Every August for the past two decades, I’ve done a segment for Here & Now focused on tomatoes. Redundant? Unimaginative? I think not. Tomatoes are the crowning jewel of summer and the highlight of the end of the summer garden and local farmers’ markets.
I’ve listed tomato recipes below from some of my past shows — everything from gazpacho, sauces, pasta dishes, sandwiches, salads. When I looked at these favorite recipes, I was left with one thought: Is there anything new or different you can do with tomatoes? And, of course, the answer is Yes!
My roasted tomato sauce is still one of my favorite recipes of all time. I look forward to making it every year. Roasting tomatoes at high heat breaks them down and creates a caramelized, slightly smoky sauce that is worth the time it takes to coax all that tomato flavor out of an end-of-the-summer tomato. I like to make a big batch and process them so I can enjoy ripe, fresh tomato flavor all year.
Here are three new recipes that use tomatoes as the star of a dish and a tip for peeling ripe tomatoes.
Tomato peeling
To peel or not to peel? That is the August question. Some people take great exception to the tomato peel being present in their food. I am not one of them. I’m fine with some tomato peel. But if you prefer to have your tomatoes peeled, it’s not overly difficult to get that peel off.
When tomatoes are super ripe, you can use your fingers and, working over a bowl to catch all the juices, peel the skin right off. But some tomatoes, and particularly tomatoes that aren’t at the peak of ripeness, can be stubborn.
Here’s a way to simplify: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have a bowl ready at the side of the stove with ice-cold water. Gently drop a few tomatoes at a time into the boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately remove with a slotted spoon and place in the ice-cold water. The heat, followed by the cold water, will release the peel. Use your fingers or a small, sharp knife to easily remove the peel.
End of summer fresh salsa
This is a classic served with tacos or potato chips. But it’s equally good spooned on top of grilled or sauteed fish, meat or grilled vegetables. Spoon it over tacos and tortillas.
There are just a few basic questions you need to come to terms with concerning this juicy, bursting with flavor salsa: In terms of cilantro, it’s a yes or a no. Spicy? Up to you. And if you like a super juicy salsa, choose very ripe, juicy tomatoes. If you like your salsa chunkier and less juicy, choose tomatoes that are ripe but not bursting. For me: cilantro, plenty of chile pepper and super juicy, super ripe tomatoes.
Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
- 1 large red or green sweet pepper, cored and chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 1 small red or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 chile pepper, jalapeno etc. cored, deseeded and finely chopped (if you like it spicy keep some of the seeds)
- 3 ripe or very ripe medium-sized tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces, peeled or unpeeled (I prefer tomato peel in my salsa)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, red or yellow, quartered or halved depending on their size
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Juice of 4 limes, about ⅓ cup
- 1 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
- Pinch Aleppo pepper or dried red chile pepper or a splash of hot pepper sauce
- About 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- In a medium bowl gently toss the peppers, onions, chile pepper, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, salt, pepper lime juice and oil. Taste for seasoning and then add the chile pepper and cilantro or parsley. The salsa can be made about 2 hours ahead of time, covered and refrigerated. If you make it too far in advance it will lose its texture.
Cold tomato and cucumber soup with sauteed corn and basil topping
This cold, ultra-refreshing garden soup is a relative (distant cousin?) of the famed Spanish soup, gazpacho. But this version is so simple, I made it in about 20 minutes. Thick chunks of ripe tomatoes are tossed with onions, cucumbers, basil, parsley, vinegar and olive oil and whirled until smooth. The soup is chilled and served with a simple sauté of corn kernels, fresh basil and parsley and a touch of vinegar to wake up all the fresh flavors. A dollop of sour cream on top finishes off the soup.
Serves 4 big bowls or 6 smaller ones.
Ingredients
The soup:
- 4 to 5 ripe medium-sized ripe tomatoes, about 2 pounds, 5 ounces, cored and cut in thick wedges, peeled or unpeeled
- 1 small red or yellow onion, chopped
- 1 small cucumber, peeled and sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 ½ tablespoons white wine or cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
The corn sauté and the sour cream:
- 2 ears corn, shucked
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon white wine or cider vinegar
- About ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently stir together the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, parsley, basil, a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper, the vinegar and oil. Let “marinate” for about 15 minutes.
