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Basil & Tomatoes: Summer's Best Pairing

Americans are spoiled when it comes to the plethora of fruits and vegetables available to them year round. We have fresh seasonal vegetables and fruit available to us from all over the world and at relatively cheap prices. It has become relatively simple and quick to bring goods in from all over, and despite the local and seasonal movement that is on fire here in the USA, consumers are still buying fruits and vegetables from all over the world. Even though we can buy pineapples at any time of year and apples in the summer or peaches in the winter, there is still one item that we Americans anxiously await when summer rolls around -- tomatoes!The tomatoes we see in our supermarkets, although they have improved, are still no comparison to delicious, locally grown, vine-ripened tomatoes. The deep majestic red of the tomato and the indescribable scent of the tomato vines are the delights of summer that lure us to farmers markets and our own gardens as we seek out the most anticipated seasonal and local product in the world.

And it only gets better because where there are tomatoes there is basil. The best pairing summer can bring is the luscious mixture of this very seasonal and highly anticipated duo. Like the perfect marriage, tomatoes and basil are like soul mates. When combined, this pair moves us beyond words with the combination of fresh flavors and vibrant colors. The sweet juicy taste of seasonal summer tomatoes, whether they are cherry or on-the-vine, partnered with the dark green, smooth anise-and-pepper bite of basil can lead you to food ecstasy.

This dynamic duo was born in Europe really, especially around the Mediterranean and most notably Italy and the islands that surround it. Many rich Europeans and aristocrats had thought the tomato was poisonous, as the flatware that they ate off of was made of pewter, which has a high lead content, and foods high in acid such as tomatoes would cause the lead to leech out and many people died of lead poisoning. The poor rural folks who typically ate off wood plates and with wooden utensils or their hands, did not have the same aversion to the tomatoes, hence tomatoes were extremely popular among the poor people and especially the Italians, who perfected the rural and rustic pairing of basil and tomatoes.

As local summer tomatoes begin to roll into your farmers markets and local grocers oras they start to ripen in your garden, savor the moment. It is a relatively short season and it will be gone before you know it. Then we will be back to the not-so-red, dry and unscented tomatoes that are massed produced for our market.

Tomato and basil recipes are easy and always foolproof because it is difficult to mess up this perfect pair; they complement each other no matter what. Enjoy the bounty of basil and tomatoes and let summer’s best pairing satisfy you beyond measure!

Basil, Romano Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad
This salad can be served either warm or at room temperature and is truly a lovely mix of texture and flavor. It is a garden must! Romano beans are the long, flat, wide green beans, but regular green beans can be substituted if you cannot find Romano beans.

Serves 4

¾ pound fresh Romano beans, tips trimmed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
½ cup basil leaves, sliced thin
Juice and zest of one lemon
¼ cup olive oil
Coarse sea salt
Cracked pepper

In a steamer, steam the green beans until al dente or just about done. While the beans are cooking, combine all other ingredients (except salt) in a large bowl and mix well. When the beans are finished cooking, place the hot green beans in the large bowl on top of the mixture. Do not stir. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes. This will cook or warm the other items and the green beans will finish cooking at the same time. After 5 minutes, gently stir the mixture and serve warm or let stand and serve room temperature.

Sicilian Basil, Onion and Tomato Salad

Serves 4

4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped in small slivers
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
8-10 fresh basil leaves, small and whole
Juice of half a lemon
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Course sea salt
Cracked pepper

Gently mix together all ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and gently mix again. Let stand at least a half an hour before serving, and serve at room temperature.

Sicilian Caper, Basil and Tomato Salsa
Although traditionally enjoyed with grilled mackerel, this is a truly delightful mixture that can stand on its own; the flavors are perfect together.

Serves 4

2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
¼ cup capers, chopped
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Course sea salt
Cracked pepper

Gently mix together all ingredients. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and gently mix again. Let stand at least a half an hour before serving. Serve at room temperature over grilled fish with lemon wedges.

BBT Sandwich (Bacon, Basil and Tomato)
A simple twist on a tomato classic!

Makes 4 sandwiches

8 slices whole grain bread, toasted
Mayonnaise
8 slices of bacon, cooked until crispy
8 fresh basil leaves, large
8 slices vine-ripened tomatoes
4 slices fresh mozzarella
Cracked pepper and salt

Add mayonnaise, to taste, on all slices of bread and then assemble each sandwich as follows: place 2 slices of bacon on one slice of bread and a slice of fresh mozzarella on the other, add 2 slices of tomatoes on top of the mozzarella and 2 large basil leaves on top of the bacon.Lastly, sprinkle a little salt and pepper on both sides and put together. Enjoy!

Simple Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic and Basil
This is a truly decadent yet unbelievably simple recipe that captures the essence of slow roasted tomatoes together with basil. Serve over warm crusty bread or pasta, chicken or fish. It is also excellent over fresh steamed broccoli or green beans.

Serves 4

8-10 small vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered
6 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Cracked pepper
½ cup Calamata olives, pits removed and halved
¼ cup olive oil
Feta cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 275°. In a large bowl mix together all ingredients. Place ingredients in a shallow baking dish (oiled) and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Roast tomatoes for about 1 hour or until bubbly hot. Crumble feta over hot mixture.

Chilled Tomato and Basil Soup
This is a delightful way to enjoy tomatoes and basil on the hottest days of summer. This soup’s uniqueness, lovely texture and subtle cool flavors make it an excellent choice for a lunch party.

Serves 4

8-10 small vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
4cloves garlic, chopped fine
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
4 tablespoons heavy cream
4 large basil leaves

Puree all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Push mixture through sieve to remove seeds and stems. Chill for at least 3 hours. Before serving, take 1 tablespoon of cream and gently pour it on top of the soup and add 1 basil leaf for garnish.