2 cups roughly chopped ripe tomatoes and their juices

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

In a large Dutch oven set over medium-low heat, combine onion and three tablespoons olive oil and stir every few minutes.

Cook the tagliatelle in boiling water according to the package directions. When just about done, reserve one cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and toss it with the remaining olive oil in the strainer.

Add butter to the red onion, which should be caramelized and slightly shriveled by this point, as well as garlic, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook another minute. Add corn and tomatoes and cook four to five minutes, until the vegetables release a lot of liquid. It should look like a bright, chunky sauce.

Add pasta and Parmesan to the vegetables, tossing to distribute and coat the pasta with the sauce. Add a drizzle of pasta water as needed to help the cheese distribute evenly. Top with basil and serve.

 

Shrimp Pasta With Tomatoes, Basil and Chile Butter

1 pound large to extra-large shell-on shrimp, deveined

Kosher salt

8 ounces long pasta, such as spaghetti or linguine

4 tablespoons salted butter

1 tablespoon chile paste/spread such as Calabrian, harissa, or gochujang, plus more to taste

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

1-1/4 cups packed basil leaves

Peel shrimp, leaving the tails on and tossing the shells into a medium pot. Once all the shells are in the pot, add eight cups water and turn  heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil. Boil until reduced by one-third to one-half.

When the stock is reduced, use a slotted spoon or small sieve to strain. Discard the shells. Generously salt the boiling water, add the pasta and cook to al dente according to the package instructions.

Melt one tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and cook one to two minutes, swirling frequently, until they start to blister and puff.

Push the tomatoes to the outside of the pan, add another tablespoon of butter to the center, then add the shrimp in an even layer. Sprinkle everything with salt. Cook shrimp one to two minutes, until the bottoms are pink and opaque, then flip and cook another one to two minutes, until pink and opaque on the other side.

Gently toss tomatoes and shrimp, then reduce heat to low.

Use tongs to transfer cooked pasta to the tomatoes and shrimp. Add 1/2 cup of starchy shrimp stock, the remaining butter and chile paste. Toss over low to medium-low heat, adding more stock if needed, until the sauce coats the noodles and is as thick as you like. Taste and adjust salt and chile paste as needed.

Tear basil into pieces. Toss in most of the basil, then sprinkle the rest on top.

 

 

Baked Salmon With Brown-Buttered Tomatoes and Basil

2 pound salmon fillet

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

5 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon brown or black mustard seeds

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups cherry tomatoes

1 to 2 cups fresh basil leaves

Flaky sea salt

Crusty bread, pasta or rice

Place salmon, skin-side down, on a quarter sheet pan or baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook butter and mustard seeds three to four minutes, gently swirling the pan, until the butter is nutty and browned and the seeds are fragrant and toasted, lowering heat if needed. If using black mustard seeds, they will begin to pop once they’re fully bloomed. 

Dry cherry tomatoes if just washed, then add them, red wine vinegar and red pepper flakes. Season with a few big pinches of salt. Cook two to three minutes, until tomatoes have started to burst and release their juices. Gently smash them to help them on their way.

Pour the brown-buttered tomatoes over salmon, smearing the butter and mustard seeds evenly over the salmon’s flesh. Bake in a 325-degree oven about 15 minutes, until just-cooked through and the flesh flakes or an instant-read thermometer reads 120 degrees in the thickest part.

Let cool a few minutes, then shower the salmon with the basil. 

To serve, break salmon into large pieces and divide on plates with the brown-buttered tomatoes. Season with a few pinches of flaky sea salt and serve with bread, pasta or rice.

 

 

Grilled Marinated Tomatoes

4 large, firm tomatoes, cored and sliced 1/2-inch thick or halved if short

Olive oil

Salt 

Pepper

1 lime, halved

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 bird’s eye chili, thinly sliced

1/2 shallot, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Leaves from two sprigs of mint

Heat a grill or grill pan to high. Coat both faces of the tomato with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lightly oil the lime halves. 

In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, chili and shallot.

