Here come the tomatoes

[Stephanie Brim]

These have been taunting me for a month.

Hot weather would be nice, methinks. It's been unseasonably cool here for the last few weeks.

Stephanie, where do you live? It's been unseasonably cool all summer here in MN (outside of one hot spell for two days in May). Night time temps are in the 50's (read bad for tomatoes), and the days aren't much warmer.

It's also been unbelievably dry in in the Upper Midwest. That doesn't help, either.

I just celebrated a birthday -- the first since I've been a home-owner and tomato grower (think since 1986) that I haven't have a home-grown from-my-garden tomato. So sad.

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I'm right below you in Iowa. We live about 40 miles north of Ames, which is where I tend to go to the markets when I get the chance.

During early May it was wet and warm here. I didn't get these in until the very end of May. Then we got more rain. Then we got the unseasonably cool weather. Now I've actually had to water my tomatoes a few times and I've gotten maybe 3 or 4 good ones so far.

It's been a mixed season here in Iowa for almost everything. I went to the farmer's market in mid July for things that would usually be around and found almost nothing. Usually *someone* has tomatoes by then, but there was not a one. Also, my rhubarb didn't come up hardly at all, which made me really, really sad. I had no pie.

Luckily I haven't had the blight issues that some people have.

[rooftop1000]

The first golden tomato of the season has given it's all, dressed lightly with a puree of fresh basil and garlic thinned with olive oil. Served with plenty of toasted Italian bread for sopping....oh and skirt steak, and corn

tracey

[Dave Hatfield]

I.m somewhat amazed that with all of the delicious ways to eat tomatoes that have been posted nobody has posted my favorite way of eating tomatoes at the height of the summer season. .

The whole recipe is here, but here's a shortened version:

1) Buy or grow really ripe large beefsteak tomatoes. Wash, then cut off the top third at the stem end.

2) Drizzle on about a teaspoon full of olive oil, then sprinkle lightly with sea salt and place a fresh basil leaf on top.

3) place on a tray in to a hot oven (about 400 F. Bake until the tomatoes are soft and the edges are just beginning to blacken.

4) Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes then pour over about a tablespoon of a 50/50 mixture of olive oil & balsamic vinegar. Top with fresh basil leaf.

Let cool to room temperature; its best then. Do not refrigerate as it kills the taste. Serve with the best crusty French bread you can find or make.

Die and go to heaven.

PS: I paid the equivalent of 30 cents a pound for tomatoes to make my sauce. How does that compare to where you are?

[deensiebat]

I couldn't resist this image of our Stupice tomatoes (the only ones that thrive in our not-sunny-enough backyard) all lined up to be broiled for Charred Tomato Chile Salsa:

[DanM]

This is sore subject for me. For the second year in a row, the tomatoes suck. Just like last year, the weather in New England is too cold and damp to grow good tomatoes. Add the light blight to the mix and its just maddening. Tomatoes were going for 6.50/lbs at the farmers market last Sunday!!

Dan

[Stephanie Brim]

I have a few cherry tomatoes per day. Today I didn't get to pick any, and tomorrow I think I'm only going to get 2 or 3. But they're coming, and I still have most of August and all of September to go.

Now, by the middle of September when it's getting cooler they may not be quite as good...but they'll still be better than the utterly tasteless ones I get at the stores in the winter. Ugh.

[C. sapidus]

Our tomatoes have been spectacular this year, especially an heirloom beefsteak (can't remember which one, unfortunately). Not much time to cook this summer so I have been obsessed with tomato sandwiches. Thick slices of salted tomato, whatever cheese is available, whatever meat is available, lettuce if not scary, potato bread, and a dressing of mayonnaise, Sriracha, and fish sauce or Maggi sauce.

Good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

[Stephanie Brim]

WOOOOHOOOO! I see orange tomatoes! I should have red ones by Tuesday or Wednesday! Big ones! Sandwich sized!

