Tomatoes are EVERYWHERE!
We are coming near the end of August, and for the summer, I’ve wanted to share more thought-provoking blogs that I have written, but I felt that they would resonate more in the fall and winter. I’ve felt compelled to keep most of my summer blogs light-hearted, and today’s blog on tomatoes is no exception.
Every year, we grow a lovely vegetable garden, and in May, we planted our usual tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, basil, oregano, chard, kale, and other excellent greens for salads. Unfortunately, some rabbits snuck into our garden and had a good feast on our greens, and the only greens that were resurrected were the parsley. Luckily, the tomatoes and cucumbers are hardy and survived the neglect during all the activity connected to Elsa’s wedding in July. Currently, our garden is bursting with tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and far too many weeds.
With this abundance of tomatoes and tomato season almost at its peak in Southern Ontario, I’m motivated to create some delightful culinary delights with the versatile tomato as the star.
Even if you don’t have a vegetable garden, bushels of tomatoes are available, and in a few weeks, you won’t be able to make it to a market without tripping over them.
What to do with all of these tomatoes?
I recently was at a dinner meeting and was offered a simple and incredibly delicious tomato salad with giant croutons. Since then, I’ve learned this salad is called Panzanella and is typical in Tuscany. I am now obsessed with this scrumptious salad, and its versatility makes it easy to have fun with additional ingredients like olives, feta cheese, arugula, and beans.
The base for the salad:
Any tomato chopped cube size. About 4 large tomatoes or 2 cups.
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup chopped basil.
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.
3 Tbsp olive oil.
About 2 cups of bread-1/2 inch-sized cubes of any bread. Ciabatta or sourdough bread are both yummy.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix ingredients in a large bowl and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes. I’ve found that the salad is still delicious the next day.
This recipe is very flexible-sometimes I add more bread or tomatoes and skip the onion if I don’t have it. You can also add garlic, mint, cheese, olives, beans, and greens. For a more involved recipe from Minimalist Baker, check below.
Other Recipes
Tomatoes can be boiled, fried, sauteed, or roasted, and you can eat them raw. They are also easy to freeze. And, of course, if you are into canning, you can make tomato sauce to last you until next summer. I’ve finally given up on my annual goal of a big canning project in the autumn, which has never come to fruition.
The delightful summer weather will be with us for a few more weeks, and while watermelon is available, try the kabobs below. They are delightfully refreshing.
Tomato, watermelon, basil, and feta Kabob. I used vegan feta. Lightly drizzle with balsam vinegar, olive oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
The Minimalist Baker is one of my favourite cooking websites, and they compiled a list of tomato recipes:
Freeze tomatoes.
With the cost of food continuing to rise, consider purchasing a bushel of tomatoes now to save money because they will cost much more in the winter. Freeze them, and you can use them in soups and stews throughout the fall and winter. There are many methods to freeze tomatoes, but I keep it simple by freezing some tomatoes whole and chop some into small pieces.
Take advantage of tomatoes everywhere because before you know it, all you will be hearing about is all things pumpkin. :)
Be well and get cooking!
Anita
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