Super Sweet 100 Tomato (03June12)

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Question by mariATL: Fresh homegrown tomato recipe ideas?
We successfully grew our first 3 tomatoes! What should I do with them to really showcase the tomato flavor? Doesn’t necessarily have to be a full recipe (unless you want to), just an idea would be fine — thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by U2fanforever
Tomato and Basil Salad. Take your sliced tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then layer your tomatoes with sliced fresh mozzarella cheese and basil leaves. Drizzle the whole thing with good extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.

Add your own answer in the comments!

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8 Comments

  1. First thing that comes to mind is a Caprese Salad:

    Sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzerella cheese and fresh basil….with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (a splash of each, and salt and pepper to taste)

    Next, my other favorite: the classic BLT…….Enjoy and congrats!!!

    Christopher

  2. I would do something so simple for summer.
    Put those beautiful ‘maters in the fridge so
    they’ll be nice and chilled. Then I woud just
    slice them and spread the slices like a deck
    of cards. As a ‘side’ dish to go with dinner.
    Just plain beautiful tomatoes with salt & pepper.
    Maybe with cottage cheese.
    Or diced up in a little green salad dish.

    My mom grew such beautiful tomatoes. Many
    varieties too. And…….
    gardening tip :
    she always planted marigolds between the
    tomato plants as a natural pesticide to keep
    the little insects off the tomato plants. The
    marigolds are bitter tasting so the bugs
    don’t come around.

  3. loh my im gonna cry..We live in fla its so hard to get anything to grow in sand.Then i put in pots and squirrels,raccoons,rabbits,foxes all want to nibble on them.
    I grew up in wva though…we always had big garden at grannys.

    My grandma use to do cream tomatoes for breakfast over warm biscuits….w our eggs.i miss those and i miss fried green tomatos on white fresh bread w mayo and it has be almost burnt green tomatoes.

  4. Herbed Tomatoes
    6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced
    1 tsp. salt
    1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
    1/2 tsp. dried thyme or marjoram,
    crushed
    1/4 c. finely snipped parsley
    1/4 c. snipped chives
    2/3 c. salad oil
    1/4 c. tarragon vinegar

    Place tomatoes in bowl; sprinkle with seasonings and herbs. Combine oil and vinegar; pour over. Cover; chill 3 hours, spooning dressing over a few times. Drain off dressing and pass with tomatoes.

    Tomato And Red Onion Salad

    3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    salt and fresh ground black pepper
    1 1/2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes — sliced
    2 medium red onion — peeled and sliced
    finely chopped fresh chives to garnish

    Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes and onions and toss in the olive-oil mixture. Place in a serving bowl and let marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. garnish with chopped fresh chives.

    Makes 4-6 servings.

    Herbed Tomato Salad

    1/2 cup sour cream
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1 teaspoon McCormick Italian Seasoning
    1/4 teaspoon McCormick Garlic Powder
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1/4 cup milk
    2 fresh red tomatoes, thinly sliced
    2 fresh yellow tomatoes, thinly sliced
    1/2 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
    1/4 teaspoon McCormick Ground Black Pepper
    2 tablespoons sliced green onion

    For dressing, stir together sour cream, lemon juice, Italian Seasoning, Garlic Powder, and salt. Stir in milk (add 1 to 2 tbsp. more for thinner consistency).

    On four individual salad plates arrange red tomatoes, yellow tomatoes and cucumbers. Sprinkle with pepper.

    Drizzle dressing over salads. Sprinkle with green onion.

    Makes 4 servings

    This recipe created by McCormick, Inc.

    Tomato And Basil Salsa

    1 medium tomato — coarsely chopped
    1 tablespoon finely diced red onion
    1 1/2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeno
    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    1/4 cup fresh basil chiffonade
    1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
    salt — to taste
    freshly ground black pepper — to taste

    Combine the tomato, onion, jalapeno, vinegar, basil and olive oil.

    Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.

    Serve any extra salsa in a bowl in the center of the table.

    This recipe yields about 1 1/2 cups of salsa.

