Real fresh, delicious tomato decadence, how would you splurge???

Question

OK, so I was off in the land of delicious tomatoes and I couldn't help myself: I overbought. (I'm sure you'll understand when you realize I live at over 7000 feet in the Rockies and home grown tomatoes are scarce in August, let alone the beginning of July.)

Anyway, in my enthusiasm, I bought 5 pounds of these perfectly ripe beauties. I've eaten about one fifth of them sliced or out of hand (and enjoyed every slurping moment), but I think they may turn on me before I munch through them at this rate.

So what would you do? I'm kind of thinking gazpacho, but don't have a killer recipe; do you? I am also VERY open to other ideas. (Caprese is probably out because I only have access to rubber mozzarella and sub-standard basil.) Sharing is an option, lol.

Thanks from your pal the blissful tomato pig.

Answer

I just got a small bushel of tomatoes from my local farmer that all had a bad spot or two, who cares for $2? He was amazed when I told him what I planned. I went right home, poured some cheap olive oil over, adding just a little salt and pepper and garlic powder (most people would use fresh garlic but too much trouble for me) and put them in the convection oven for about an hour at 400 degrees, stirring whenever I noticed a little blackening. I am now going to boil some pesto filled tortellini (Trader Joes) and mix with the tomatoes and some fresh herbs from the garden and I am sure it will be one of the most memorable meals of the summer. Served hot tonight and cold leftovers tomorrow. I"ve done this with tomatoes before and it freezes beautifully too.

Answer

BLTs

Answer

Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce 1 or 2 recipe.

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There just isn't any such thing as too many tomatoes.

Tomato sandwiches, fried tomatoes (in the fried tomatoes thread Givemecarbs passed on the idea for tomato gravy that uses the odds and ends and juices of the tomato), marinara, spinach tomato pie, salsa, rosa sauce . . . 
 
I love to marinate sliced tomatoes in olive oil, with minced garlic and fresh herbs. I use them on bread and pizza. I've also used them in a summer grinder that pairs the tomatoes with grilled veggies (asparagus, red pepper and onion) and cheese in an italian roll that is baked until the cheese melts.

Overbought? Nay.

Answer

Make a simple tomato sauce and freeze it. You'll be thrilled in December. :)

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Yesterday, I made a simple warm tomato salad with garden fresh tomatoes sliced about an inch thick; I added a little olive oil to a skillet over medium low heat, added the tomato slices and cooked about a 1.5 minutes total (turn over to warm the second side). I sprinkled some oregano on top and slid them onto a plate. Drizzle remaining olive oil from
the skillet over top and add a crumble of queso fresco. Simple, delicious! You can add any type of cheese you like.

Answer

5 pounds of tomatoes ~~ Pardon me if I smile. ~~ I've got probably 40 pounds on the kitchen counter, am running low on jars, and they need picking after supper.

A few salads, (green or pasta) BLT's, tomato sandwiches, hamburgers, and various other sandwiches plus some good ideas already given should clean them up nicely...

If not...Cook breakfast! 2 Eggs, Grits, Bacon, Toast, and sliced tomato! A summertime favorite at my house. Fabulous breakfast food!

Get busy, Have Fun, and enjoy your tomatoes!!! :))

Answer

gazpacho, tomato bread (just rub the ends of a tomato on toasted, crusty bread..so good), a raw tomato sauce for pasta, and of course just sliced with olive oil and salt. 

mmm tomatoes.

Answer

italian bread salad -- panzanella http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Panzanella-12529

gazpacho (just saw the recipe for CI's creamy gazpacho that looked good). http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/719900

