This is the season for tomatoes in Plymouth County. Tomatoes season begins in the D0g Days and last until the first good frost. This is when I eat fresh tomatoes, when they’re local and juicy and unrefrigerated . Unless they’ve been dried or put into a can, the lovely tomato just does not travel well.
Going to the AWARD WINNING Plymouth Farmer’s Market to get me some ‘maters…
There are plenty of ways to eat fresh, JUICY tomatoes that aren’t really recipes
Out of hand, out of doors with a hose nearby ….
Sink sandwich – sliced, on bread with some mayo, a little salt and pepper – over the sink….even better if you call it a sammiches (but just don’t go to ‘sammy‘ please)
Cut into slices and put with anything else on your plate
Cut into wedges with a little oil and vinegar
or add a little fresh basil to those wedges
or add a little cheese – almost any sort – to those wedges
Sing tomato songs….
But since the season also bring bulk tomatoes, cooking with the fresh fruit (and it is a fruit) is also an option.
Red Gravy d’Estate (for summer)
2 # fresh plum tomatoes
¼ pound butter
1 med yellow onion – not a Vidalia, just a regular ole onion, peeled and cut in half
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
- Wash the tomatoes in cold water. Dry.
- Cut them in half lengthwise. Put them in a covered pan, bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Run them through a food mill or strain them through a fine mesh colander. Put the puree back in the pan.
- Add the butter, the halfed onion salt and sugar.
- Cook at a low simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
- Taste and correct for salt; discard onion.( I save it for frittata)
- Serve over spaghetti.
Marcella Hazan. The Classic Italian Cookbook. Ballantine Books, (1973) 1984. p. 91.
Since I started writing this post, edibleSouth Shore and South Coast have set up a workshop for, you guessed it, Tomato Sauce. I’ll let you know how goes….