As the summer begins to wind down in the Northeast, it means it’s the best time of year for tomatoes.
I love cooking with tomatoes because they are extremely versatile. They are great fresh from my garden, can be used in sauces with any type of pan-seared fish, roasted and served with other ingredients on bruschetta, or finely chopped and mixed with other fresh vegetables to create an amazing salsa.
Here are some of my favorite tomato recipes and will demonstrate just how many options you will have if you start a tomato garden at your home or visit some of local farmers’ markets in the region where many varieties of tomatoes are sold.
TOMATO SALAD
Just about everything I use in this recipe I grow in my garden. This fresh salad is a great starter dish that is super healthy and best of all – easy to make.
PAN-SEARED BRANZINO WITH TOMATO CAPER SAUCE AND COUSCOUS
If you enjoy branzino or any type of white fish, this tomato caper sauce in this recipe really adds some flavor. The tomatoes are mixed with onions, garlic, white wine, diced canned tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and capers for a real taste treat.
TOMATO SALSA
If your garden is producing too many tomatoes or you got a little overzealous at the market, salsa is great to have around the house for snacks or parties. Try this recipe which calls for medium-size and plum tomatoes and is mixed with Serrano chiles, cilantro, onion, and lime.
ROASTED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE & BASIL
This recipe can serve as an appetizer or an entire meal at any time of the year. Cherry tomatoes are mixed with garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper and roasted for about 90 minutes before being placed on slices of an Italian baguette.
