RECIPES: Southern summer tomatoes shine, as a meal’s star or sidekick
Tomatoes are one of summer’s greatest gifts. One of my favorite ways to eat a tomato is sliced thickly on white bread slathered with store-bought mayonnaise. I eat it over the kitchen sink to best catch the juices dripping down my chin.
Simplicity is the key to that traditional rite of summer sandwich. While there are lots of summer tomato recipes, the best are the ones that remain simple at the core, highlighting the fresh, in-season produce.
Tomatoes thrive in hot, humid climates, making them exceptionally suited to Southern gardens. Sure, tomatoes are available year-round, shipped from hothouses or warmer climates no matter what month it is. But in the Deep South, August is the height of local, fresh tomato season. It’s time to gorge, and this trio of simple recipes will help you do it.
RECIPES
Candidly, this Slow Roasted Cherry Tomato Confit would taste good spooned atop anything. The slow cooking technique concentrates and intensifies the tomato flavor. The resulting pulpy, saucy spread can be used in a multitude of ways in the kitchen. This Tomato and Chevre Tart is a remix of the Southern classic tomato pie, a new kind of summer supper: savory and rich, but fresh with garden vegetables and zesty herbs. Pre-made puff pastry makes it a snap to put together. Lastly, consider this easy breezy gazpacho a veritable vegetable smoothie. Having chilled soup and chilled shrimp ready to go in the fridge is the ultimate luxury in the dog days of summer.
Slow Roasted Cherry Tomato Confit
Served atop a piece of bread, spooned over zucchini noodles or as a sauce for fish, these roasted tomatoes are incredibly versatile. The low and slow cooking intensifies the flavor of the tomatoes into candy-like sweetness.
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves
- 4-6 sprigs of fresh herbs such as basil, oregano or thyme
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the tomatoes, garlic and herbs in an medium ovenproof dish. Add the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered until the tomatoes are shriveled and the juices have rendered, about 2 hours. Serve hot, warm or room temperature over bread, pasta, vegetables or meat. Keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1/2 cup serving: 259 calories (percent of calories from fat, 92), 1 gram protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total sugars, 1 gram fiber, 27 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 145 milligrams sodium.
Tomato and Chevre Tart
This recipe is proof that sometimes, “simple is best.” The buttery, flaky crust, creamy, earthy goat cheese, vibrant herbs and savory tomatoes create an incredibly satisfying combination.
Don’t be tempted to skip salting your tomatoes. Salting intensifies the flavor of the tomatoes and draws out the moisture, helping to prevent a soggy crust. This tart can be enjoyed straight out of the oven, room temperature, or even cold, devoured straight from the refrigerator.
- 4 to 5 ripe tomatoes, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small Vidalia onion, chopped
- 1 (6-ounce) goat cheese log, room temperature
- 1/2 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, flat-leaf parsley and basil
- 1 (14-ounce) box puff pastry, such as Dufour Classic Puff Pastry, thawed
- Line a large baking sheet with paper towels. Place the sliced tomatoes in a single layer. In a small bowl, combine salt and pepper. Use it to season the tomatoes evenly on both sides, cover tomatoes with additional paper towels and let sit, 15 minutes, allowing the salt to draw the moisture out of the tomatoes.
- Place the onion in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high until translucent, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. Add the goat cheese and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture until well combined.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees and set a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a second baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. Unfold the puff pastry and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Using your fingers, press to flatten and remove the seams and creases.
- Prick the center of the pastry with a fork every few inches, leaving a 1-inch border. Using an offset spatula or spoon, spread the herbed goat cheese on the pastry, to the edge of the un-pricked border.
- Remove the tomatoes from the paper towels and pat dry. Layer the tomatoes on top of the goat cheese mixture, allowing them to overlap slightly. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake, rotating halfway through, until the pastry is browned and puffed, 35 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 304 calories (percent of calories from fat, 60), 7 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams total sugars, 2 grams fiber, 21 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 13 milligrams cholesterol, 414 milligrams sodium.
Gazpacho with Chilled Shrimp and Tarragon Creme Fraiche
Chilled suppers are the best. This cold soup is the ultimate make-ahead; you don’t even have to reheat it. Gazpacho is best prepared at the height of summer, using an excellent olive oil and fresh, local ingredients. You want the tomatoes to be ripe and bursting with flavor. And gazpacho is a great use for “scratch and dent” tomatoes that may not be pretty, but need using up.
Creme fraiche translates to “fresh cream” in French and is similar to sour cream, with slightly less acidity and a more rich and luxurious texture. You could also use regular sour cream, plain Greek yogurt or Icelandic skyr (soft cheese). A small spoonful of dairy tempers the tanginess of the tomatoes, and transforms this simple dish into a chef-inspired supper.
- 3 ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
- 1 English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 small Vidalia onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup tomato juice (optional)
- 1/4 cup creme fraiche
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 24 large (16/20) cooked and chilled shrimp, divided onto 4 skewers
- Lemon wedges for serving
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade or the jar of a blender, puree the tomatoes until very smooth. Transfer the tomato puree to a large nonreactive bowl. Working in batches if necessary, puree the cucumber, red and poblano peppers, onion, carrot and celery. Add the pureed vegetables to the pureed tomatoes and stir to combine.
- Add the lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. If the soup seems too thick, add the tomato juice to achieve the proper consistency. Cover with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the creme fraiche and tarragon. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- To serve, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Ladle the soup into chilled bowls. Top each bowl of soup with a drizzle of olive oil and a 1-tablespoon dollop of the seasoned creme fraiche. Garnish with a skewer of pre-cooked chilled shrimp and lemon wedge. Serve immediately.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, without tomato juice: 311 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 30 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams total sugars, 4 grams fiber, 12 grams total fat (3 grams saturated), 257 milligrams cholesterol, 1,191 milligrams sodium.Note: For nutritional calculations, the salt included is defined as 1/16th teaspoon.
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