Tomatoes, what a fabulous backdrop for almost anything! So many colours (if talking heirloom tomatoes) and even more ways to complement their flavour. Try any of the following combinations for bringing out the best in these little red jewels. Any size or colour. You pick from what our local farmers pick.
The recipes below give you reasons to seek out new and different ingredients that you might not normally use. It’s my way of introducing you to new flavours so that you can discover different tastes and consider new ideas for branching out and exploring the many delicious things that the Manly Food Co-op brings (with low food miles) to your doorstep.
Bruschetta with Tomatoes
Grab a loaf of freshly baked Staple or Berkelo sourdough bread. Live a little and if you haven’t already, try Berkelo’s khorasan rye (unbleached white flour mIlled from organic Australian wheat flour, it does contain gluten but is more easily digested than a regular wheat flour). It has a wonderful malty, nutty flavour without being too intrusive.
Smother a slice with fresh avocado, thinly sliced gourmet tomato in a quantity to your liking. Sprinkle with toasted dukkah or if you don’t have any ready made, then simply throw any seeds or spices that you like on top. Try sesame, flax, poppy, hemp, coriander, cumin, caraway, fennel seeds. literally any seeds. Ideally roast the seeds for a minute on medium heat until they become golden or aromatic. This is when their most intense flavour is released. Dukkah is a mix of any or all of these spices and seeds and any nuts you care to add, with a touch of salt and pepper to taste.
Heirloom Tomato Salad
375 g heirloom tomatoes (we don’t generally get heirlooms at the Co-op but you can use whatever ones we have). Chopping or leaving smaller tomatoes whole is optional. Add a handful of freshly roasted (or raw) nuts. Add a handful of freshly torn basil leaves.
Typically, a traditional heirloom salad would call for a mozzarella or bocconcini type cheese, pine nuts and a balsamic and olive oil dressing. Go with the norm if you want to play it safe.
If you’d like to be more adventurous however then substitute the mozzarella with 150g of crumbled feta cheese, then throw in a handful of almonds, hemp seeds and drizzle with a quarter cup of hemp seed oil. A squeeze or two of lemon or lime juice is optional. There you have a rustic simple yet scrumptious salad. Delicious enough to dish up as a meal on its own or it would go with just about anything that you care to plate it with.
Tomatoes with Greens
Another versatile salad for the gorgeous, tiny grape tomatoes. Again, using my throw together style; grab a generous handful. (Eating one or two along the way, of course).
Add half a bunch of chopped asparagus and one whole small zucchini. Both should be steamed yet firm. Add a handful of freshly torn parsley, coriander and mint leaves. Add 1/4 small red onion (chopped finely or sliced) 1/3 packet of crumbled goat cheese or 2 cubes of marinated Meredith goat cheese.
For dressing, mix together 1 tablespoon of light tahini , 3 tablespoons of Marrook farm biodynamic mild yoghurt, half a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon delicate olive oil, 1/2 lime freshly squeezed and a small clove of crushed garlic. Shake all these ingredients together in a jar. Add water by the tablespoon to thin if preferred.
Pour over salad and sprinkle with either black or white sesame seeds ( I do both together) and half a small handful of walnuts. Crunch and chomp away. Adding hulled buckwheat is another great way of adding something new with fibre and crunch.
Each recipe serves one so just get out your calculator to extend the recipe out for company.