Tomatoes

Tomato-onion tart

1 10-inch piecrust- store bought or homemade
1 large onion
2 medium tomatoes
6 oz. gruyere or other strong tasting cheese (the Robinson Farm varieties work well)
1 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. salt
2 tbs. chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the onion into thin slices. Heat the oil and butter in a cast iron or other heavy skillet. Add onions and salt and cook on medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until brown, another 20 minutes or so. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook another 5-10 minutes, until carmelized.

While onions are cooking, bake the piecrust for 20 minutes. You can use dry beans or another weight in some parchment paper or foil to hold down the bottom of the crust, or poke a few holes into it with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.

Cut the tomatoes into thin slices and grate the cheese. Spread half the onion mixture into the bottom of the crust and sprinkle half the cheese over it. Layer half the tomato slices on top, and spread remaining onion mixture over them. Top with remaining tomato slices.

Bake for 30 minutes, then top with remaining cheese and bake another 10 minutes until cheese is melted. Let cool 10-15 minutes, then garnish with parsley. Serves 4-6.

Pasta with fresh tomatoes and basil

The sauce in this recipe is uncooked, so the flavor of the fresh tomatoes is highlighted. This simple recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare.

2 cups chopped t0matoes
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste
freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
½ lb. angel hair, spaghetti or linguine pasta

Put the chopped tomatoes, half the basil, the olive oil, salt and pepper into a medium sized bowl. For a strong garlic flavor, mince or press the garlic clove and add it to the mixture. For a more mild garlic flavor, crush the clove with the side of a knife and then add. Mix well, and allow sauce to rest for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile make the pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, and immediately add the sauce (if using the crushed garlic clove, remove before adding the sauce). Garnish with the remaining basil leaves and serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese. Serves 3-4.

Fresh tomato gazpacho soup

2 lbs. tomatoes
½ lb. country style bread
1 cucumber
1 bell pepper
1 c. chopped red onion
1 garlic clove
¼ c. red wine or apple cider vinegar
¼ c. olive oil
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. paprika
1 c. water
salt and pepper

Chop the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, onion and garlic. Combine in a large bowl. Tear or chop the bread into small chunks and add to vegetable mixture. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes or so, until bread had absorbed moisture from the vegetables. Add in the vinegar, oil and spices, mix well. Puree the soup in batches with a little water added to each batch. Once soup is all blended, add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 6.

Tomato cucumber salad

This is a great summer side dish for chicken or fish. Beautiful as well as delicious!

2 medium tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1 c. green, yellow or purple beans, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 ear of corn
¼ c. chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, chopped (optional)
1 tbs. lemon or lime juice
1 tsp. salt

Chop the tomatoes and cucumbers into bite sized pieces. You can peel the cucumbers or leave the skins on. Remove the husk from the corn, then stand the ear upright and use a knife to shave the kernels off the cob. Combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and corn kernels in a medium bowl. Add the cilantro, and avocado if using. Sprinkle the lemon or lime juice on top, then stir to combine. Serve immediately. Serves 3-4.

Vegetable antipasto

Simple, easy to prepare and delicious. You can add in or substitute other vegetables such as string beans, broccoli or cauliflower if desired.

2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2-3 carrots, julienned
1 small summer squash, julienned
1 green pepper, julienned
1 14 oz. can chickpeas
¾ c. sliced black olives
¼ lb. fresh mozzarella or feta cheese, cut into small pieces
¼ c. chopped fresh basil leaves, or 2 tsp. dried basil
½ c. olive oil
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper

In a large bowl combine the chopped vegetables, the olives, cheese, and chickpeas. In a small bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix well. Can be served right away or allowed to marinate for a few hours. Serves 6.

Recipe adapted from The Kripalu Cookbook by Atma JoAnn Leavitt

Marinated heirloom tomatoes with pasta

1 lb. heirloom tomatoes, preferably assorted colors
¼ c. olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves, cut into thin slices
¼ c. basil, cut into a chiffonade (see instructions below)
2 tbs. capers
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ lb. flat pasta such as papperdelle
sea salt and black pepper

Cut the tomatoes into bite sized wedges and place in a medium sized bowl. Heat the oil on low heat and sauté the garlic until golden, 3-5 minutes. Let cool a few minutes. Combine the garlic oil, half the basil, the capers, the red pepper flakes, the lemon zest and ½ tsp. salt. Pour over tomatoes and let marinate, stirring once or twice for 30 minutes.

Heat 3 quarts salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and add to the tomatoes, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with remaining basil. Serves 3-4.

Recipe adapted from the August 2011 issue of Martha Stewart Living