Now that local tomatoes are gracing the markets in all their juicy glory, I am practically eating them for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
I’m not kidding; I use seasonal tomatoes in the following ways:
Breakfast:
Sliced and placed on avocado toast with salt and pepper or everything bagel seasoning
Sliced and placed on toast schmeared with ricotta cheese topped with salt and pepper
Chopped, sautéed and folded into an omelet or scrambled eggs
Lunch:
Layered in a TBLT (turkey bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwich or on any type of sandwich
Cut open, gutted and filled with chicken salad or tuna salad (save the innards for gazpacho, salsa or another use)
Sliced and wrapped in a tortilla with cheese for a spectacular quesadilla
Chopped with cucumbers, peppers and romaine lettuce, tossed with olives and feta, and drizzled with oil and vinegar for an epic Greek salad
Dinner:
Chopped with shallots and herbs as a topping for fish or meat
Breaded and fried
Chopped, tossed with olive oil, fresh garlic and olive oil with pasta. Add cheese if you want a dairy dish or chickpeas for a vegan/pareve meal.
Snack:
Trade grapes or cherries for cherry tomatoes; those babies are sweet!
Dip them in hummus or serve them alongside cheese
The following two recipes showcase tomatoes in different ways, but both are perfect hot-weather dishes — they can be starters, sides or even light meals.
The Italian “gazpacho” was served to me as a first course during a meal in Italy. It delivered the delicious summer flavors of tomato and basil with a drizzle of pesto, a scoop of burrata and a sprinkle of chopped olives. This was an artful and fancy presentation, but home cooks can achieve the same result with less décor using the simplified recipe below.
The second salad was a bit of a “clean out the produce drawer” dish as I looked to bulk up the sides for dinner, and it was really great. It is also supremely versatile; use what you have on hand — an ear of corn, some raw zucchini, a few snips of fresh herbs …
Italian ‘Gazpacho’ | Pareve
Serves 4
The addition of basil sends this traditional Spanish recipe eastward toward Italy. It is a fresh and tasty twist on a classic.
3 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 medium cucumbers, peeled
1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded and deveined (can use jarred if desired)
1 small jalapeno or other hot chili pepper, if desired
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
¼ cup fresh parsley
½ cup best-quality olive oil, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnishes: pesto, burrata, cheese, additional chopped parsley and basil, crushed olives, croutons, etc.
In a blender or food processor, puree all the ingredients. Taste for seasoning and adjust (may need more salt, pepper or vinegar). Chill and serve, garnished as desired.
Summer Harvest Salad | Pareve
Serves 4
This is a very adaptable recipe and can use anything you have around. It need not be fussy; just throw it all together, toss and enjoy. I used mint because it was around, but you could use any fresh herb or none at all.
3 cups fresh string beans
1 or 2 ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
2 cucumbers, peeled and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons best-quality olive oil
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Torn fresh mint leaves
Blanch the string beans: Heat a pot of water to boil and plunge the beans into the water for 30 seconds. Drain them and either rinse them under cold water or plunge them into an ice water bath. You want to stop them from cooking.
Mix the beans with the other vegetables, then top them with a generous sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder. Douse the ingredients with vinegar and oil and toss well. Let them sit for a few minutes or a few hours and serve. Because this salad does not contain lettuce it won’t wilt, so it’s fine for lunch tomorrow!