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Grape

pear

roma

Globe

beefsteak

heirloom

Deconstructed BLTprep: 5 minutesCook: 10 minutes 6 bacon slices 4 French baguette slices 1/4 cup soft goat cheese 4 cups Bibb lettuce 2 large tomatoes or 4 medium

tomatoes, sliced 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons extra virgin

olive oil 1 large garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground

black pepper

1. Cook bacon until crisp; drain and set aside. Toast baguette slices until golden, and spread with goat cheese; set aside.

2. Divide lettuce and tomato slices between 2 plates. Whisk together vinegar and next 5 ingredients; drizzle over tomatoes and lettuce.

3. Top salad with reserved bacon and baguette slices. Sprinkle with additional black pepper, if desired. Makes 2 servings.

Pick!

resh Late-summer tomatoes boast the best flavor. Here’s how to make the most of the harvest

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By Julia Rutland Photographs by Jennifer Davick

Heirloom Tomatoes with Buttermilk Dressing

Tomato-Zucchini Tart

Tomato-and-Shrimp Salad

Sunshine Salsa

you say tomato Cherry, grape, and pear: These small, sweet tomatoes are round, oval, and pear-shaped and can often be found in both red and yellow shades. Their petite size makes them perfect for snacking or tossing whole into green salads. Roma: Distinctively oval, roma tomatoes are meaty with few seeds, making them ideal for cooked sauces. Globe: This catchall term includes the commercial varieties of slicing tomatoes. Beefsteak: one of the largest varieties of globe tomatoes, beefsteaks are wide, with many seed compartments. great sliced in sandwiches or chopped in salsas. Heirloom: These are grown from the seeds of the fruit, passed down from generation to generation for 50 or more years, and come in unique shapes and a variety of colors. Hybrid: They’re commer-cially bred for consistent size, shape, and color, and are commonly found year-round in stores.

Tomato-and- Shrimp Saladprep: 30 minutes Chill: 1 hour 1/2 sweet onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded

and minced 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup olive oil 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 pound small cooked, peeled, and

deveined shrimp 4 large heirloom tomatoes,

cut into wedges 5 bacon slices, cooked and choppedWatercress or baby arugula1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Fold in tomatoes; cover and chill 1 hour.

2. Stir in bacon. Serve shrimp mixture over watercress. Makes 8 cups.

Sunshine Salsaprep: 5 minutes 1/2 small yellow onion, quartered 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and

coarsely chopped 2 to 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1/2 teaspoon lime zest 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 11/2 teaspoons salt 3 to 5 large yellow tomatoes (about

2 pounds), cut into piecestortilla chipsCombine first 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until evenly chopped. add tomatoes; pulse until chopped. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 5 cups salsa.

Heirloom Tomatoes with Buttermilk Dressingprep: 5 minutes 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs

(such as chives, thyme, and basil) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, slicedWhisk together first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serve with tomato slices. Makes 11/3 cups.

Tomato- Zucchini Tartprep: 15 minutes Chill: 1 hourCook: 30 minutes 11/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 11/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black

pepper, divided 1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into pieces 2 large egg yolks, divided 1 zucchini, thinly sliced 1/3 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 5 tomatoes (about 11/2 pounds), sliced

and seededGarnish: fresh basil leaves1. Combine flour, salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor. gradually add butter, pulsing until a coarse meal forms. add 1 egg yolk and 2 tablespoons water; process until dough sticks together when pressed. Press dough into a 9-inch square or round tart pan. Pierce dough all over with fork; brush with remaining egg yolk, and chill 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 375°. bake crust 15 min-utes; set aside.

3. Steam or microwave zucchini 3 to 5 minutes or until tender but still holding its shape. Drain on paper towels.

4. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mayonnaise, and next 3 ingredients in a bowl. layer half of zucchini, half of tomato slices, and half of mayonnaise mixture in reserved crust. repeat with remaining zucchini, tomatoes, and mayonnaise mixture.

5. bake tart 25 minutes or until filling is hot and bubbly and crust is golden. garnish, if desired. Makes 6 servings.

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mind your ’maters • For best flavor, keep tomatoes at room temperature. if they’re becoming overripe, place them in the refrigerator up to two days and then let them come back to room temperature before serving. • Tomato “shoulders” are tender, so to avoid bruising, store tomatoes stem side up. • once you discard the stem, the entire tomato is edible, although you may want to remove the core in large varieties. • removing the seeds also removes excess moisture, which can make sandwiches soggy, and creates dishes with a smoother texture. To quickly seed a tomato, slice in half (around the equator) and gently squeeze. • To easily remove tomato skin, cut a small “x” at the bottom of the tomato and dip it into boiling water for several seconds. The skin will slip right off. • avoid cooking tomatoes in an aluminum pan. Their high acid content may leach metal from the cookware, imparting a metallic taste.

Easy Cherry Tomato Pasta Sauceprep: 5 minutesCook: 20 minutes 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper 1 (10- to 16-ounce) container red cherry

or grape tomatoes, halved if large 1 (10- to 16-ounce) container yellow

cherry or grape tomatoes, halved if large 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh basilHot cooked pastaFreshly grated Parmesan cheese or

fresh mozzarella 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts1. heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add garlic and red pepper; cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes. add tomatoes, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. (if tomatoes stay whole during cooking, pierce each one with the tip of a knife to release juices; cook 1 or 2 more minutes.) remove from heat; stir in basil.

2. Divide pasta among serving bowls; top with tomato sauce, cheese, pine nuts, and additional black pepper, if desired. Makes 4 servings. Roasted Tomato-

and-Corn Soupprep: 15 minutesCook: 40 minutes 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about

4 ears) 6 large tomatoes, halved 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 bacon slices, chopped 1 sweet onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 11/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon coarsely ground

black pepper 4 cups chicken brothGarnish: smoked paprika1. Preheat broiler. Toss corn and tomatoes in olive oil, and place on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet. broil 8 inches away from heat about 5 minutes or until corn and tomatoes are golden brown and tender. Set aside.

2. Cook bacon in a large stockpot over medium heat until crispy. remove bacon with a slotted spoon; set aside.

3. add onion to bacon drippings in pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic and next 5 ingredients; cook 2 minutes. Stir in broth and reserved corn (set aside a few kernels), tomatoes, and liquid from baking sheet. bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tomato-Feta Bitesprep: 15 minutesbake: 15 minutes 1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff

pastry sheets, thawed 8 Roma tomatoes, sliced 1/2 cup kalamata olives, chopped 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (such

as oregano, basil, thyme, chives, and parsley)

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place pastry sheets on a lightly floured work surface, and roll into 2 (8- x 12-inch) rectangles. Pierce dough with fork. Cut each pastry sheet into 24 squares; place on aluminum foil–lined baking sheets.

2. Place 1 tomato slice on each pastry square. Top evenly with olives and feta; drizzle with olive oil.

3. bake 15 to 18 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Sprinkle with herbs before serving. Makes 4 dozen.

4. blend mixture with an immersion blender until smooth, or transfer to a blender and purée in batches until smooth. Stir in bacon (set aside a few pieces). ladle soup into bowls. Top with reserved corn kernels and reserved bacon, and garnish, if desired. Makes 12 cups.

Note: For a smooth soup, strain through a wire-mesh strainer, and discard solids. Stir in bacon, and reheat soup, if necessary. Makes 71/2 cups.

roasted tomato-and-

Corn soup tomato-feta bites