My love for tomatoes started when I was really little, eating them straight off the vine from the garden. Tomatoes are so versatile, you can do just about anything with them. From eating them raw to making soups, sauces, salsas, stews, jams, grilling them, frying, roasting, etc. The list goes on. There are so many ways to make them shine!
Tomatoes contain high levels of glutamic acid, which is an umami or savory provider, and as they ripen, the levels increase. They are a sought after fruit (or veggie depending on who you ask) everywhere in the world. You will find them in every cuisine, which I think makes them so special. There are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes, each having their own characteristics and flavor. Some are better for eating raw and some are better for cooking.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to utilize and enjoy fresh tomatoes this summer.
Here in the Midwest, tomatoes are in peak season. It’s a wonderful time of year with an overload of these magical fruits. Winter time is a different story. All summer, I try to preserve as much from the garden as possible to have during the cold winter months. There are many ways to preserve tomatoes - canning and freezing are great options. Blanching, vacuum sealing and freezing is my go-to way of preserving tomatoes, it’s a little less work and time than the canning process. Blanching the tomatoes preserves the color and flavor while also removing the skin.
I think everyone can agree that San Marzano tomatoes are the superior tomato for sauces. Due to their sweet, meaty texture, low acidity and rich tomato-y flavor. They are also perfect for preserving.
Blanching San Marzano tomatoes:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Slice a small X on the bottom of the tomatoes, slicing just through the skin.
3. Prepare an ice bath for when the tomatoes come out of the boiling water.
4. Drop tomatoes into the boiling water for about 60-90 seconds or until the skin blisters and starts to peel away from the flesh.
5. Remove the tomatoes and immediately place them in the ice bath. The skin should easily be peeled off and ready to go into vacuum seal bags.
6. Vacuum seal and freeze.
If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, place them in Ziploc bags. Get as much air out of the bag as possible and then freeze. Vacuum sealers preserve food longer because all of the air is taken out preventing ice crystals from forming. I highly recommend investing in any vacuum sealer if you want to preserve food. They are an amazing tool and fairly inexpensive.
Heirloom tomatoes have a sweet and unique tanginess that makes them perfect for making salsa. You can make this salsa raw, but grilling or roasting the vegetables intensifies the flavor of the tomatoes, mellows the onions and peppers and adds a touch of smokiness.
Roasted Heirloom Tomato Salsa
Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe
Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
1 small onion, cut in half
2 serrano peppers
3 cloves garlic
2 limes, juiced
Hand full of cilantro leaves
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Avocado oil for brushing
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Heat a grill or grill pan on medium-high heat.
2. Brush the tomato, serrano peppers, onions and garlic with avocado oil, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place on the grill and cook until the vegetables start to char.
4. Once they have a nice char on both sides, place in a food processor.
5. Add lime, cilantro and green onion. Process to desired consistency.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Yellow Pear and Cherry Tomato Burrata
1/2 cup yellow pear tomatoes
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
Burrata
Fresh basil, torn
Dollops of pesto (store-bought or homemade from my recipe)
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Olive oil, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh sourdough bread, sliced into crostini
1. Cut tomatoes in half and season with salt, pepper, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.
2. Place burrata in a bowl, slice in half and pull apart.
3. Top burrata with tomatoes and drizzle with equal amounts of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, add dollops of pesto, and torn basil.
4. Serve on top of or with crostini.
We have so many hands-on classes featuring tomatoes right now, I hope to see you in one soon.
- Date Night: Summer Dinner Party Friday, August 23 6pm featuring Panzanella Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber and Basil
- Pasta Workshop Tuesday, August 27 6pm featuring Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Tortellini alla Margherita (Fresh Tomatoes, Basil and Mozzarella)
- Mediterranean Grilling on the Patio Friday, August 30 6pm featuring Bruschetta with Charred Tomatoes, Grilled Onions and Parsley-Caper Salsa Verde
- Culinary Adventure: Trip to Cuba Friday, August 30 6pm featuring Cuban Plantain Nachos with Avocados, Black Beans and Tomatoes
Roasted Heirloom Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 small onion, cut in half
- 2 serrano peppers
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 limes, juiced
- Hand full of cilantro leaves
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- Avocado oil for brushing
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a grill or grill pan on medium-high heat.
- Brush the tomato, serrano peppers, onions and garlic with avocado oil, season with salt and pepper
- Place on the grill and cook until the vegetables start to char.
- Once they have a nice char on both sides, place in a food processor.
- Add lime, cilantro and green onion. Process to desired consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
