The Bountiful Hive—

The Regal Tomato: A Rite Of Summer In Sauces, Salads And Side Dishes

By Meg Maher-Soto

The harvest is upon us. The most revered fruit of summer has made its debut for your savoring.

If you have the good fortune of being able to pluck a ripened tomato out of your garden or that of a friend’s, then you will have successfully completed one of summer’s rites of culinary passage. If not, your local farmers’ market is the next best bet for a luscious summer tomato.

The tomatoes of summer are short-lived, say two to three months at the most, here in Connecticut.

The distinctive characteristics of a summer tomato are unrivaled: the crimson red, the viney aroma and a flavor that is sweet, clean and juicy. The juiciness and sweetness hit the palate first, and then you taste the true flavor of the tomato.

Here are some suggestions on how to enjoy tomatoes at their peak of ripeness.

NOTE:  Tomatoes should never be refrigerated. Consume a ripened tomato within two to three days, or simmer in one of the sauces below. Sauce can be frozen.

Tomato & Arugula Salad

Serves 4

One bunch arugula, stems trimmed, rinsed twice in tepid water (to remove soil and sand) and spun dry

2 large ripe tomatoes

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Whisk together the oil and vinegar and add a pinch of sea salt and pepper, to taste. Place arugula in a bowl and drizzle with dressing. Toss gently. Slice tomatoes. Arrange arugula on four serving plates, top with sliced tomato and season with salt and pepper.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

(chunky style)

The following recipe can be used with peeled or unpeeled tomatoes. To peel, place the tomatoes in boiling water for one minute. Drain immediately. When cool enough to handle, use a sharp paring knife to pull off the skins. If the tomatoes are very ripe, the skins come off easily. The flavor of the sauce using peeled tomatoes is fresh and light.

When using unpeeled, the sauce has a more dense and concentrated tomato flavor. Both are delicious.

2 lbs tomatoes, garden variety or ripe plum tomatoes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice OR 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced (use whichever bulb you prefer, onion or garlic)

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup loosely packed whole basil leaves

Cut tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds. Chop coarsely. In a 10-inch skillet, combine the oil and onion or garlic and cook over medium heat until onion is tender. If using garlic, allow to soften, but not to turn color.

Add the tomatoes and increase the heat slightly to bring tomatoes to a simmer. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the salt and tear the basil leaves into small pieces. Stir into the sauce and simmer one minute longer.

Toss over short tubed pasta like rigatoni, penne or fusilli. Serves 4, or enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta.

Smooth Tomato Sauce

(Use with ravioli, baked pasta dishes or spaghetti)

A hand-crank vegetable mill is most useful for this smooth sauce. It purees the cooked tomatoes while leaving the skin and seeds behind.

It is a wonderful addition to your cooking equipment if you plan on making smooth sauces frequently.

 

3 large garlic cloves OR 1 medium onion chopped

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3 pounds tomatoes, garden or plum variety, cut into large chunks

1/2 cup packed whole basil leaves

1 tbsp sea salt

1/8 tsp hot red pepper flakes, for a spicy flavor (optional)

Place oil and onion in a 6 quart pot. Cook until tender over medium heat. If using garlic, smash the cloves slightly and add to pot with oil.

Cook and press the garlic into the oil to season the oil. Cook until lightly golden and remove the garlic.

Stir in the tomato chunks and increase heat slightly until tomatoes begin a simmer. Stir occasionally and cook until tomatoes become mushy.

Puree the sauce in the vegetable/food mill and then return it to the pot.  Tear off small pieces from the basil leaves and add the salt and optional red pepper flakes. Continue to simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.

The sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for a week, or frozen for the winter months. Serves 6, or enough sauce for 1½ pounds of pasta.

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

This recipe utilizes the sweetness of tomatoes and is a perfect side dish or appetizer.

2 lbs plum tomatoes, cut in half

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp dried basil

½ tsp dried oregano

½ cup shaved sharp cheese, preferably Parmesan or pecorino

Preheat the oven to 375°. Mix together the oil and herbs in a large bowl. Add the halved tomatoes and toss gently.

Place the tomatoes, cut side up, onto a sheet pan. Bake the tomatoes for 25-30 minutes until they are softened and slightly shriveled on top.

Place cheese on tops of tomatoes and keep in the oven another minute or two for the cheese to melt slightly.

To serve: Slice a baguette into ½-inch rounds. Place on sheet pan in a 375° oven until slightly toasted.

Rub a fresh garlic clove on the toast pieces. Place the oven-roasted tomato on top. Chop coarsely and serve these tomatoes atop cooked pasta. Add more freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese. Top with basil leaf. Use these tomatoes as a vegetable side dish for any entree.

Tomato & Avocado Salad

Serves 4

This tasty salad is a wonderful accompaniment to grilled chicken, fish and steak. It is equally as delicious served topped with chicken or tuna salad.

4 large ripe tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges

2 ripe avocados (avocados are ripe when the skin yields slightly to the touch)

1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 large garlic clove, finely minced

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

Score the avocado lengthwise with a sharp knife and carefully peel away the skin. Cut in half and remove the pit.

Slice avocado into wedges, then cut each wedge in two. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and set aside. 

Combine the oil, garlic, cilantro, salt and pepper and whisk together. Place the tomatoes and avocado together in a bowl, pour on the dressing and toss gently.

 Season to taste with more salt and pepper and serve.

Best flavor tips:

In the above recipes, you will note the use of fresh herbs, fresh garlic and fresh lemon juice. These ingredients will yield the best flavor. There is no comparison to using dried herbs, jarred garlic or bottled lemon juice. Also, when using olive oil, a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil (cold-pressed and first-pressed variety) always makes for the best tasting sauces and salads.

(Meg Maher-Soto has worked in the culinary arts as a gourmet market buyer and consultant, a dining and special functions manager at a country club, a retail operations manager in the corporate world, and currently operates a home-based catering business with her husband [The Cook and The Baker, which can be reached by calling 426-7927]. Naturally, she is married to a chef.)