More tomato recipes and pairings
Dried lima beans don't get the praise they deserve. They're buttery and delicious and pair nicely with tomatoes. Want proof? Try Lima Beans with Tomato and Sage. I must admit that when I make a dish like this, I tend to increase our healthy -- but rather stingy -- 1 tbsp/15 mL of olive oil to at least 3 tbsp/45 mL.
Stuff 'em
Stuffed Tomatoes make a good main or side dish. The luscious tomatoes bake around a well-seasoned stuffing to an almost melting consistency.
Not really recipes
When I was a child, I loved to eat fresh tomatoes best out-of-hand with a sprinkling of salt. It was messy (another plus), thirst-quenching and delicious. As an adult, I usually cut my best home-grown tomatoes into wedges or slices and sprinkle them with a little sea salt and a drizzle of fine olive oil. When I'm craving something more, I'll add a sprinkle of my best sherry vinegar or wine vinegar (not balsamic, as its flavour is too strong for the fruit); some shredded fresh basil or mint can do the trick, too.Another favourite is topping the tomatoes with slivers of anchovies, olive oil and a generous grating of black pepper; I sometimes add a touch of shaved sweet onion.
My parents used to serve black pumpernickel bread topped with tomatoes and anchovies; an unusual -- but successful -- North-meets-South combo.
Tomatoes and cheese
Fresh tomatoes go well with many cheeses, generally ones that aren't too aggressive in flavour or aging. The classic is Caprese Salad; slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella cheese and some basil are drizzled with olive oil (no vinegar) and sprinkled with a little black pepper.
Another Italian cheese, ricotta salata, is often shaved over tomato slices. Fresh Portuguese cheeses and other un-aged cheese also pair well with tomatoes.
Or do as my Greek friends do and take a generous chunk of sheep's milk (or sheep's and goat's milk) feta, surround it with slices or wedges of fantastically ripe tomatoes, anoint both cheese and tomatoes with rich Greek olive oil and sprinkle a handful of olives about the dish. With a crisp Greek white wine and a crusty bread...heaven on earth!
Discover more of Andrew's favourite ingredients in Cook's Corner.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
-10 fruits and vegetables you aren't eating
-A printer-friendly guide to making classic fruit pies
-20 best apple recipes
Andrew Chase is Homemakers Magazine's food editor, the author of The Asian Bistro Cookbook (Robert Rose, 1997), The Blender Bible (Robert Rose, 2005) and co-author of 400 Blender Cocktails: Sensational Alcoholic And Non-alcoholic Cocktail Recipes (Robert Rose, 2006). Subscribe to Homemakers Magazine and don't miss any of Andrew's recipes and menus.
Page 3 of 3
Stuff 'em
Stuffed Tomatoes make a good main or side dish. The luscious tomatoes bake around a well-seasoned stuffing to an almost melting consistency.
Not really recipes
When I was a child, I loved to eat fresh tomatoes best out-of-hand with a sprinkling of salt. It was messy (another plus), thirst-quenching and delicious. As an adult, I usually cut my best home-grown tomatoes into wedges or slices and sprinkle them with a little sea salt and a drizzle of fine olive oil. When I'm craving something more, I'll add a sprinkle of my best sherry vinegar or wine vinegar (not balsamic, as its flavour is too strong for the fruit); some shredded fresh basil or mint can do the trick, too.Another favourite is topping the tomatoes with slivers of anchovies, olive oil and a generous grating of black pepper; I sometimes add a touch of shaved sweet onion.
My parents used to serve black pumpernickel bread topped with tomatoes and anchovies; an unusual -- but successful -- North-meets-South combo.
Tomatoes and cheese
Fresh tomatoes go well with many cheeses, generally ones that aren't too aggressive in flavour or aging. The classic is Caprese Salad; slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella cheese and some basil are drizzled with olive oil (no vinegar) and sprinkled with a little black pepper.
Another Italian cheese, ricotta salata, is often shaved over tomato slices. Fresh Portuguese cheeses and other un-aged cheese also pair well with tomatoes.
Or do as my Greek friends do and take a generous chunk of sheep's milk (or sheep's and goat's milk) feta, surround it with slices or wedges of fantastically ripe tomatoes, anoint both cheese and tomatoes with rich Greek olive oil and sprinkle a handful of olives about the dish. With a crisp Greek white wine and a crusty bread...heaven on earth!
Discover more of Andrew's favourite ingredients in Cook's Corner.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
-10 fruits and vegetables you aren't eating
-A printer-friendly guide to making classic fruit pies
-20 best apple recipes
Andrew Chase is Homemakers Magazine's food editor, the author of The Asian Bistro Cookbook (Robert Rose, 1997), The Blender Bible (Robert Rose, 2005) and co-author of 400 Blender Cocktails: Sensational Alcoholic And Non-alcoholic Cocktail Recipes (Robert Rose, 2006). Subscribe to Homemakers Magazine and don't miss any of Andrew's recipes and menus.
Page 3 of 3
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