Recipes - New Twists on Tomatoes

By Wendy Gordon

Tomatoes are my favorite vegetable, and an extremely nutritious one to boot. Tomatoes are an excellent source of beta carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), vitamin C, and fiber. They are also one of the best sources of lycopene, an antioxidant that has recently gotten a lot of press lately for significantly lowering the risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene may also lower the risk of other cancers, most notably esophageal, mouth, stomach, breast, colon and rectal cancer. Cooked tomato products are the best sources of this antioxidant, as lycopene is released from the membrane and fiber of the tomato during the cooking process. Lycopene is also better absorbed when eaten in conjunction with fat.

By August and September tomato production has reached its abundant height. If your garden isn't bursting with tomatoes, your local market should be. Be sure to shop at a natural foods or farmers' market for fresh local tomatoes and hopefully some flavorful heirloom varieties. (Conventional supermarkets sell the same red colored baseballs year round.)

Here's a trio of tomato recipes. The first two are cooked, to maximize all that lycopene.

This first one makes use of another abundant late summer treat: zucchini.

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 pounds zucchini, cut in half and then into 1/4 inch julienne slices (you might want to use a food processor for this)
• 5 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped orange rind
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pound linguine
• 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat olive oil in large saucepan, reserving 1 tablespoon. Add zucchini and saute over medium high heat until they are lightly brown. Sprinkle zucchini with half the salt, remove from pan, and set aside.

Add remaining tablespoon of oil to saucepan. Add onions and garlic; cook over medium low heat until mixture is aromatic and onions are softened. Add tomatoes, sugar, orange rind, and red pepper. Cook uncovered over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened (around 20 minutes).

Stir in reserved zucchini and fresh herbs. Cook 5 minutes. Adjust salt to taste.

Cook linguine in large pot of boiling water until al dente.

Toss linguine with sauce, top with parmesan cheese, and serve.

Note: This recipe makes a lot of sauce. If you prefer a less saucy pasta, save some sauce for another meal. It freezes well or will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

These stuffed tomatoes taste great at a late summer barbecue, served with grilled meat or fish (or even tempeh).

• 4 large firm ripe tomatoes (beefsteak work well)
• 11/2 cups sour cream
• 1 can chopped green chiles
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Halve tomatoes horizontally and cut a thin slice off each uncut end so tomatoes will sit firmly upright. Gently squeeze each tomato half to remove seeds and juice. Remove any remaining seeds with a spoon. Sprinkle insides of tomatoes with salt and leave upside down on a paper towel to drain. Meanwhile, combine sour cream, chiles, and scallions in a small bowl.

Spoon mixture into tomatoes.

Put filled halves on aluminum foil on a broiler rack and broil 2-3 minutes, until topping is bubbling and lightly browned. Sprinkle with cheese and broil 2-3 minutes longer until cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot.

Here's a refreshing salad that makes good use of late summer bounty.

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• 2 cups diced summer squash
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup black olives, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• salt and pepper to taste

Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Place in a bowl with other chopped vegetables, parsley, and basil.

In a separate container, combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.

Combine dressing and salad.

This salad is good served at room temperature.

Wendy Gordon is a writer and restaurant reviewer who lives in Portland, Oregon. She has a Masters Degree in Clinical Nutrition from the University of Chicago.