How is your tomato season going?
Mine has been going really well. We’ve had a steady harvest of Better Boys, grape and cherry tomatoes, and Romas for the past few months. Although my tomato and pepper patch is full of weeds (I blame my third trimester from keeping me from controlling that), they seem to still be growing well.
Oh and we’ve discovered this summer that we’re not the only ones who love cherry tomatoes. My dog, Pimento the golden retriever, has also developed a taste for these summer sweets. Ridiculous, right?!
Anyway, I’ve found myself with extra tomatoes at times, so I thought I would share what I’ve been doing with them. Because #wastenotwantnot, you know?!
What to do with in-season tomatoes
Tomato sandwiches
This is the first way I always use my big ripe tomatoes. Get your slightly toasted bread, slice your tomatoes and add whatever else you like: Duke’s mayo, basil and a pinch of salt for me. This has got to be one of the best ways to enjoy summer garden tomatoes, and you can’t mess it up! Of course, if you’ve got some bacon, feel free to throw that on, too.
Fresh tomato salad
I really love using any tomatoes I have on hand for a fresh tomato salad. All you have to do is chop them up, add some salt, olive oil, vinegar (balsamic or red wine is nice), fresh basil strips and let sit for a few minutes or dive in immediately with bruschetta toast or whatever cracker or bread you have on hand. Or you can just eat as is! Bonus points if you add some burrata or mozzarella for a creamy hit!
Tomato bacon jam
This year, I discovered that tomato jam is a great way to use up lots of garden tomatoes. I used this recipe, and I’ve got to tell you that the smell and taste of it was enticing. Smoky, sweet, tangy. It hits all the flavor points and is great on bread, crackers or really anything!
Tomato sauce
I have never had enough tomatoes in my harvest to make tomato sauce, so it was exciting to have a bowl full of Romas this year that I could dedicate to this purpose. I love the idea and ease of roasting the tomatoes first, so I went with this recipe and was very happy with the results. I plan on either pairing with gnocchi or freezing it for a future pasta night.
Happy tomato season, y’all!