- In the bowl of a food processor or blender, blend the vegetable mixture, working in batches, whirring until the soup is smooth. Place in a large bowl and continue until all the vegetables are pureed. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed. Chill for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours ahead of time.
- Meanwhile, place 1 ear of corn in a medium bowl. Using a sharp knife, cut down the sides of the cob and release the kernels. Work your way around the cob. Repeat with the other ear of corn.
- In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the corn and the salt, pepper, and half the herbs and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and remaining herbs and cook for another 2 minutes. Place in a small bowl and chill or keep at room temperature.
- To serve the soup: remove the soup from the refrigerator and give it a good stir. If it’s too thick, add another half or whole tablespoon of oil and vinegar. Place in serving bowls and top with some of the corn mixture and a dollop of sour cream or yoghurt.
Ratatouille
Tomatoes are the key flavor that holds this classic southern French stew together. It’s an amalgamation of all the best summer vegetables–tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onions, herbs and sweet peppers stewed in olive oil and garlic. There’s a bit of prep involved but then it all goes into a casserole or Dutch oven and bakes in the oven for about 45 minutes or so, and the whole earthly sweet stew comes together on its own. The tomatoes break down and bathe the other vegetables, creating a silky, big-flavored dish. Ratatouille is great on its own, served with pasta, or with crackers or slices of crusty bread. It can be a condiment to grilled fish or meat or vegetables, and act as a dip with raw vegetables. In other words, it’s a very versatile dish.
The secret to making a great ratatouille is to start with great produce. Find the freshest vegetables and herbs you can source and watch the magic happen. Although you can make this recipe using dried herbs, it feels like a big waste: it’s still summer and fresh herbs abound.
You’ll need a large skillet and a casserole or Dutch oven for this recipe.
Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
- 1 pound eggplant, 1 large or 2 medium, ends trimmed and then cut into cubes about ½ to 1 inch
- About 2 tablespoons Kosher or fine kitchen salt (same amount if you use fine table salt?)
- About 4 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 small red or yellow onion, cut in thin slices
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ tablespoon fresh basil, thinly sliced or chopped*
- 2 ½ tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 2 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 pound zucchini, 1 large or 2 medium-small, ends cut and cubed into ½ or 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium green, red, yellow or purple sweet pepper, cored and cut into 1/2 to 1 inch cubes
- 2 to 3 large very ripe red or yellow tomatoes, about 1 ¾ to 2 pounds, cored and chopped, peeled or unpeeled
- About 3 tablespoons capers, drained, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place eggplant cubes into a large colander and sprinkle with the salt. Let sit in the sink in the colander for about 15 to 20 minutes, tossing the cubes once or twice. Rinse gently under cold running water and then thoroughly dry in a clean tea towel or paper towels.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over low heat. Add half the garlic and the onions, salt and pepper and a sprinkling of each herb (about 1 teaspoon each); cook, stirring, for 10 minutes. Place the onions in a large casserole or Dutch oven and set aside.
- In the same skillet, raise the heat to medium-high; add 1 ½ tablespoons oil. Once the oil is hot, add the dried eggplant cubes and cook, stirring once or twice, about 5 minutes, until the eggplant is golden brown and softened. Add another tablespoon of oil if needed. Add the eggplant to the onions in the casserole.
- In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini cubes, salt and pepper and cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and peppers to the casserole with the other vegetables.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic, tomatoes and the remaining herbs, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes or until the tomatoes start to soften and break down. Add the tomatoes and all juices from the skillet to the casserole with the vegetables. Gently stir to combine everything. Cover and place in the preheated oven and bake for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until bubbling and all the vegetables are soft. Remove and season to taste. Add the capers if you like, but be sure to add less salt as they are very briny. Serve hot, room temperature, or cold.
More favorite tomato recipes:
- Find recipes for roasted puttanesca tomato sauce; tomato and plum salad; tomato salad with burrata; tomato and corn tart here.
- Find recipes for cherry tomato confit, linguine with tomatoes, tomato tonnato, and Heirloom tomato, peach and herbed-lemon ricotta tartine here.
- Find recipes for soup, salad and a BLT here.
- Find recipes for watermelon and tomato salad, roasted bluefish with tomatoes, white beans with tomatoes here.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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