Tomato - King of the Garden

Mixed cherry tomatoes from Eckerton Hill Farm

It is tomato season.  We’ve waited all spring and summer and now, when the tomatoes ripened, it is not one or two, but dozens.  The trick is to find as many ways to use up these sun ripened beauties so they don’t 1. Go rotten on your counter (you do know tomatoes lose flavor if refrigerated?) and 2. Make you lose your desire to eat another one.  

This time of year also brings an abundance of fresh herbs, and basil is not the only one that works well with the sweet tanginess of tomatoes.  I purposely used other herbs to brighten up the acknowledged king of the summer garden.

With all that in mind, I have created recipes for an entire meal using tomatoes.  I have tried to create some unusual but easy to make dishes.  I want to also add that all recipes can be doubled for more servings. So let’s dive right in, appetizer to dessert using tomatoes.

Cherry Tomatoes with cream cheese filling.

4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature

2 tbsp. milk

Lemon zest from one lemon

⅛ tsp. nutmeg

2 tsp. chopped fresh dill leaves

Pinch of black pepper

Sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients above except for sea salt. 
2. Using larger round cherry tomatoes slice the tops off about ¼ of the way down.  You can also slice a tiny bit off the bottom to make the cherry tomato sit without rolling.
3. At this point you can either choose to put the cheese mixture on top, or squeeze out the seeds and hollow the tomato out and fill it.  You can use a pastry bag and tip to pipe the filling in.  Otherwise use a small spatula or knife to fill or top the tomato.
4. Place on serving plate and when all are filled, place in refrigerator to cool. 

 

To serve: sprinkle tops with sea salt.

If you don't keep roasted garlic in your refrigerator, you should.  Next time you heat up your oven, place a whole head of garlic in the hot oven.  Roasting takes about ten minutes, garlic is done when soft.  Roasted garlic provides a milder garlic experience in raw foods such as this soup.

Cold Avocado-Tomato soup

2 medium-large tomatoes

½ Haas avocado
1 large clove of roasted garlic

8 large basil leaves

⅛ tsp cumin
1 tsp salt

Pinch of pepper

4 tbsp. lime juice

¾ C. water

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into serving bowl and place in refrigerator to cool, about 2 hours.

Serve with tortilla chips and hot sauce.

 

Tomato with Radicchio Salad

¼ head of radicchio shredded

Several large beefsteak tomatoes

¼ C. balsamic fig vinegar

1 tbsp. chopped fennel leaves

½ tbsp. chopped basil leaves

1 tsp. salt

Black pepper to taste

Crumbled feta

Olive oil

1. In a small bowl, combine the shredded radicchio, vinegar, chopped fennel leaves, chopped basil leaves, salt and pepper. 
2. Place in refrigerator and let radicchio macerate for several hours.
3. Slice tomatoes into ½” slices and place one slice on serving plate. Cut the slices into sixths or eighths depending on the size of the tomato, so you end up with pie wedge shapes.
4. Spoon the radicchio and a bit of the vinaigrette over the tomato slices.
5. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil.
6. Sprinkle with crumbled feta.

 Option: Quartered fresh figs make a lovely addition to this salad.

Fresh Tomato Pizza Casserole

4 medium-large tomatoes sliced in ¼” slices

4 oz. sliced mozzarella cheese

½ lb. of oyster mushrooms, sliced into ½ to ¾” pieces

8 slices of bread

Optional: cooked sausage slices, pepperoni, or tofu cut in ½" cubes

Olive oil

Seasoning mix:

            ½ C. grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

            2 tsp. dry oregano

            ½ tsp. salt

            ⅛ tsp. black pepper

            ½ tsp. garlic powder

            1 tbsp. dehydrated minced onion.

Preheat oven to 325º.

1. Combine ingredients for seasoning mix in a small bowl, mix well, and set aside.
2. In a deep baking pan, sprinkle a bit of olive oil
3. Place four slices of bread in a single layer, don’t worry about gaps.
4. Place a layer of tomato slices and sprinkle with 1/3 of the season mix.
5. Add meat or tofu if using.
6. Add mushrooms.
7. Place a layer of cheese over all.
8. Repeat these layers once more.
9. Finish with a layer of tomatoes sprinkled with the last third of the seasoning mix.
10. Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes.

As with pan pizza, this casserole is delicious cold too! 

Some notes:  I made this with gluten-free bread which did a great job soaking up the liquids from the tomatoes.  Use a good Italian bread to achieve the same result.

I use organic spices from Mountain Rose Herbs and my own homemade garlic powder in the seasoning mix, but you could use fresh minced garlic and onions if you prefer them. 

Dessert!

Chocolate Tomato Ice Cream

½ C. Half and Half

1 pint plain tomato sauce (I used homemade from last year)

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

½ C. agave syrup

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. medium hot red pepper powder (optional)

1. Taste your tomato sauce, it probably doesn't need any salt, but I can mine with a minimum amount, so I added ½ tsp. of salt to mine.
2. Warm the half and half in a saucepan on the stove over a medium heat or in a bowl in the microwave to 100º.
3. Add the chocolate and let it melt.
4. When the chocolate is melted, add the rest of the ingredients combine well, and place in the refrigerator to cool.
5. When the mixture is cool, place it in an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. When frozen, move it to a sealable container and place it in the freezer to temper (harden).

So there it is.  I hope you find these recipes tasty, intriguing, and surprising fun for your palate.

Oyster Mushrooms from Primordia Farm 

I want to thank Primordia Farm for the mushrooms I used in the Fresh Tomato Pizza Casserole and Eckerton Hill Farm for the cherry tomatoes.  Thanks for your support!

I hope you enjoy these recipes and you may share them.  Please don't steal them, if you copy, please credit it them to me.  Thanks.