CONCORD, N.H. — Tomato lovers, rejoice!
Months of suffering the cellophane-wrapped plastic balls that are passed off as tomatoes for so much of the year finally has paid off. The harvest is in.
Grocery stores and farmers' markets are bursting with ripe, meaty tomatoes of every color, shape and size waiting to be tossed in a salad, simmered into a sauce or even eaten like an apple.
But even at the height of the season, getting the best fruit (remember, they're not vegetables) can take a bit of searching.
In his latest book, food writer Jack Bishop demystifies the tricks for picking a prime tomato and every other vegetable, artichokes through zucchini.
"Tomatoes should be richly colored and their skins should be smooth," he writes in "Vegetables Every Day" (Harper Collins, 2001, $30).
"When shopping, give the tomatoes a sniff; they should smell sweet and delicious. Gently squeeze the tomatoes; they should not feel mushy or rock-hard."
Never refrigerate the tomatoes, Bishop warns. That makes them mushy and dulls their flavor.
For fans of cherry tomatoes, he offers a Greek recipe that calls for sauteing them whole in olive oil and topping them with fresh feta cheese.
For a dairy-free version, use paper towels to pat dry 2 ounces of extra-firm tofu. Crumble the tofu in a bowl and toss with one tablespoon of nutritional yeast flakes and 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar. Allow to marinate for several hours in the refrigerator. The combination of vinegar and yeast flakes will give the tofu a tangy, feta-like taste.
SAUTEED CHERRY TOMATOES WITH ONION, OLIVES AND FETA CHEESE
(Preparation 10 minutes; for tofu cheese add several hours marinating time)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, stems removed
12 large Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, minced
Fresh ground black pepper
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (roughly 1/2 cup)
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and saut over a medium flame until golden, about 5 minutes.
Raise the flame to medium-high and add the tomatoes. Cook until they are heated through and just begin to brown, roughly 2 minutes. Add the olives, parsley and pepper to taste.
Transfer the tomato mixture to a wide, shallow serving bowl. Sprinkle with feta cheese or tofu and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings as side dishes.
CATERER AND COOKBOOK author Susan Simon gives tomatoes an Italian twist in her book, "Insalate: Authentic Italian Salads for All Seasons" (Chronicle Books, 2001, $17.95).
She brings out the best in tomatoes when she combines a fantastic variety of them in what she describes as a "quirky and intensely tomatoey tomato salad."
TOMATO SALAD WITH TOMATO SAUCE
(Preparation 30 minutes, chilling 2 hours)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 or 7 ripe tomatoes of a variety of colors
Cherry tomatoes in assorted colors and sizes for garnish
Whole fresh basil leaves for garnish
To make the sauce, saute the garlic in the olive oil in a heavy skillet for about 30 seconds. Raise the heat to high and add the plum tomatoes.
Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce until it is reduced by about one-third, roughly 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the sauce from the heat and add the chopped basil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Let cool and refrigerate for about 2 hours or until chilled.
To serve, cut the remaining large tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange on a serving platter, alternating colors. Spoon the chilled tomato sauce over the center of the slices. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and whole basil leaves. Makes 6 servings.
FOR A TOMATO DISH with a bit more zip, try this rice, pepper and coconut milk combination from Mozambique. It is inspired by a recipe by author and explorer Laurens van der Post. The original can be found in his book, "African Cooking" (Time-Life Books, 1970).
The peppers give the dish its fire but are mellowed by the sweet coconut. On a warm summer day, try this dish room-temperature or slightly chilled.
TOMATO AND COCONUT MILK RICE
(Preparation 40 minutes)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 small red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup uncooked short-grain brown rice
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried chili pepper
In a large skillet, heat the oil over a medium flame and saut the onion and pepper for roughly 5 minutes, or until they are soft but not brown.
Add the rice and stir for 3 minutes, until the grains are evenly coated. Add the coconut milk, tomatoes and salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Add water or more coconut milk if needed.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chili pepper. Cover again and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.
Inspired by an original recipe in "African Cooking" by Laurens van der Post, Time-Life Books, 1970