What would you do with garden-fresh Roma tomatoes?

[msphoebe]

Thanks for sharing! Those little "bloody mary balls" are quite an interesting use for cherry tomatoes.

The recipe with fennel sounds great, too. Have never cooked fennel at home, but love the taste. Will definitely have to give it a shot.

[get in my belly]

flour de sel and a towel

[get in my belly]

oh and those airlooms are kick ass thanx for sharing the pic

[redfox]

The goat cheese stuffing sounds excellent. Ordinary tomato soup is worth remembering too -- the classic kind you ordinarily make with canned tomatoes and have with a grilled cheese sandwich. If you have different colors of tomato, you can be all fancy and make a golden batch and a red batch, say, and pour them into the bowl simultaneously from opposite sides.

I am managing to go through this week's batch of heirlooms pretty well just by having them with basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of the good balsamic alongside just about everything. (This morning they were next to an omelet; last night they were next to some french green lentils with caramelized onions; yesterday lunch they were over toasted pita and some butter lettuce with fresh mozzarella...) I figure that this makes them count as different dishes each time. This should be enough to use all of mine with no trouble at all, but then I don't have a whole big, beautiful crate.

I did use a couple of the big ones in a ratatouille. I wondered if I would regret it -- would they just turn into generic tomato mush? But no, it's wonderful and making it with all truly excellent, fresh ingredients, including some kind of pale green squash instead of zucchini, is of course all-important. (Duh.)

[hjshorter]

Great topic.  We've hit the tomato mother lode at our house.  I have a dozen tomatoes on my counter, another dozen that should be ripe in the next couple of days, and another 3 dozen greens waiting in the wings!

If we can't can all of them I may start giving them away to DC egulleteers. 

For the greater good of the Shorter family I would be willing to make the sacrifice and take some off of your hands

I'll call you.

Tonight we had salad - fresh mozz, tomatoes, torn basil, chopped garlic, EVOO, balsamic vinegar, S&P. Oh my.

[stovetop]

Yes!!!

I want a tomato, onion and basil salad ; Now!!

thanks too for those great pics

steve

[msphoebe]

I stopped at the Farmer's Market yesterday and bought some more tomatoes, including heirlooms. Made the most wonderful BLTs for lunch.

I also picked up a spaghetti squash which I've cooked and let cool. After scraping out the flesh, I will chop some of the fresh Romas and saute in a little olive oil and garlic. At the last second, I'll add some chopped fresh basil and give it a stir. The tomatoes will then be placed atop a plate of spaghetti squash and sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

I just adore fresh summer vegetables. So much flavor! A world of difference from winter foods, which are also flavorful in their way (thanks to the availability of dried herbs and spices).

Thank God for the wonder of fresh tomatoes!

Edited to add --

Steve, do you dress your tomato, onion, and basil salad in any way?

Edited August 8, 2004 by msphoebe (log)

[tanabutler]

These are not Romas, but for those of you who don't read the "What we cooked for dinner" thread, here is the fate of three of the heirlooms I, um, inherited, from that big box upthread. I call it "Stoplight Caprese": TomatoFest heirlooms with "Mondo X" Italian olive oil that my friend brought me (it won some grand prize in an Italian olive oil competition), and balsamic. Basil from Dirty Girl Farm. They are Green Zebra, a red/black one, and I think Oxtail Orange.

Soooo good.

[msphoebe]

I now have a new wallpaper for my computer.....

thanks!

=^..^=

[tanabutler]

Is it big enough for that? I can make one that fits, if you need. Let me know.

[artisanbaker]

this a great example of excellent food that can be enjoyed by people of all socio-economic backgrounds

[jess mebane]

since it's also shrimp season, you might also:

boil water for cappellini

oil a pan with evoo on medium hi

peel and seed the romas, then squoosh the pulp in a bowl

peel and devein a 1/2 pound of fresh brown shrimp

peel and slice one small clove garlic

throw the shrimp in, toss 3 mins

throw cooked shrimp on a plate

throw sliced garlic in shrimp'd up pan

throw Romas on top of garlic

add S&P, basil chiffonade, shrimp and al dente cappellini

stop throwing, start eating!

[Shalmanese]

I eat cherry tomatos like popcorn (but not with any butter or salt :P). Just grab a big bowl of them and a good movie and munch away.