July is about the tomato…
Until a few years ago I, like most people, thought that a tomato was a tomato. I would go to the store and see a pile of perfectly round light red undersized tennis ball looking no flavor fruits that looked as if they were all clones of each other. Over to the left of that pile would be a same uniform stack of “roma” tomatoes aligned in the same kind of factory feel format, with the only exception being that they have the green house gassed stem still attached. Rounding out the tomato fallacy that is American food today, we see the infamous “cherry or grape” tomatoes, tightly packed in their plastic ½ pint package ready to be a tasteless accompaniment to the below average “house salad”.
If anyone out there senses the least bit of sarcasm in my writing, first of all, get used to it. My frustration on this topic is that if I had not had the luxury of working with incredibly talented chefs over the past couple of years I would be just as ignorant as the next Applebees or T.G.I Fridays “chef” that thinks good produce comes neatly packed… 88 at a time from “the market”. Tomatoes are like people, the more diverse the more interesting. But for some reason over the last 65 years we as a culture have evolved into a “bigger, faster, cheaper, more uniform food environment”. The side effect of this culture is flavorless, non nutritious food.
Let’s step back for a second. What if this was a blog about building houses? Let’s pretend I was a home builder that cared only about appearance, and nothing about structural integrity. I would fill you with tips on how to make your home feel safe and adequate while cutting costs and caring nothing about the sustainability of your future. If you build a house with “crumby” wood, you are going to build a “crumby” house. For the record I know absolutely nothing about building a house; but have developed a good dish or two and I know that the foundation of a great dish is great ingredients…
I got a shade off topic for a second! The bottom line is that there are tomatoes out there that most of us have never heard of. However they are available if you are willing to look past the produce section at your “super” market. They have funny names like Amana Orange, Bison, Russian Black, Peach Blow Sutton, and Fordhook First. They are just like you and me; they have different colors, different sizes, and different flavors all unique depending on age and origin.
So why is July my favorite month? Because we can now see these beautifully ugly fruits come to market. Not at the super market, unless you are lucky enough to be in the area of a Whole Foods Market, but your local farmer’s market. I encourage everyone to speak with your produce specialist and ask pointed questions… where are these fruits from? Can I have a sample? When were these harvested? If you are speaking to a true professional you will be in the presence of a TRUE tomato. Next week I will be posting a list of farmers markets in the Northern Virginia area that should have some of tasty fruits harvesting soon.
What follows is a recipe that was passed down to me by a great chef mentor, Chef Joshua Hollinger. Enjoy!
Heirloom Tomato Five Herb Salad
Serves 4
· 4 large tomatoes (the wider the variety the better)
· 4oz cheese of your choice (ricotta salata, fresh mozzarella, or goat)
· “five herbs” (basil, tarragon, mint, Italian parsley, cilantro)
· 3 oz plain yogurt
· 2 oz shaved parmesan cheese
· 1 oz sherry vinegar
· 2 oz grape seed oil
· Fresh cracked pepper… lots!
· 2 cloves garlic minced
· ½ shallot minced
· Salt to taste
- 1. Prior to assembly of the salad salt the cubed tomatoes (large dice) to allow them to bleed water for at least 20 minutes
- 2. For the dressing combine the yogurt, parmesan, sherry vinegar, grape seed oil, pepper, garlic and shallot briskly with a whisk
- 3. Make small cubes of your choice of cheese
- 4. Pick all herbs in equal parts… only whole leaves
- 5. Lightly toss together and serve immediately
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