Recipes Using Tomatoes from the Farmers Market

The St. Paul Farmer’s Market is full of locally grown produce.  Larry Pfarr has some recipes using the fresh tomatoes he found there.

 

BST
Bacon, Spinach, Tomato Sandwich with Basil Mayo

1/2 lb. thick cut bacon (approx. 12 slices) Cooked until crispy and drained on paper towels
1 baguette cut in ½ the long way
Spinach
8 -12 slices of ripened tomatoes
Olive oil or melted butter

Basil Mayo

1 cup mayonnaise
10 to 15 basil leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Whisk together the mayonnaise, basil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic.

Brush the cut baguette with olive oil or butter. Toast until lightly brown.

Spread basil mayo on both sides of toasted bread.

Place spinach on bread.

Add tomatoes on top of spinach and then place bacon on top of tomatoes.

Place the other ½ of bread on top and cut into sandwich size portions.

Tomato Watermelon Salad

3 cups chopped watermelon
1 to 1 ½ cups chopped cherry tomatoes
½ cup chopped onion (red, sweet or scallion)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced basil
2 ½ tablespoons grape seed oil (or olive oil if you prefer)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 jalapeño pepper seeded and diced (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Feta to garnish

Place watermelon, tomato, onion, jalepeno and basil in a large bowl.  Gently mix to combine.  Drizzle with oil and vinegar and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Adjust seasonings as desired.  Top with crumbled feta and serve.

Tomatoes and Eggplant served on Pasta

½ pound pasta
¼ cup olive oil
1 medium eggplant cut into ½ inch pieces
½ pound cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 bell pepper cut in ½ inch pieces
2-4 cloves of garlic, sliced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ pound mozzarella cut into ½ inch pieces
¼ cup basil

Cook the pasta according to directions.   Reserve ¼ - ½ cup of the cooking water.

Heat oil in large non-stick pan over medium heat.

Add the eggplant.  Cook, tossing occasionally until golden brown and tender about 8-10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cut red pepper and cook for another minute. 

Add tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook, tossing until tomatoes soften about 3 minutes.

Add the mozzarella and reserved cooking water. Toss to combine and cook for another minute or two.

Add the basil, mix.

Served over the pasta.

Tomatoes stuffed with Chicken Salad

6 large tomatoes
2 cups cooked and cubed chicken
½ cup minced red bell pepper
½ cup fresh sweet corn-cut from the cob, sautéed and cooled.
1 ½ tablespoons minced red onion
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Leaf lettuce or spinach leaves

Cut 1/2-inch off top of each tomato. Scoop out pulp from tomatoes. Turn tomatoes upside down on paper towels to drain.

In a medium bowl, combine chicken, bell pepper, corn, and onion.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, mustard, mayonnaise, pepper and salt.  Pour over chicken mixture, tossing gently to coat.

Line tomatoes with leaf lettuce or spinach leaves. Spoon chicken salad into tomatoes. Refrigerate or serve immediately.