and when they're past their prime, make tomato gravy with a bacon grease (or butter) roux and chopped tomatoes and their juices and a little water if you need it. some folks add chopped onions and cook them with the tomatoes. serve over white rice. some serve it on biscuits or toast, or plain white bread. some crumble crisp bacon on top. it is good eating.

~~~
but i could eat a tomato sandwich every day, with mayo on squishy white bread.

Answer

You can also slow-roast them and freeze them: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/slow-roasted-tomatoes/ or totally oven dry them and store them in the pantry (I do this every year with my extras and they kick major flavour into everything year-round): http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2008/08/drying-out.html

Answer

Fresh salsa! Chop into a fine dice with a sharp knife: tomatoes, serranos, sweet and red onion, orange bell pepper. Then add sweet corn, fresh minced garlic, cilantro, a generous squeeze of lime juice and salt to taste. A little olive oil mixed in is probably not traditional but helps to round out the flavors. Serve with fresh fried tortilla chips (if you don't want to bother with deep frying, warming up some good store-bought brand under the broiler produces a credible chip).

Answer

I really LOVE this recipe of Tyler Florence for Roasted Tomato Soup. I make 2 batches at a time (2.5 lbs of tomatoes for each pot) and give some away. It's easy and delicious.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/roasted-tomato-soup-recipe/index.html

Answer

I broke my blender making this gazpacho on a weekly basis: http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/soup_gazpachopitcher.shtml It's wonderful and super easy. 

Then there's checca, the Italian version of salsa. Chop up the tomatoes with onion and fresh basil. Lots and lots of fresh basil. Add chopped garlic or I like Alice Water's garlic puree. Pile it on toasted bruchetta rubbed wtih raw garlic. 

Ratatouille with fresh tomatoes is what summer is about. 

Anything left over, halve and put in a roasting pan. Sprinkle on some salt and pepper and a bit of sugar. Put them in a hot 400˚-450˚ oven and roast until they get blistery and brown. Pack them in jars with olive oil and put them in the fridge for sandwiches or whatever. Or put them in freezer bags and store them for a soup base or just enjoying in the winter when no one else remembers decent tomato flavor.

Answer

Stuffed tomatoes! Anything you stuff into a mushroom, a pepper or any other vegetable and more is great in a tomato.

First I almost always gut the tomatoes over a bowl to save all the juices, core and extra bits that I chop or smash then pour hot buttered pasta over, give it a stir and some salt and dig in. So very fresh and simply delicious. That tomato gravy alkapal talks about up thread would be another great use and would be great with a stuffed tomato.

Cold/room temp: I love the small tomatoes even up to two bites stuffed with finely diced greek salad (no tomato), tuna or chicken salad or a grain salad (cous cous is really nice) or a filling of crumbled bacon, finely diced romaine ribs and mayo, maybe avocado w/ a spritz of citrus - these work great packed for lunches or for finger foods. The large tomatoes look so elegant seated on a lightly dressed bead of greens. Sometimes I will salt and broil the interior for a few minutes before stuffing if I'm feeling really ambitious.

Hot: Anything seems to work and again I sometimes broil the interior a bit before stuffing and baking, especially if its an egg filling. Favorites are omelet/frittata type stuff or just a egg or two is good. For more main meal types we've liked a stuffing of italian sausage, peppers and onions with breadcrumbs and egg (maybe ricotta or mascarpone), topped w/ parm and herbs. A stuffing of cornbread crumbs, Jimmy Dean sage sausage, celery and onion, and egg. A stuffing of chorizo sausage, rice and beans w/onion. For the smaller tomatoes - spinach artichoke w/breadcrumbs and parm, or luscious crab dip or even chorizo and velveta broiled to perfection.

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If you have freezer space, you can freeze them just as they are, a few in a plastic freexzer bag at a time. Run the frozen ones under warm water and the peels come right off. Great for sauce or other cooked applications.

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I completely understand! The fragrance of a good tomato is dangerous, and can lead to EWS (Empty Wallet Syndrome). 

Gazpacho would be great; here's Ina Garten's: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/gazpacho-recipe/index.html

I'd also make a big pot of homemade pasta sauce, and freeze it in small portions, so you can eat it all winter long.

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You could make the Turkish dish, Aci Domates Ezmesi (It's killer!)

4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 T. EVOO
1 onion, finely chopped
1-2 hot green chilies, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
handful parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
a few mint leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Sprinkle tomatoes with 1/2 t. kosher salt and leave to drain in a sieve for 1 hour. With the back of a spoon, force as much liquid as possible from the tomatoes. (Drink the juice!)

Mix everything together and serve as a condiment with fish or meat, or as a dip for pita chips.

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Real fresh, delicious tomato decadence, how would you splurge???

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