Category: Tomatoes

I take the idea of Salade Nicoise and adapt it all summer long, i.e. take fresh and/or cooked vegetables, good Oregon Albacore (usually canned), and hardboiled eggs, drizzled with an herby and/or creamy dressing, as a complete, fabulous dinner. You can also skip the tuna as it's fabulous without too.   Quantities can be adapted to suit your needs and can be varied in all ways. You just want enough dressing for everything so scale that up if you’re using more vegetables.... Read more »

--adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi   This may seem like a cool-weather dish but I make red lentil curries in the summer and we eat them barely warm with a generous dollop of cool cucumber yogurt topping. The ingredient list looks long but I’ve noted where you can simplify and it does come together pretty easily. It is a bit similar to this red lentil dhal, though this one does not have coconut milk and is a bit thicker. ... Read more »

In the summer when I don't want to turn on the stove and do much cooking, I rely on already cooked beans, chickpeas, and grains for quick, satisfying meals, often in the form of salads. Here's a version that is begging for adaptations based on what you have in your CSA share, garden, etc.   This is a meal-in-one and can be adapted and scaled as you see fit. Vary the grains, herbs, and onions based on what you have on hand.  ... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_4932" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Roasted cherry tomatoes on toast topped with a soft-boiled egg and basil and chives.[/caption]   I love many, many versions of tomatoes and bread and here are a few favorites:   Tomato Bread (Pa Amb Tomaquet)   The Spanish (and Basque--this is a Basque version) and Italian and probably many other cultures have versions of this. I eat it for breakfast in late summer though I realize that might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But it’s a wonderful snack or appetizer or a part of an informal dinner as well.   Toast or grill the bread. Rub with garlic (little or lot or not at all, in fact). Cut the tomatoes in half on the equator and then rub the cut side of the tomato onto the toasted bread pressing as much juice and flesh into the bread as you can. You’ll be left holding the skin and a little pulp. You'll need half a tomato per slice of bread, more or less. Salt generously and drizzle with oil. The bread may fall part a bit and will get quite soggy—just as it should! Eat immediately, then make another!:)... Read more »

  Makes 2 pizzas (using the pizza dough recipe below or two 12-ounce portions of purchased pizza dough)   2 cups Simplest Tomato Sauce  2, 2-ounce balls fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced About 15 large basil leaves... Read more »

Classic and lovely and not as complicated or time consuming as it might seem. I rarely salt and drain eggplant. It’s an extra step that I don’t find necessary with perfectly fresh eggplant. You can either bake the eggplant or pan-fry it in just a little oil. I like both versions and usually do the below, stove-top version because I'm always in a hurry and it's quicker. You can also swap zucchini, see below, for the eggplant. [caption id="attachment_21596" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Or make it with zucchini instead![/caption]... Read more »

Tomatoes, olive oil, salt. That’s it. When the tomatoes are good it’s honestly all you need. And I make sauce with slicer and heirloom tomatoes, not just sauce types, all the time. It takes a little longer to cook down because they’re so juicy but with a little patience and high heat it’s pretty quick too.   Olive oil Fresh tomatoes, diced (I don't bother pealing or seeding them) Salt A little butter, to finish (optional)   Coat the bottom of a wide skillet with olive oil. Heat over high heat until shimmering. Add tomatoes and a few pinches salt. Stir well, turn down to medium high and simmer, stirring often, until sauce thickens to your liking. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and a tablespoon or two of butter, especially if the sauce is quite acidic.  Butter is THE perfecter of tomato sauce. Serve over spaghetti with Parmesan and fresh basil. ... Read more »

--adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater   My version of this fragrant, rich stew is significantly simplified but still involves a few steps and a bit of time.  You can break up the process and make it manageable and I think you will enjoy the resulting dish for several days or freeze some for a future meal.... Read more »

This is a quick, hearty pasta dish. I seem to be incorrigibly drawn to Italian preparations in late summer. They’re so quick and easy and satisfying. ... Read more »

