Ok, it's that time of year again when my tomatoe plants have ripe fruit to pick. Anyone have some good recipes/uses they'd like to share? Normally I'll just eat them cut up with a bit of sea salt, but that gets old after the 5th or 6th one. I've already got plans for a nice BLT with some of my homemade guanciale (jowl bacon). Also going to make a paella with some along with eggplant from the garden. That should take care of a few, but I'm going to have a lot more left.
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Get them before they start to turn red and have Fried Green Tomatoes!
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Along with the sea salt, add some basil (fresh or dried) and a splash of olive oil and/or balsamic vinegar. :-)

Make a pasta/tomato sauce from scratch. I don't have a standard recipe I follow but I can create one for you if you like. Send me a PM. If you have a lot of tomatoes, you can make this in a large quantity and they freeze it in smaller containers for another time.
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Throw some thick-sliced buffalo mozzarella on top and you've got yourself a real treat.
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Oh yeah! And some fresh, coarsely ground black pepper :-)
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Into canning at all. My parents can tomatos with peppers and onions every year. It the best.
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Gazpacho.

There are about a million recipes out there for it, mostly differing in proportions, additional ingredients and blended/not-blended/partially blended, but they all kind of have the same base ingredients: lots of tomatoes, some cucumber, some sweet peppers, some onions, garlic, an acid or two (usually lemon juice and/or red wine vinegar), some EVOO, maybe a hot pepper (jalapeno, serrano), salt & pepper, some tomato juice (try using clamato for an interesting variant).

Avocado slices optional.
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Also make salsa -

Chop tomatoes, white onions or scallions, cilantro and a few ripe (RED, not the green underripe crap they sell in supermarkets) peppers - jalapenos, seranos, habanero, fresno, hatch - depends how hot you like it or mix a few peppers for a diversity of flavor, some lime juice and salt.

What you use the salsa on is only limited by your imagination.
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Tomato Salad
Sliced tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar, and black pepper.


Tomato Pie
I could eat 10 of these in one sitting they are one of my favorite recipes. Sorry about the caps, I copied it from an email my mom sent me, blame her

PEEL YOUR TOMATOES FIRST, CUT THEM INTO THICK SLICES OR QUARTERS. IF THEY ARE REAL JUICY, LAY ON A PAPER TOWEL WHILE COMPLETING THE RECIPE.

2 CUPS BISQUICK MIXED WITH 2/3 CUP MILK

SPRAY PAN, PAT THE MIXTURE INTO THE BOTTOM AND SIDES OF THE PIE PLATE. IT'S BEST IF YOU ALSO SPRAY YOUR FINGERS, SPATULA OR WHATEVER YOU ARE USING TO PUSH THE DOUGH AROUND.

COVER DOUGH WITH TOMATOES, ONION SLICES, APRINKLE WITH GARLIC POWDER OR SALT, ITALIAN SEASONING, BASIL, PEPPER AND SALT (IF YOU USE GARLIC SALT, YOU MAY ELIMINATE THE REGULAR SALT OR ONLY USE SMALL AMOUNT)

1 CUP MAYO AND 1 CUP GRATED SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE, MIX TOGETHER AND SPREAD ON TOP

I THEN SHRED MORE CHEESE AND BREAK UP BACON OVER TOP.

BAKE 400 DEGREES FOR 35 MINUTES (OR MAYBE 40-45, BEGIN WATCHING AT 35 YOU WANT IT GOOD AND BROWN) IT WILL PROBABLY RUN OVER SOME IN YOUR OVEN.
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http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/r...ipe/index.html
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I prefer to make caprese with a mix of various cherry tomatoes - as many different types, and colors, as I can get my hands on at the time (in other words, whatever three to five different types of cherry tomatoes I'm growing that year) adds a variety of flavors right there. Cut tomatoes in half lenghtwise, for larger cherry tomatoes, quarter them. Other than that, about the same - mix with sliced/quartered small fresh mozzerella balls, basil (I tend to mix a few different types of fresh basil - thai, sweet, sacred, lemon, again, same as the tomatoes, whatever I'm growing that year), EVOO, balsamic vinegar (optional), salt & pepper. Sprinkle a tiny bit of chopped fresh rosemary on top (optional).

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I'm going to have to try that tomato pie once more of my larger tomatoes come in. I had never heard of that before now. Thanks.
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Fresh tomatoes with a little salt, fresh mozz, fresh basil and a drizzle of EVOO is a gift from God.
My next favorite raw veggie dish this time of year is:
chopped tomato
thin sliced and chopped fennel (stalks or bulb - I use a mandolin for the bulb)
minced red onion
coarse kosher salt
fresh lemon juice
Let sit at least an hour
I keep a very light touch with the salt and sometimes leave it out altogether and if you want to add pepper keep it light too. The three veggies and the lemon juice really make an amazing blend. Celery can make a good addition too.
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It seriously is one of my favorite foods ever, but how could it not be? It has Bacon, Cheese and Mayo aka the holy trinity.
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Add a little balsamic vinegar and that'll do nicely.

I also remembered a different tomato recipe that I do sometimes, which involves slicing the tomatoes, topping them with crumbled blue cheese and chopped red onion, and then drizzling them with olive oil and worcestershire sauce. Very good stuff.
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Thanks for the ideas guys. Hadn't thought of gazpacho. Would give me a reason to use up some of my cucumbers too. I've picked at least 40+ off the two plants I have.

I do plan on making some tomato sauce with some of them. That's usually one of my staples towards the end of the season. And you're right Peter, freezes great.

Today I made a salsa with some little berries I found at the farmers market yesterday. They're like a little yellow, blueberry sized version of a tomatillo (has the papery cover). The flavor of em is a bit on the citrusy side. A bit of tomato, onion, cilantro, lime juice and jalapeno. Should pair really nice with a carne asada taco.
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Just found on wikipedia the berries I found are Cape Gooseberrys, or ground cherry's. Said to have a tomato/pineapple taste. I'd have to agree.
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