Don't get me wrong. I love my little ripe orange cherry tomatoes. They just don't make the best BLTs.

[deensiebat]

Tomato Paella:

[merstar]

Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic and Gorgonzola

http://www.jemangelaville.com/2009/01/05/h...and-gorgonzola/

[Lapin d'Argent]

Today, for lunch, I had a sandwich made with a local heirloom tomato picked up at the farmer's market sprinkled with sea salt, on toasted bread drizzled with olive oil then spread with goat cheese.

Yum.

Then I ate the rest of the tomato with olive oil and sea salt. Chef's prerogative.

- L.

[Lapin d'Argent]

Tomato Paella:

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That looks really, really lovely deensiebat.

[Corinna]

I think the basic concept for this originally came from the NYT, but I really can't remember:

In the morning, mince a good amount of garlic, preferably fresh from your own garden.  Put it in a decent-size bowl and pour in a hefty amount of olive oil. Now add more.  Go on, a little more won't kill you.  That's better.

Wander off for part of the day.

When you feel like it or it's convenient, pick your tomatoes from the garden or the farmer's market, cut them up, toss them into the bowl with the garlic and olive oil, add some sea salt, stir it up.  (Don't seed or peel the tomatoes; it takes too long, you have better things to do, it's too hot, that's where all the flavor is, you need the fiber, and besides I said so.)

Go off and do other stuff until it's time for dinner.  If you're around, stir the tomatoes occasionally.  Try not to eat all of them, unless you add more. (For the love of pete -- DO NOT put this in the refrigerator!!!!  If you do, I do not want to hear about it.)

Boil some pasta, tear or slice some fresh basil.  Drain the pasta, stir it into the tomatoes, serve it up with the basil sprinkled on top.  And a nice white wine.

That pretty much takes care of August at our house.

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Yesterday was the day I was anxiously awaiting, the first day I had enough tomatoes to make this recipe. So simple, so wonderful. Thanks for sharing it!

[Lapin d'Argent]

I think the basic concept for this originally came from the NYT, but I really can't remember:

In the morning, mince a good amount of garlic, preferably fresh from your own garden.  Put it in a decent-size bowl and pour in a hefty amount of olive oil. Now add more.  Go on, a little more won't kill you.  That's better.

Wander off for part of the day.

When you feel like it or it's convenient, pick your tomatoes from the garden or the farmer's market, cut them up, toss them into the bowl with the garlic and olive oil, add some sea salt, stir it up.  (Don't seed or peel the tomatoes; it takes too long, you have better things to do, it's too hot, that's where all the flavor is, you need the fiber, and besides I said so.)

Go off and do other stuff until it's time for dinner.  If you're around, stir the tomatoes occasionally.  Try not to eat all of them, unless you add more. (For the love of pete -- DO NOT put this in the refrigerator!!!!  If you do, I do not want to hear about it.)

Boil some pasta, tear or slice some fresh basil.  Drain the pasta, stir it into the tomatoes, serve it up with the basil sprinkled on top.  And a nice white wine.

That pretty much takes care of August at our house.

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Yesterday was the day I was anxiously awaiting, the first day I had enough tomatoes to make this recipe. So simple, so wonderful. Thanks for sharing it!

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I'm so glad, Corinna! I wish I could take credit for it, but like so many great things, we stand on the shoulders of giants.

- L.

[v. gautam]

L,

If I may twist the knife this cruel tomato season: please keep a lookout for a variety of tomatoes for your bowl, quiz the growers if they have been grown in deliberately droughted hoophouses [not likely, because that reduces fresh weight while increasing sugars and solids!]. In Japan, growers stamp the amount of total solids and sugars, and you pay on an exponential curve, proportionate to the biological effort required.

Still, if you mix and match a variety of cherry & good paste tomatoes with some excellent large-fruited varieties, your pasta will thank you:

Sungold

Martino's Roma [from our very own Cortland/Ithaca, thus you may be assured it does its job in a cool climate]

Indian Stripes/Cherokee Purple

a)Kellogg's Breakfast(orange); b) Orange Heirloom; c) Aunt Gertrude's/Gertie's Gold [not ripe yet? unless in hoophouses??]