This is my go to cook-with-what-you-have process. Toss most any vegetable together with some fresh herbs and a good dressing and to make things even better in my bean-loving opinion, some cooked beans. Late summer this is a particularly satisfying thing to do with corn, black beans and fresh tomatoes.... Read more »

--adapted from davidlebovitz.com   This is a gorgeous and delicious summer tart that has become an annual treat. Don't skip the mustard, which originally I was tempted to you, it adds a wonderful depth. I don’t typically take the time to let the dough rest unless I happen to be making the dough ahead, but simply roll it out, roll it up over the rolling pin and unroll it over the tart pan, pressing down to evening cover the bottom and sides. Fold any edges over and press them into the sides.   One 10-11 inch tart... Read more »

I process many pounds of tomatoes like this each year. I use this method for slicers, heirlooms, sauce tomatoes and even cherry tomatoes (which turn out like candy) and often several varieties on sheet, as you can see. The heirlooms take longer since they have more moisture but they are delicious. It is a very low stress way of preserving lots of tomatoes if you have the freezer space. Small quantities are easy to make too. There’s no peeling, canning, or chopping. And the results are so tasty. I do small batches in late summer/fall to keep up with my garden.  ... Read more »

[caption id="attachment_13993" align="aligncenter" width="660"] I happened to use Green Zebra tomatoes for the above version, not unripe tomatoes, but just a varietal that is green when ripe.[/caption] This quick salad is what I make all summer long when tomatoes (and cucumbers and leafy herbs) are at their peak.  This is not panzanella, at least not in the typical Tuscan sense, though it may look a bit like it. This is panzanella, the wonderful, soggy, yes soggy, Tuscan dish I enjoyed day after day in Italy and also make frequently in late summer.   This is a wonderful template for most any late summer produce and is very open to substitutions.  ... Read more »

This is the classic Tuscan bread salad made at the height of tomato season. Tuscan bread goes stale very quickly so there are lots of recipes to use it up in flavorful ways. The success of the dish depends on using really flavorful, ripe tomatoes and a good olive oil. And you can use fresher bread if you don’t have stale—see directions below.   Panzanella in the United States often employs toasted chunks of bread more like croutons, tossed with tomatoes, etc. Give this version a try. The texture is completely different and so delicious.... Read more »

    Fresh shelling beans (sometimes called shellies), pancetta, tomatoes, cream and basil stewed together and tossed with fresh, egg tagliatelle or any dry pasta, and topped with Parmesan. It's pretty decadent! ... Read more »

The classic Italian Peperonata is made with peppers, onions, and tomatoes. This version includes potatoes which makes it a more substantial dish and with a green salad and piece of bread, a perfect summer/fall dinner. ... Read more »

There are so many versions of this incredibly flavorful sauce. It’s delicious with many things and often served with roasted potatoes or with fish. The best version I've ever had was at Navarre restaurant in Portland. The chef and proprietor John Taboada kindly wrote out his version on the back of a menu. I have adapted this recipe a bit over the years. This sauce is quite forgiving. The important thing is that it has a good bite from vinegar, the texture from the grilled bread and the sweetness of the slowly fried garlic and ground almonds. Many combinations of peppers will work. The sauce will be thinner if you use a fresh tomato and you can thin it out with a little more olive oil if you want a saucier consistency.... Read more »

  This is a straightforward preparation for a delicious late summer meal. Serve with a big green salad or some corn on the cob or just good, crusty bread and you're set.... Read more »

This is a nice variation to the fresh pico de gallo like salsas. The roasted peppers and garlic add nice depth and smoky flavor. Jalapenos vary widely in their spice level. You might start by using the flesh but not the seeds and add the seeds if you want more heat.  ... Read more »

My mother makes great big platters of this, completely simple composed salad every summer. If you have sweet peppers by all means slice them very thinly and add them to the mix here. You can scale this however you'd like so adjust however you'd like. You can skip the feta to make it vegan. ... Read more »