Just Cook It: Tis’ the time for tomato fans
I like a lot of different foods, and I tend to have a habit of calling a lot of these different foods my favorite food. The truth is that it’s a lot harder to find a food that I don’t like than it is to find one that I do like. That being said, it really depends on my mood at the time whether I label a certain food or ingredient as my favorite.
The ingredient that this column highlights is really one of my favorite foods no matter what mood I am in. I always have been and always will be a huge fan of tomatoes.
I would say that tomatoes are one of my favorite fruits because botanically they are just that — a fruit. The problem with that statement is that the government actually classified tomatoes as vegetables in the 1800s, so that they could be taxed under custom regulations.
Whether they are a fruit or a vegetable makes no difference to me, the fact remains that I love them. I’ll eat them raw like an apple, diced in salsas, cooked in sauces, or even candied to give them a sweet profile. Tomatoes are delicious in all sorts of ways and later in this column I’ll share my absolute favorite way to eat them this time of year.
Tomatoes are typically in peak season from July through September. I am a big fan of trying different tomato varieties every year during these months. If you visit one of the many local farmers markets, you should be able to find many different and delicious varieties of tomatoes.
When selecting tomatoes, you should follow a few guidelines to ensure that the tomatoes you are selecting are ripe and at the peak of deliciousness. I like to keep it as simple as possible so I usually look at three key areas when selecting tomatoes.
First, use the squeeze test. The tomato should give a little when squeezed but should not be mushy. Before you select a tomato to squeeze, you should be sure you are picking one worth squeezing. Look for tomatoes with taught shiny skin that has a uniform color.
Second, inspect the tomato’s leaves and skin. The stem and leaves should be tightly attached to the tomato and they should also be green in color. After tomatoes sit for a few days their leaves and stems tend to turn brownish and get loose so it’s wise to avoid those tomatoes. Also, be weary of any shriveled or soft spots on the tomato. As mentioned above, the skin should be taught and shiny and as flawless as possible.
Finally, you should always try to pick tomatoes from the top of the pile. Tomatoes at the bottom are most likely older than the ones on top. They are also more likely to become bruised and/or smashed from the weight of the other tomatoes sitting on top of them.
Those are my three rules when selecting tomatoes. My other guidelines are that I prefer to buy fresh tomatoes when they are in peak season and I prefer to buy tomatoes from local farmers or farmers markets.
I feel that locally grown tomatoes not only provide a bigger variety of type of tomato, but are also given much more care throughout the planting, growing, picking, and transporting process. Locally grown tomatoes are usually grown using less chemicals and therefore are not only tastier, but also better for you in general. I’m also a big advocate of supporting local farmers so it’s really a win-win overall.
There are some interesting varieties of tomatoes available and some interesting looking heirloom tomatoes that you can be adventurous and try. Tomatoes overall though are really a common ingredient. When using tomatoes I like to stick with my rule that if they’re fresh and in season you really don’t have to do much to them to make them taste good.
A fresh in season tomato is pretty close to perfect when it is simply sliced and seasoned with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Add some good extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, arugula, and fresh mozzarella and you have the makings of a pretty perfect salad or appetizer.
My favorite way to eat tomatoes, and I used to make this at the restaurant for myself during tomato season, is as a tomato sandwich. I don’t mean adding tomatoes to a sandwich; I mean making a sandwich with the main ingredient as a sliced tomato.
For the perfect tomato sandwich, you will need a couple of important ingredients. First you can use any bread you prefer, some people swear by sourdough, but to me the best bread for this sandwich is the cheap sliced white bread that I refuse to eat any other time. That bread must have been made for this sandwich because this sandwich is the only thing that can in my mind justify me eating that stuff.
Next you’ll obviously need a nice ripe in season tomato. Some people like to slice the tomato thick and just use one slice per sandwich, but I like mine sliced on the thin side. I then like to use four to five slices per sandwich so that every inch of bread is covered with tomato. This ensures that there will be tomato in every bite.
Third you’ll need softened butter, and it doesn’t really matter whether you use salted or unsalted butter for this sandwich. Whatever you usually have on hand is fine.
You’ll also need Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and I’m sorry but I just can’t compromise on this one. Hellmann’s is just the best in my opinion when it comes to mayonnaise unless you are going to make your own homemade mayonnaise. Hellmann’s is to mayonnaise as Heinz is to Ketchup and I won’t budge on either.
The only other ingredients you need for this masterpiece of a sandwich are sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. I prefer the coarse flaky sea salt and of course you’ll want to crack your peppercorns using a pepper grinder so that your pepper is very fresh.
Assembling the sandwich is as easy as it is delicious – which is extremely by the way. You toast two slices of bread. Spread one slice with butter and the other slice with a generous layer of mayonnaise; don’t be skimpy with either spread. Season your sliced tomato on each side with sea salt and cracked black pepper and then layer the slices evenly on the buttered slice of toast. Top the sandwich with the other slice of toast, cut in half either diagonally or straight across, and enjoy. I’ve always liked my tomato sandwiched cut straight across for some reason but that’s just me.
I must tell you that I actually learned this recipe from my mother. She would make this sandwich for me when I was just a little guy and it remains one of my real favorites to this day. I never add or subtract anything from it because it is simply a perfect sandwich.
One last tip – enjoy your tomato sandwich over your sink, as it is nice and juicy and will most likely drip and run down your arms as you eat it. That’s all part of it being an awesome sandwich by the way.
Get some fresh tomatoes and enjoy tomato season. Before I wrap up this weeks column I’d like to say thank you to my mom for introducing me to this wonderful creation. I guess sometimes, all right all the time, mom really does know best.
Mario Porreca of Belle Vernon is a food personality, entrepreneur, author, and the host of Just Cook It Radio on WMBS Radio 590 AM. He can be reached via his website at: www.MarioPorreca.com. Twitter: @MarioPorreca