Recipes

Tomato Celebration Salad

Adapted from Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles cookbook, this salad is a true celebration of tomatoes in all their juicy, tangy glory. With few ingredients and some easy tricks, it takes everything a good tomato has and puts it on full display—try it once and it will soon become a dinner table staple.

In his recipe, Bourdain recommends reserving this salad for summer months when tomatoes pack their hardest punch, but now you can celebrate tomatoes all year long when using the Summer Swell. This salad requires a bit of resting time to let the salt soak in and do its magic, so plan accordingly. Be sure not to skip the salt rest, as it brings out the flavor of the tomatoes, and reduces the pungent kick from the onion. 

Instructions:

1. Slice the tomatoes into bite sized wedges, place them in a bowl, and toss them with 1.5 tsp of salt. In a different bowl, combine the garlic, onion, and 1.5 tsp of salt mix with a spoon. Leave both bowls to sit for 30 mins.
2. After resting, use your hands to squeeze out the liquid from the onions. 
3. Combine the tomatoes, red onions, vinegar, olive oil, and pepper to taste.
4. Garnish with fresh oregano leaves.

Tangy Bruschetta

Whether it’s pasta, salad or pizza, Italy knows the value of a good tomato, but no dish lets the tomato shine with such bravado as bruschetta. When it comes to appetizers, few things are worth a stain down the front of your shirt, but bruschetta drives a hard bargain, and it’s always worth it. 

Bruschetta is a match made in heaven. Crunchy bread, juicy tomato, just the right amount of garlic, and a whisper of basil. Be sure to use some high quality olive oil, and don’t go overboard with the garlic and basil. Sauteing the garlic is a crucial step to keep it from becoming the unwanted star of the show, but be sure to keep an eye on it—it burns quickly!

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. 
2. Add the olive oil and garlic to a small saucepan over low heat. Saute until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Keep an eye on it – it can burn easily.
3. In a large bowl, combine all of the tomato ingredients and gently mix, adding red pepper flakes to taste. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
4. Toast the bread by drizzling or brushing olive oil on both sides of the bread, placing them on a baking sheet, and baking until golden and crunchy, around 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool.
5. While the bread is cooling, take the halved garlic cloves and rub them on the tops of the toast.
6. Dollop a heaping spoonful of the tomato mixture on the toasted bread and serve.

The BLT Of Your Dreams

Kenji López-Alt said it right: “A BLT is a tomato sandwich, seasoned with bacon.” That combination is a match made in heaven—an umami bomb without parallel. But it’s important to follow a few simple rules that López-Alt brilliantly sums up once again: “Use the best tomatoes. Put away the fancy bread. And most importantly: Don’t mess with it.”

One note: you may hesitate at seeing mayonnaise spread onto the bread before toasting. Fear not! Mayonnaise is a combination of oil and egg, and frying it leaves a delicious golden-brown film of fried egg over your toast, boosting the flavor to new highs. And this doesn’t mean you should skimp on the mayonnaise after toasting either—enjoying a BLT is no time to resist temptation.

Instructions:

1. Fry the bacon in a skillet on medium heat until browned and crispy, around 5 minutes. 
2. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on both sides of each slice of toast. In a skillet on low heat, toast both sides of the bread until golden brown.
3. Spread on a fresh layer of mayonnaise onto the inner side of both pieces of toast. 
4. Salt and pepper the tomato slices.
5. It’s time to layer up. We recommend (from bottom up) lettuce, bacon, tomato and another layer of lettuce if you are feeling crunchy.

Burrata Summer Salad

Burrata is irresistible, a cheese both decadent and refreshing at the same time, an ingredient so mesmerizing that it can be hard to match. But it needs a partner to bring it to the next level. Enter the tomato, the Summer Swell tomato to be specific. Sumptuous, juicy and sweet, it delivers the acidity and sugar that burrata so desperately needs. Together, they are a powerhouse.

This recipe is actually quite simple, requiring no cooking at all! Just be sure to get the best ingredients to make this salad shine. An aged balsamic vinegar and high quality olive oil are essential.

Instructions:

1. Place the arugula in a bed on a serving platter or large. Scatter with the bell pepper slices. Place the tomato slices over the bed of arugula and bell pepper.
2. Next add the burrata over the top. Break open the burrata with a knife and gently spread it over the tomato.
3. Top with basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, lemon zest, and fresh ground pepper to taste. Serve!