Anna Russian & other oxhearts ( Kosovo )

Greens: small & lg-fruited: have wild tomato genes for high sugar

German pinks : e.g. German Head

Japanese hybrids: Momotaro & Odoriko: ask by name & hopefully growers will plant them

USA hybrids: BHN 789, Mountain Magic (?? taste)

Italian hybrids : Big Beef, Tomande [Open Pollinated : Large Red Pear Franchi Sementi].

French OP: St. Pierre, Chateau Rose

Let us know if you have found any of these in your farmers market & how you liked them.

Edited August 16, 2009 by v. gautam (log)

[deensiebat]

That looks really, really lovely deensiebat.

Aw thanks. I can't get enough of photographing the red tomato dishes offset by the green grass. I think it's pretty with the small tomatoes that we grow, but if you have some large tomatoes, it looks especially dramatic with the thick wedges fanned over the top.

Tomato paella is delicious for dinner, but I think leftovers, topped with a fried egg and a bit of Romano or Idiazabel cheese, might just be my favorite breakfast.

[Lapin d'Argent]

L,

If I may twist the knife this cruel tomato season: please keep a lookout for a variety of tomatoes for your bowl, quiz the growers if they have been grown in  deliberately droughted hoophouses [not likely, because that reduces fresh weight while increasing sugars and solids!]. In Japan, growers stamp the amount of total solids and sugars, and you pay on an exponential curve, proportionate to the biological effort required.

Still, if you mix and match a variety of cherry & good paste tomatoes with some excellent large-fruited varieties, your pasta will thank you:

Sungold

Martino's Roma [from our very own Cortland/Ithaca, thus you may be assured it does its job in a cool climate]

Indian Stripes/Cherokee Purple

a)Kellogg's Breakfast(orange); b) Orange Heirloom; c) Aunt Gertrude's/Gertie's Gold [not ripe yet? unless in hoophouses??]

Anna Russian & other oxhearts ( Kosovo )

Greens: small & lg-fruited: have wild tomato genes for high sugar

German pinks : e.g. German Head

Japanese hybrids: Momotaro & Odoriko: ask by name & hopefully growers will plant them

USA hybrids: BHN 789, Mountain Magic (?? taste)

Italian hybrids : Big Beef, Tomande [Open Pollinated : Large  Red Pear Franchi Sementi].

French OP: St. Pierre, Chateau Rose

Let us know if you have found any of these in your farmers market & how you liked them.

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V. - I absolutely agree that "dry-farmed" tomatoes are best. Although please don't suggest that we start paying Japanese prices for them!

I *love* sungolds, and always grow them, even though they crack if you look cross-eyed at them. The other cherry tomato that always does well for me, no matter what, is Matt's wild cherry. I just had some of those on a sandwich for lunch. Sadly, not mine, since this is the first year in a long time I didn't grow anything. But I have no doubt that anyone who planted either of those would be over-run with tomatoes, even this year.

I also swear by my favorite all-rounder, Enchantment, which you never see in markets. Other favorites include Rose de Berne, Carmello, and Tigerella.

And you are right: mix them all together...just like good cider, a complex fresh tomato blend is best!

- L.

[SobaAddict70]

SLIGHTLY off-topic (because the toms pictured below are heirloom plum tomatoes mixed in with run-of-the-mill grape tomatoes from a corner supermarket):

I love tomato confit. So simple, so easy and the results are worth waiting for.

Quarter, slice or halve tomatoes depending on size, generously salt and place in a Pyrex or glass baking dish. Cover with your best olive oil. A good rule of thumb is that the oil should come 1/3 up the tomatoes. Add torn basil or parsley, or if you wish, slivered shallots or small pearl onions. Roast at 350 F for 1 hour or until tomatoes are partially caramelized yet still hold their shape. Serve over pasta or egg noodles, maybe a small salad and a glass of wine.

