Summer’s tomato bounty

by

Take advantage of flavorful summer tomatoes with these recipes for sauces, soups and salsas you can enjoy all season long.

HOMEMADE MARINARA SAUCE

MAKES ABOUT 1½ QUARTS

¼ cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup red wine

8 cups chopped tomatoes (4–5 pounds)

1 teaspoon oregano

Pinch red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Parmesan cheese rind (a leftover piece from everyday grating use)

Handful fresh basil

Balsamic vinegar, optional

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and sauté onions until softened. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add wine and simmer until liquid is evaporated, but do not allow garlic to burn. Stir in tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Uncover and add the Parmesan rind and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about an hour. Remove what’s left of the Parmesan rind and discard.

Using an immersion blender, carefully purée the sauce. Add half of the basil and continue to purée. (Or, let mixture cool slightly and blend in a blender or food processor.) Continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste. Tear the remaining basil into pieces and stir into the sauce. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, if desired.

Use immediately or cool and pour into containers to refrigerate. Marinara will last three to five days in the fridge. If you store in the freezer, it will last six months. If freezing, use freezer-safe plastic containers or bags.

Gazpacho

SERVES 8

3 pounds Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 English cucumber, peeled and chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Juice of ½ lime

Half bunch cilantro, chopped

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Place tomatoes into a large blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add cucumber, onion, garlic and pepper and blend just enough until chunky. Remove about two cups of the chunky mixture and reserve. Add vinegar and lime juice and continue blending until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and stir in the reserved mixture, cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Chill before serving. Serve with additional chopped cucumber and cilantro leaves to garnish.

Chunky Homemade Salsa

MAKES ABOUT ONE QUART

2½ pounds Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 white onion, quartered or rough chopped

2 cloves garlic, large minced

1 jalapeno or serrano, minced

½ bunch cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh squeezed

Kosher salt 

Place half of the tomatoes into a blender or the bowl of a food processor, then add the onion, garlic, pepper, cilantro, lime juice and salt. Blend until smooth. Remove to a large bowl and, by hand, stir in the remaining tomatoes. Taste and adjust salt or lime juice if needed.

Pour into a storage container and refrigerate, preferably overnight to allow flavors to fuse. Serve with chips, on tacos or with anything else you like. Salsa will last one week in refrigerator.

Focaccia Tomato Pizza 

Focaccia Tomato Pizza 

SERVES 2–4

1 store-bought focaccia flatbread loaf (or any pizza dough of choice)

Olive oil

Pizza sauce, store-bought or homemade

8–12 tomato slices (heirlooms or beefsteaks preferred) depending on size of focaccia

Dried oregano

1–2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Freshly grated Parmesan, for sprinkling

Fresh basil, torn or roughly chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 450 F. Drizzle a rimmed baking sheet with a very light coating of olive oil and place the focaccia on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and smear/brush with pizza sauce, if desired. Place the tomato slices on the top in an overlapping design and sprinkle with oregano. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cover top of pizza with desired amount of mozzarella and bake an additional 5–10 minutes until cheese is melted and starting to brown slightly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan. Garnish with basil, and slice.

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Chef’s Tip

Can you freeze tomatoes? Absolutely! The process is simple and well worth the effort.

Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 60 seconds and transfer to an ice water bath until cool; the skin should come off easily by rubbing the tomatoes in your hand. Remove the stems and core, and slice into ½-inch slices. Arrange slices flat in quart-size plastic freezer bags and seal bags as airtight as possible. Another option is to place slices on a sheet pan and freeze long enough to harden, then use a vacuum sealer to seal bags. Store frozen slices flat in the freezer to maximize space. Tomatoes prepared this way will last 12 to 18 months in your freezer.

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What’s cooking at SCLiving.coop

Summer squash roundup—A bumper crop of summer squash and zucchini deserves a bumper crop of squash recipes. See our exclusive collection at SCLiving.coop/food/squash.