Tomatoes Three Ways
It’s getting to the end of tomato season here in New England, which means only a little while before the return to the flavorless “boxcar” versions that plague stores the rest of the year. But we can take advantage of the local tomatoes that are still here! Plus, two of the recipes below can add flavor to the otherwise tasteless ones we’ll have to use shortly. First, let’s start with the fresh version…

Number 1: Cherry Tomatoes and Pasta
To me, this recipe is one of the brightest spots of late summer and early fall. It doesn’t get much easier, but when made with superlative ingredients, it makes a stunning meal. Only the pasta is cooked, and everything else can be completed before the pasta water even boils!

For 2 servings:

Ingredients:
30 or so fresh cherry tomatoes (mixing red and orange varieties adds to the visual appeal)
Fresh herbs (Good choices are oregano, marjoram or basil).
Olive oil (use the best one you have)
Salt and pepper taste
Parmesan cheese for grating (the real stuff!)
8 oz of dried pasta (spaghetti works well as do bow ties)

Put on a pot of salt water for cooking your pasta. While it is heating, rinse your cherry tomatoes. Either (depending on your personal style), cut them simply in half and drop in a serving bowl, or drop them in whole and squash them with your hands. The goal is to get them to release some juice for flavoring. Chop and add your fresh herbs. I particularly like oregano mixed with marjoram, fresh oregano mixed with dried oregano (a trick I learned from Jacques Pepin that provides contrasts in flavor and texture) or just basil leaves. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, then add a good coasting of olive oil and mix again. Set aside, while you cook the pasta (al dente!). Drain the pasta, put in a nice serving bowl, add the cherry tomato mixture and toss well. Serve with a good sprinkling of fresh parmesan cheese.

Variations: I sometimes add a little balsamic vinegar, or in a nod to Calabrese salads, I cut up fresh mozzarella into cherry tomato-sized pieces and add to the tomatoes along with basil and balsamic vinegar.



Number 2: Oven-dried Tomatoes
This method is good for preserving some of the extra tomatoes that inevitably accumulate this time of year. In the off season, it concentrates the flavors of otherwise bland “boxcar” versions.

Ingredients
Tomatoes –Italian or paste-style tomatoes are less juicy and work better than slicing tomatoes. Use as many as you want to dry (or as your oven capacity allows, I use about a dozen per baking sheet and normally dry a couple of sheets at a time.)
Flavorings - salt, pepper, sugar, garlic powder, pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika)
Olive oil

Method:
Heat oven to 150 degrees
Wash and cut the tomatoes in half. Remove the stem, scoop out seeds and cut away the inner membranes. I use a melon baller for this task, but a teaspoon works too. Put the cleaned tomatoes into a large bowl and coat with olive oil. Only a light coating is necessary. Add flavorings. I sprinkle a little salt, a good number of grinds of black pepper, a couple of teaspoons of sugar (for glazing and to cut the acid a little), a light sprinkling of garlic powder (one on the few times I use this stuff!), and finally the secret ingredient, about a teaspoon of pimenton (more on this wonderful ingredient in a future entry). Toss well. Place on baking sheets (I line them with foil for easy clean-up) set in the oven and leave overnight. Store in the refrigerator in a sealable container; separate layers of tomatoes with waxed paper.

Uses: too many to list! Use in salads, cut up and sauté with zucchini or other vegetables, stirfry with a little garlic, olive oil and herbs for a pasta topping, use as a pizza topping and on and on. One favorite starter – two or three tomatoes per plate topped with some fresh goat cheese, slivered almonds, and a little great olive oil.



Number 3: Oven-concentrated Tomatoes
This method is similar to the one above, but faster and has different uses. This recipe doesn’t dry out the tomatoes, but rather slow cooks them, removing excess water and concentrating flavors. It really helps get flavor out of off-season tomatoes. I’ve adapted my version from a Todd English recipe.

Ingredients: As above for oven dried tomatoes, but juicer tomatoes will work well in this recipe. These tomatoes don’t last for more than a week, so I make them in smaller quantities than the other version.

Method:
Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Wash, but leave the tomatoes whole. Place in a bowl, coat the olive oil and season as described above. Adjust your seasonings based on planned use. You may wish to leave out the powdered garlic and/or the pimenton, if for example, you were going to use the tomatoes in an Indian curry base. Place the tomatoes on the tray and cook for about 3 hours. Allow to cool. At this stage, they can be refrigerated until needed. Or peeled, chopped and seeded to use in a sauce. I use them for any recipe that calls for adding and cooking down fresh tomatoes (such as stews), make sauces from them, and even add them when I’m making stocks.