This is a quick version.

Then there's a more relaxed version where I roast the toms at a lower heat setting, like around 250 F for anywhere from 5 to 8 hours. The aroma is indescribable, the flavor doubly so.

[Peter the eater]

This topic is an excellent source of ideas. I've got more tomatoes than I can handle, today's pickins was 16 pounds:

[SobaAddict70]

The remainder of my haul from this weekend's market. I'd say I've used about 1/4 of this quantity already. Penne with uncooked tomato sauce (tomatoes, shallot, scallion, bush basil, salt, pepper, olive oil) and kielbasa with roasted fingerlings and tomatoes to name a couple of preparations.

I'm thinking of doing a mini tomato dinner either tonight (Monday) or Tuesday. The way I figure, since I can't afford to go to Blue Hill Stone Barns at the moment, the next best thing is to do it at home.

I figure three courses is plenty.

Based on what's in my pantry, the menu looks like this:

Heirloom tomato salad, corn flan

Fettucine with heirloom grape tomatoes, garlic, bush basil and sage

I might get some fish from Citarella, pan roast it and pair it with tomatoes and mint. Have to see what looks good.

Just thought of dessert -- watermelon and white peach salad with caramelized Sungold cherry tomatoes. Candied tomatoes are a nice idea but if I'm cooking for one, not practical.

I can't wait.

[SobaAddict70]

More tomato love...

Not bad for my first time doing slow-roasted tomatoes. Next time I'll have to triple my recipe and use cherry toms instead.

[heidih]

I am quite hopeful that I will have an abundance of various tomatoes this season so I have reviewed all the posts and noted what I want to try first. So far I have just popped the few cherry ones in my mouth in the garden. The two bigger ones (tossed the tags from the Garden Center) were wonderful on toasted bread with just mayo and salt, not even pepper to get in the way. Since the no knead bread topics got me going, I always have a version of no knead bread dough in the fridge. It was even more special to have them on my own bread. Looking at how quickly they are ripening it will be definitely be a tomato-centric summer. I also have lots of summer squash, mint and basil so I will be working those into the dishes. Just planted an Abe Lincoln Heirloom I got at the grower's yesterday and it is a lusty looking individual so I expect bounty. Any new favorites to share? I do apologize to those in colder climates, but at least you will be ready with ideas.

[SobaAddict70]

Thin spaghetti with slow-roasted tomatoes, tomato oil and herbs

These were made with canned whole tomatoes (slow-roasted at 250 F for 7 hours, with garlic, shallots, good quality olive oil, salt, pepper and a scant teaspoon of sugar) -- cooked in this manner, folks in cold-weather climates can come close to experiencing some of the pleasure that in-season toms have to offer.

Tomato risotto

The recipe consists of three parts: slow-roasted tomatoes, tomato purée and the risotto itself.

I'll be making this again this year later in the summer but one change that I've been contemplating is using tomato water in the risotto, very likely as a finishing touch. (Full detailed recipe on the blog.)

Another idea (well two, really) are variations on gazpacho. A white gazpacho using tomato water, white grapes and toasted almonds, and a melon gazpacho (honeydew or cantaloupe, tomato water, seedless cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes). I'll let y'all know how those pan out.

Spaghetti with quick tomato confit

So many of my recipes involve pasta. It's kind of embarrassing.

These were a handful of Jersey tomatoes roasted in an olive oil bath at 325 F for 90 minutes, along with salt, pepper, basil and parsley.

Edited June 10, 2010 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[Doodad]

Picking our first of many to come from the garden tomorrow. I wanted to give my wife the honor.

We are growing Better Boy, Juliette (roma) and Sweet 100. Looking good so far.

[Jim Charles]

I only have 11 tomato plants in, 7 rutgers and 4 cherry, but I have maybe 100 plus green and ready by the 4th.