In late August, farmers markets and food stores are brimming with local produce and it all looks amazing. But in recent days, stealing the show for me was the incredible range of just-picked tomatoes, available and I could not resist buying a basket full of them.
The ones I selected came in a host of colours, such as red, orange, yellow, green and purple, and shapes, from round to oblong, squat to narrow and pointed. They were also ripe and bursting with flavour, making them prime candidates for simple preparations where the tomato’s taste would be allowed to shine, such as a simple salad.
To make today’s recipe I cut up different types of tomatoes, arranged them on a platter and adorned them with complementary tastes, such as goat cheese, capers, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This salad makes a nice side dish for fish, poultry and meat cooked on the barbecue. It’s also nice to bring to a potluck, where a range of perfect-for-late-summer dishes will be served.
Beyond salad, I also can’t resist using slices of ripe tomato in a sandwich, flavoured Italian-style. In today’s second recipe, I slathered toasted bread with pesto-flavoured mayonnaise and made a sandwich with tomatoes, bocconcini cheese and spicy salad greens. It’s a tasty combination.
I also love slow-roasting roma tomatoes — also called plum — and did that in my last recipe with accents that include garlic and oregano. As they roast, the already rich flavour of the tomatoes concentrates and sweetens even more. Those roasted tomatoes can be enjoyed in a range of tasty ways as highlighted in the recipe’s introduction.
Summer Tomato Salad
Use an assortment of different tomatoes to make this flavourful salad. It’s easy to make and beautiful to look at.
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking time: none
Makes: eight servings
2 lbs assorted ripe tomatoes, halved, sliced and/or cut into wedges
125 grams soft goat cheese, herb and garlic flavoured or plain, pulled into small nuggets
16 to 20 small whole or torn basil leaves
2 Tbsp capers, plus some of their liquid
3 to 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Arrange tomatoes on a large platter and disperse cheese, basil and capers overtop. When ready to serve salad, drizzle and sprinkle with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Let salad sit a few minutes to allow the flavours to meld, and then serve.
Eric’s options: Instead of capers, or in addition to them, top the salad with some halved, pitted green and/or black olives
Tomato and Bocconcini Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo
Create flavourful, beautiful looking sandwiches by using a mix of different coloured tomatoes in them.
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: none
Makes: four sandwiches
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp homemade or store-bought pesto
8 slices Italian or whole wheat bread
20 to 32 slices ripe tomato
2 cups spicy mixed salad greens, arugula or baby mixed salad greens (see Note)
4 to 6 bocconcini balls, sliced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine mayonnaise and pesto in a bowl. Toast bread and spread one side of each slice with some of that flavoured mayonnaise.
Now divide and top one side of four of the mayonnaise-spread bread slices with salad greens (or arugula), tomato and bocconcini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and then set on the remaining bread slices, mayonnaise side down. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.
Note: I bought a bag of spicy mixed salad greens at Victoria’s Moss Street Market in Fairfield. (mossstreetmarket.com)
Slow Roasted Roma Tomatoes
Roasting the tomatoes concentrates and sweetens their already fine flavour. Serve these as a side dish for fish, chicken, lamb, pork or beef. You can also chop and toss these tomatoes with hot pasta, or chop and use them to make bruschetta or salsa. Lastly, you could also purée the roasted tomatoes, creating a sauce to use for pasta, pizza or any other dish you would use tomato sauce for.
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: two and a half to three hours
Makes: 36 half tomatoes
18 ripe roma (plum) tomatoes, stem end removed and cut in half lengthwise
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 225 F. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer, cut side up, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Combine the oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano in a small bowl. Brush this mixture on the tomatoes; season with salt and pepper.
Roast the tomatoes two and half to three hours, or until they’ve softened and shrivelled slightly, but are still holding their shape. Serve warm or at room temperature as a side dish, or use in the other ways described in the recipe introduction. Once cooled to room temperature, the tomatoes could also be frozen, to thaw and use when desired.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