    Classic Salsa
    Makes about 2-1/2 cups

    Ingredients
    4 medium tomatoes
    1 small onion, finely chopped
    2 to 3 jalapeño peppers or serrano peppers,* seeded and minced
    1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    1 small clove garlic, minced
    2 tablespoons lime juice
    Salt and black pepper to taste

    *Jalapeño and serrano peppers can sting and irritate the skin; wear rubber gloves when handling peppers and do not touch eyes. Wash hands after handling.

    Cut tomatoes in half; remove seeds. Coarsely chop tomatoes. Combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, garlic and lime juice in medium bowl. Add salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 3 days for flavors to blend.

  5. salsa! follow a simple recipe, chop them up and homemade tastes the best!

  6. Just sliced fresh with some fresh boiled corn & green beans & potatoes. Maybe some fried chicken & mashed potatoes & gravy. The first thing that came to my mind was fresh sliced & then BLT’s. I got lucky & grew alot of tomatoes this year & skinned, cored & put them all up whole. I also made some salsa.

  7. Yummy, homegrown tomatoes.

    Sprinkle them w a little salt and make a tomato & mayo sandwich. Soooo good.

    Skewer them with fresh mozzarella & basil, grill & serve on bruschetta (grilled bread rubbed w garlic & drizzled w olive oil)..

    Tomato Mozzarella Skewers
    sweet grape tomatoes or very small cherry tomatoes
    fresh mozzarella boconccini (little balls), drained and rinsed
    1/2 cup red wine vinegar
    olive oil
    salt and pepper
    chopped fresh herbs, your choice (optional)
    artichoke bottoms, marinated mushrooms, olives, etc

    Halve or quarter the drained boconccini. The size should correspond to the tomatoes, so if you can get grape tomatoes instead of just cherry, you’ll want smaller pieces of cheese. Marinate in vinaigrette, plus a splash of additional olive oil and red wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.

    Skewer a tomato, a chunk of cheese on each toothpick. Add a veggie (small olives, marinated mushrooms, or a chunk of cut-up artichoke bottoms) if you like. Garnish with chopped herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper.
    —————–
    Serve this with chicken.- Perfect for a BBQ or picnic!

    Tomato Pie
    1 garlic bulb
    3 T. olive oil
    All-purpose flour for dusting
    1 package pie crust, or make one from scratch
    6 oz. (about 1 c.) fontina (or mozzarella) cheese, grated
    3 lbs. firm ripe tomatoes cut into ¼-inch slices
    Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
    Fresh basil leaves cut into very thin strips for garnish

    Bake the garlic clove by placing on a baking sheet and drizzling with 1 T. olive oil. Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes. Remove the skins and put cloves in a small bowl and mash with a fork or spoon. Raise temperature in the oven to 450°. Lay out your dough over a 16-inch pie dish or use a cookie sheet pan. Let cool in refrigerator for about 15
    minutes.

    Spread the roasted garlic over the dough, add about half of the grated Fontina and arrange tomato slices so they slightly overlap. Season with the salt and pepper and the remaining 2 T. olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° and top with the remaining cheese and bake until the crust turns a golden brown. If the crust edge begins to darken too much, cover with tin foil. Bake for an additional 20 to 30 miunutes. Pull from oven and let cool slightly, garnish with the fresh basil.
    ——–
    Spaghetti & raw tomato sauce – Use only fresh ingredients -add chopped tomatoes, garlic, chopped red onion, torn basil or fresh flat leaf parsley, & Fresh mozzarella balls (boccocinni) to cooked spaghetti. I rub a cut garlic clove in the bowl before adding the hot pasta.
    ———–
    Oven roasted tomatoes are yummy. Oven roasting carmelizes the tomato the flavor (more concentrated). Slice tomatoes in half, drizzle w evoo, sprinkle w salt, place on baking sheet and roast/bake at about 400-425 for about 1 hour. Delish.
    —————
    Tomato, cucumber, onion salad with feta or mozzarella. Drizzle w balsamic or red wine vinegar.
    —————-
    Make a platter of butter lettuce & top w cold asparagus & sliced tomatoes – add s&p, & drizzle w evoo.
    —————–
    Tomato Risotto – top with shrimp.
    ————-
    Gazpacho
    —————-
    Panzanella Salad
    —————–
    Penne in Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce
    —————-
    There’s always Pizza 😉
    Enjoy!!!

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