Grease the grill or grill pan, then lightly char the tomatoes on both sides for a total of about five minutes. Grill lime halves five minutes, until caramelized.

Transfer tomatoes to a serving platter, then top with fish sauce marinade. Squeeze the grilled limes over the tomatoes. Let sit for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, then garnish with sesame seeds and mint.

 

 

Tomato Soup With a Whole Head of Garlic

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 pints cherry tomatoes

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 small garlic head, halved crosswise

1 bunch basil

1 bunch thyme

1 red chile, optional

Salt 

Pepper

1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk, soy cream or heavy cream

1/2 cup vegetable stock, plus more as needed

Drizzle oil into a deep baking dish. Add onion, garlic, cut side down, basil, thyme, chile and tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and a big sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bake in a 480-degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until tomatoes are slightly charred.

Let cool five to seven minutes. Remove and discard thyme. 

Place mixture in a blender along with the coconut milk and vegetable stock. Remove the plug from the blender lid, then cover lid with a kitchen towel and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with buttered toast or a grilled cheese sandwich.

 

 

Melty Cheddar Tomatoes

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, then add olive oil. When oil shimmers and is hot, add tomatoes and shake pan so they are in a single layer. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and let cook about three minutes, until tender and starting to brown on the bottom. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the tomatoes, then cover completely with grated cheese. As soon as most of it has melted, remove from the heat. Serve out of the skillet with something starchy to soak up the sauce.

 

 

Sungold and Heirloom Tomato Tart

For crust:

1-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unsalted cold butter

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons ice water

For filling:

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup ricotta

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon chopped basil, plus more for garnish

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1-1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large or 2 small heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced

16 ounces Sungold or other cherry or heirloom tomatoes, halved

4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Flaky sea salt

Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Grate cold butter into the bowl, then use a fork or pastry blender to combine until it looks like coarse sand. 

In a small bowl, mix egg yolk and water. Add to the flour mixture, then press into a flat disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator at least one hour or freeze for 30 minutes.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12-1/2-inch circle. Drape dough over a 9-1/2-inch tart pan and press it into the bottom and sides. Roll a rolling pin over the top of the pan to remove the overhanging dough. Prick a fork on the bottom. Chill another 20 minutes in the refrigerator or freeze 10 minutes. Place parchment paper over crust, then add pie weights or dried beans. Bake in a 355-degree oven 20 minutes, until lightly golden.

In a medium bowl, combine cheese, eggs, basil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Toss sliced heirloom tomatoes in a medium bowl with half the olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Add cheese and egg mixture to the crust. Layer on seasoned sliced heirloom tomatoes and bake 40 minutes, then cool to room temperature.

Toss Sungold tomatoes in the remaining olive oil and flaky salt. Layer on top with basil. Slice and serve.

 

 

Grilled Romaine With Tomato Vinaigrette

1 medium beefsteak or heirloom tomato 

1 small garlic clove, gently smashed and peeled

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 medium romaine lettuce hearts, halved lengthwise through the core

Heat an outdoor grill for medium-high direct heat. 

Set a box grater over a medium bowl. Use the side with large holes to grate the tomato into the bowl. Discard the skin and stem left behind. Grate garlic into the bowl using the small holes of the grater. Add vinegar, two teaspoons olive oil, Dijon, basil, a generous pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk until combined and emulsified. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

When grill is hot, brush the cut sides of the lettuce with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill uncovered one to two minutes, cut side down, until the edges are browned and grill marks appear. Flip and grill one minute more.

Transfer romaine, cut side up, to a serving platter and spoon the tomato vinaigrette over it.

 

 

Sarah Leah Chase’s Scalloped Tomatoes 

3 tablespoons bacon fat or olive oil

2 cups French bread, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

16 plum tomatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons sugar,  optional

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat bacon fat in a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat. Add bread cubes and stir to coat with oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat five minutes, stirring often, until cubes are evenly browned. 

Add tomatoes, garlic and sugar to the pan and continue to cook five minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper, add  basil and remove from the heat.

Pour tomato mixture into a shallow 6 to 8-cup baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese and drizzle with remaining olive oil. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.