Recipes serve four
TOMATOES ON TOAST
1 tbsp butter
4 large tomatoes
1 small bunch basil, picked
1 200g tub creme fraiche
4 slices sourdough toast
Melt the butter in a small frying pan. Cut each tomato in half. Season with salt and pepper and add to the pan, cut side down. Saute over the gentlest of heat for 10 minutes; the butter needs to foam but not take on any colour.
Set four basil leaves aside and tear up the remainder. Add to the tomatoes along with the creme fraiche. Cook for a further minute. (If the creme fraiche looks a little thick, add a tablespoon of water.)
Turn the tomatoes over and cook for a further five minutes.
Toast the bread, spoon two tomato halves on to each slice and top with the basil leaves. Spoon the sauce over, check the seasoning and serve.
TOMATO TARTS
4 large tomatoes
4 rectangles of puff pastry (12x15cm and 3mm thick)
2 egg yolks
1 dessertspoon Dijon mustard
120g Gabriel cheese (or Parmesan)
1 tsp thyme
olive oil
Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and refresh them under cold water. Prick with a knife and remove the skin. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/gas one. Brush the edges of the pastry rectangles with the egg yolk. Smear the inside with the mustard and top with the Gabriel.
Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top of the cheese. Sprinkle with the thyme, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve with a small green salad
PASTA WITH RAW TOMATO SAUCE
1kg cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
large bunch basil, picked and torn
olive oil
400g spaghetti
50g ricotta
grated Parmesan to serve
Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil and four tablespoons of olive oil, then season
with salt and pepper. Leave to stand for an hour, for the flavours to infuse. Remove
and discard the garlic.
Cook the pasta, then drain it, reserving a little of the cooking liquid, and toss with the tomato mixture. Stir in the ricotta and season with salt and pepper. You may need a little of the reserved cooking water to moisten everything. Serve with Parmesan.
SPICED TOMATO AND RED PEPPER SALAD
2 red peppers
4 large tomatoes
1 chilli, finely sliced
1 tsp cumin
olive oil
bunch mint, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
Roast the peppers in a hot oven, or over a flame, until blackened. Place them in a bowl, cover with cling film and set aside to cool. Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds, drain, refresh under cold water and peel. Cut into quarters
and remove the seeds. Remove the skins from the peppers and deseed. Add to the tomatoes.
Add the chilli and season with salt and pepper. Lightly toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until they start to pop.
Sprinkle the toasted seeds over the peppers and tomatoes. Drizzle four tablespoons of olive oil over the top and dress with the mint and lemon zest. Check the seasoning and serve.