Tomatoes are finally ripe: Head for the Farmer’s Market!

Is there anything more disappointing in the whole world than buying a gorgeous, red, ripe appearing tomato at the supermarket, and slicing it at suppertime to find a tough, orangey interior rife with slimy green-to-brown seeds? It may have felt and smelled perfect – but how can one really tell?

The too-common event just mentioned is likely to happen at the Farmer’s Market. Tomatoes fresh from the garden or field are just that — “fresh” — and now’s the time to avail yourselves of this rare seasonal treasure. Hit the Saturday a.m. market and revel in the beautiful array of fresh — often organic — tomatoes and other veggies from green beans, cucumbers, onions and squash to corn, berries, spuds and even jellies, jams and fresh-baked items. Wear your mask, take a couple of grocery bags to fill, and enjoy this wonderful community event.

I’ve gathered some old and new recipes to best enjoy these incomparable orbs, and was delighted to find the great illustration of bruschetta – perfect for starters, along with the following. Enjoy!

The perfect showcase for gorgeous tomatoes are the fruits themselves, with a suggested vinaigrette.

Mixed Tomato Platter

6-8 large, perfectly ripe beefsteak-type tomatoes — red, purple, yellow, etc.

Garnish: Your choice of fresh herbs: basil leaves, rosemary or thyme sprigs, parsley, snipped chives and blossoms, tarragon, winter savory, snipped fennel fronds – your choice.

Vinaigrette:

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon dry white wine

1 tablespoon fresh minced basil or mint

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a bowl whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, wine and basil or mint to combine. Slowly whisk in the oil, whisking continuously till dressing is thoroughly blended. Add salt and pepper to taste, refrigerate.

At serving time, wash and slice room temperature tomatoes fairly thickly, about 1/3-inch. Arrange attractively to show off colors and drizzle vinaigrette over all. Garnish with your choice of fresh herbs.

The huge, magnificent but often misshapen antique tomatoes are sometimes too difficult to slice for sandwiches or pretty serving on a salad plate. However, they are perfect to cut up for bruschetta or a bread salad. If you’ve never made one, rectify that error right now! This is delicious and negates the need for the bread basket entirely. Purchase ready-made croutons with herb-cheese seasoning or simply lightly butter any good white bread – sprinkle with a dash of garlic salt if you wish, and toast in a slow oven till crisp. Remove, chop into cubes, and toss into a large bowl with peeled, cut-up tomatoes. Salt and pepper, then toss with the prior vinaigrette or your choice of white wine or Champagne vinegar and/or a dash of Balsamic to your own taste and preference. Sprinkle with minced parsley, chives or cilantro and serve.

If you have a superfluity of cherry tomatoes and are tired of eating them raw, here’s a great solution that will enhance, say, a platter of crispy fish sticks, scallops or shrimp.

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions w/tops

11/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup minced basil (or parsley, savory, fennel, rosemary or thyme)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine onions, olive oil and tomatoes in a large ovenproof skillet, shaking pan to coat. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes, shaking pan once or twice to turn tomatoes; remove from oven and top with herb of choice (each offers a different taste sensation to complement your chosen entrée).

Tomato coulis is an easy and elegant topper or stir-in for tortellini or simple pasta. Here’s how.

Tomato Coulis

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped shallots

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped

1 cup water or vegetable broth

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add chopped shallots and garlic and sauté till tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in tomatoes, water/stock, white wine and bay leaf. Simmer till tomatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaf. You may puree in blender, but for a bit thicker coulis, simply use a hand mixer at med-high speed for your desired consistency. Return to saucepan/heat and boil until reduced to about 2 cups. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use as desired as blintz/tortellini topper or pasta stir-in. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if you wish.

Here’s a hearty main-dish salad, to be served warm; perfect for summer supper.

Tomato-Herb Fettuccine

with Prosciutto* and Feta

21/2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, seeded, chopped over bowl to save juices

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 slices of prosciutto, sliced into thin strips

6 or 7 green onions, including tops, sliced into 3-inch pieces

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

5 cups coarsely chopped fresh arugula (or other green – bok choy, chard, etc.)

2 9-ounce packages fettuccine

6 ounces Feta or goat cheese, crumbled

6 tablespoons fresh grated Parmesan

Combine tomatoes and balsamic vinegar in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand till tomatoes release their juice, about 15 minutes.

Heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add prosciutto and stir-fry briefly, removing to paper towels w/slotted spoon. Add green onions to skillet and stir-fry till tender, about 3 minutes, then garlic and rosemary, to sauté 1 minute, then arugula, and allow to simmer till wilted. Finally, add tomato (w/juices) and cooked prosciutto. Simmer, stirring gently, till tomatoes are heated through, no longer than 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente, drain, rinse quickly in cold water, drain again and transfer while still warm to large bowl. Add Feta, 6 tablespoons of Parmesan, tossing well, then pour in tomato mixture and toss all to combine. Season to taste w/salt and pepper and serve with extra Parmesan.

• You may substitute smoked salmon/lox for the prosciutto if you prefer.

Properly ripened tomatoes – like huckleberries – are rare and delectable. Don’t miss out!

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com. or by phone at 208-265-4688 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.