  It's hard to think of eating in Canada or almost everywhere else in the world without the tomato. (QMI Agency files) |
Shapely and colourful, the tomato made its 16th century European début as pomme d’amour (love apple in French) and pomodoro (golden apple in Italian). While we no longer think of tomatoes as aphrodisiacs, they are still golden for their deliciousness, versatility in colour, taste, size, juiciness and culinary uses.
It’s hard to think of eating in Canada or almost everywhere else in the world without the tomato. And since this year has produced a bumper crop, let’s celebrate with four recipes showcasing the tomato, or xitomatl (fleshy fruit), as it was known to the Aztecs who first cultivated the fruit in Mexico.
Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes
Roasted tomatoes get along deliciously well with anything from the barbecue – steaks, chicken, chops or fish.
4 tomatoes, 1-1/2 lb. (750 g)
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, approximate
1/4 tsp. (1 ml) each salt and freshly ground pepper
Topping:
3 Tbsp. (45 ml) light mayonnaise
1/4 cup (50 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) snipped chives
1 tsp. (5 ml) Dijon mustard
1 tsp. (5 ml) chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
Core tomatoes; cut crosswise in half. Arrange, cut-side up, in shallow broiler-proof dish. Brush cut tops lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in centre of 400°F(200°C) oven until hot, and wrinkly around the edges.
Topping: Meanwhile, in bowl, stir together mayonnaise, half of the cheese, chives, mustard and thyme. Spread evenly over tops of tomatoes. Sprinkle on remaining cheese.
Roast for 10 minutes to set topping; broil about 6-inches (15 cm) from heat until topping is bubbling and brown, 1 to 3 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
Substitution: Romano, Grana Padano or any firm grating cheese can replace the Parmesan.
Creamy Cherry Tomato Saute
This recipe is a no-brainer – so simple it’s a good side for anything off the barbecue or out of the roasting pan – and a perfectly nice “sauce” for broiled or steamed fish. Try it with pickerel, catfish or tilapia.
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup (50 ml) finely diced sweet green pepper, Cubanelle recommended
2 cups (500 ml) cherry or grape tomatoes
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) whipping cream
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) minced fresh basil, parsley or dill
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in garlic and green pepper; fry until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add tomatoes, rolling them to coat with seasoned butter mixture. Cook until hot, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the cream; cook over high heat, stirring gently, until cream forms glaze around tomatoes. Remove from heat; toss with basil and a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Makes enough for 4 modest servings as side dish or 4 to 6 as sauce.
Variation: Provencal Cherry Tomato Sauté: Replace butter with 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) extra virgin olive. Omit whipping cream. Vary the herb to suit your supply, reducing the quantity to 2 tsp. (5 ml) minced fresh oregano, thyme or rosemary.
Cherry Tomato Apps
In a fantasy world you can make your own pastry shells, in the real world, look for supermarket-available Crispy Shell or Croustades made by Siljans in Alberta. Nifty little containers, they cup all manner of good things; cream cheese, a chevron of smoked trout, sprinkle of chives and a caper; cream cheese and fresh tomato salsa; dilled egg salad; or in today’s offerings, a summery combo of goat cheese, roasted tomatoes and basil. There is a variation below – a one-bite Greek Salad.
24 cherry tomatoes, about 1-1/2 cups (375 ml)
4 tsp. (20 ml) extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) creamy goat cheese (about 4 oz./125 g)
2 tsp. (10 ml) sour cream
1 pkg. (1.4 oz./40 g) crispy shells (Croustades)
24 fresh small basil leaves
In shallow metal cake pan, roll tomatoes with oil, a sprinkle of salt and a few gratings of pepper. Roast in the centre of 375°F (190°C) oven or toaster oven until tomatoes wrinkle but have not collapsed, about 30 minutes.
Let tomatoes cool. Drain, pouring oil into medium bowl. Add cheese and sour cream to oil; mash until smooth. (Make-ahead: Store tomatoes in single layer in airtight container. Cover cheese mixture and refrigerate separately for up to 1 day.)
To assemble just before serving, spoon about 1 tsp. (5 ml) cheese mixture into bottom of each shell. Add a cherry tomato and press in a basil leaf per shell.
Makes 24 appetizers.
Variation: One-Bite Greek Salad: Into each shell place a nugget of feta, half a pitted oil-cured black olives, a slice of green onion and a fresh cherry tomato, halved. Grate some black pepper over the top and add a fresh oregano leaf for garnish and. Quantities: 4 oz. (125 g) feta, 12 black olives, 1 green onion, 24 each cherry tomatoes, raw or baked (do not halve), as above, 24 crispy shells (Croustades) and oregano leaves.
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Smart restaurants offer heirloom tomato salads for a steep – in the teens - price. And it’s true, at a market you pay a premium for these colourful, often striped tomatoes, but they are worth every penny for the taste and juiciness they deliver. Treat them with reverence, as in this salad.
8 very thin slices sweet onion
4 large heirloom tomatoes, or good beefsteak tomatoes, about 2 lb. (1 kg), sliced
16 very thin slices sweet green pepper, Cubanelle recommended
1/2 cup (125 ml) crumbled mild blue cheese, optional
Dressing:
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. (2 ml) salt
1/4 tsp. (1 ml) freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup (75 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. (30 ml) white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. (15 ml) fresh thyme leaves or shredded basil
In small bowl, soak onion slices in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain, break into rings and pat dry.
Dressing: On cutting board and with fork, mash together garlic and salt and pepper until pasty. Scrape into jar. Add oil, vinegar and thyme; shake to combine. Set aside.
On serving platter, arrange overlapping rows of tomato, onion and pepper slices. Drizzle dressing over ensemble and sprinkle with cheese.
Makes 6 servings.
Pride Cometh Before Lunch: It’s late August over 50 years ago. In my grandfather’s garden in Wiarton, Ontario, the 80-plus gentleman is touring lunch guests around his paradise. If his tomato plants weren’t tied to wooden stakes, neatly formed into teepee shape, the plants would be drooping, so heavy and numberous are the clusters of bright red beefsteak, golden orange orbs and his favourite, the pinks. Clucks of approval and admiration all round. Are we having tomatoes for lunch? “Yes”, my grandmother is fuming, “only after Alf has showed off his pride and joy.”
