'FRUIT' OF THE VINE'

By Sidney Carlisle

Or maybe a vegetable ... the tomato is a universal favorite.

Fruit or vegetable? Does it matter when it tastes this good? From a botanical perspective, the tomato is clearly a fruit. All it takes is a look at the seeds inside its juicy fleshiness to see that. Yet horticulturists argue that fruits are grown on woody plants, such as apples and pears. And when was the last time you saw a tomato tree? So just how would you categorize the tomato? In a word: delicious.

Perhaps the tomato’s duality is what makes it so versatile in the kitchen. Consumed in vast quantities, tomatoes are served both raw and cooked, appear as an ingredient in just about every ethnic cooking category, and are valuable tools in fusion cooking. Fresh or processed, they are readily available, liked by almost everyone, and nutritionally attractive.

High in potassium and vitamins A and C, tomatoes are low in calories and fat, and contain no cholesterol. In addition, recent health research indicates the substance lycopene, found in tomatoes and cooked tomato products, can lower the risk of prostate cancer in men who eat several servings of tomatoes each week. And it’s so easy to eat several servings. From pizza to pasta, tomatoes seem to be in just about everything. Whether quickly sliced for a sandwich or simmered for hours in a sauce, tomatoes are always close at hand.

Almost as endless as the food choices, are the tomatoes themselves. Red, yellow, green, white, or golden tomatoes can be found in most markets. Although seasonal to some extent, cherry tomatoes, big fat beefsteak tomatoes, and plum tomatoes are available for most of the year. Specialty tomatoes are much more seasonal and the market varies widely across the country.

Spurred by a revival of heirloom varieties and full-flavored hybrids, consumers are picky about their tomatoes. There are noticeable differences in the taste of these tomatoes, from sweet and juicy to mildly tart or spicy, and varieties are selected to meet specific culinary needs. A certain heirloom may be chosen for a hearty sauce, while a sweet hybrid deemed a “good slicer” is selected to eat unadorned. Savvy shoppers, aware of the short season for some tomatoes, wait anxiously for their favorites to arrive at farmers’ markets. Discussing the merits of this year’s Brandywine crop or the devastating loss of a season’s Lemon Boy harvest may sound silly to the uninformed, but those in the know, know.

Although vine-ripened tomatoes are every cook’s dream, much of the huge tomato market is supplied by conventional, hydroponic, or organic farming methods. Conventional tomatoes, grown in soil under Food and Drug Administration restrictions, are found in large quantities at local markets and groceries. Hydroponic tomatoes are grown in water and usually are labeled as such where they are displayed. Organic tomatoes, free of synthetic chemicals, are available at upscale groceries and farmers’ markets. While many of these tomatoes are of acceptable quality, some are not. Since they must be picked green to withstand shipping, their flavor is often bland and disappointing. Careful selection from a reputable grocer is helpful but not always successful.

Fresh may be first choice but there is certainly nothing wrong with processed or dried tomatoes. Most chefs agree that premium canned tomatoes are preferable to fresh tomatoes of a poor quality. Several top brands offer a wide selection of whole, sliced, and stewed tomatoes, plus many types of sauce and paste. Dried tomatoes may be reconstituted in boiling water, softened in olive oil, or added to recipes in dried bits. They also are available packaged in oil and as a spread. It’s important to keep the pantry stocked once the fresh tomato season has peaked, and most recipes adapt well to canned or dried substitutions.

So whether you say “tuh-may-to” or “tuh-mah-to,” or whether you call it a fruit or a vegetable, the tomato can make any recipe taste like a million bucks. And summer is a great time to try new varieties in these favorite recipes from Associate Club chefs. While all these recipes are worthy of any connoisseur’s collection, the fried green tomatoes are a must. And when it’s just too hot to cook, it’s all right to stand over the sink with a saltshaker and enjoy a sweet juicy tomato, alone.

Produce managers are delighted to sell unripe tomatoes, observes food writer Sidney Carlisle, so fried green tomatoes can be a treat all year.

TRIPLE GRILLED TOMATO AND CHICKEN SCALOPPINE
This colorful entrée from executive chef Lulsegeud Marcos at the Greenspoint Club in Houston combines red and yellow tomatoes with their botanical cousin, the tomatillo.

  • 2 slices (about 1/2-inch thick) firm yellow tomato

  • 2 slices (about 1/2-inch thick) firm red tomato

  • 2 slices (about 1/2-inch thick) tomatillo

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 boneless chicken breasts (6 ounces each), pounded flat

  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped basil

  • 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic

  • 2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Brush the tomato slices with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Salt and pepper generously and set aside.

Brush the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Combine the basil and garlic and press onto the surface of the chicken. Salt and pepper to taste. Heat the remaining tablespoon of the olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the chicken and sauté 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. Remove to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Grill the tomato slices on a preheated grill at medium for 45 seconds on each side. Do not overcook as the tomatoes should remain firm. The tomatillos may need a few extra seconds on the grill. If a grill is unavailable, the tomatoes may be cooked under a hot broiler.

To serve, arrange the tomato slices on two serving plates. Cut each piece of chicken in half and place over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the crumbled goat cheese over the plate and serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings.

Note: Tomatillos are found in the specialty produce section at the market. Hard and green, they are covered with a thin husk that should be removed and discarded. Rinse the tomatillos before slicing.

 

GULF COAST JAMBALAYA
The ingredient list may seem lengthy, but executive chef Benjamin Arab’s jambalaya recipe is easy to prepare. It’s a popular menu item at The Bankers Club in Miami.

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1/2 pound kielbasa or any smoked sausage, sliced 1/2-inch thick

  • 1 cup long-grain white rice

  • 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes

  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock

  • 3/4 cup dry white wine

  • 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced or 1 jar (4 ounces) diced pimientos, drained

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/2 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus additional cilantro as garnish, optional

Melt the butter in a large, heavy sauté pan or a Dutch oven. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage. As the sausage begins to brown, add the rice and stir well to coat the rice with the pan juices. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, wine, red pepper or pimientos, turmeric, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Mix in the shrimp and cilantro. Cook about 4 minutes more, until the shrimp are just done. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, divide the jambalaya on four serving plates and garnish with sprigs of cilantro.

 

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES WITH RED TOMATO SALSA
Executive chef Benjamin Arab’s version of fried green tomatoes is a favorite in his cooking classes for members at The Bankers Club in Miami.

  • 2 pounds green (unripe) tomatoes (about 4)

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 tablespoon milk

  • 5 cups cornflakes (about 6 ounces)

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • Red Tomato Salsa (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the tomatoes and cut into 1/2-inch slices, discarding the stem ends. There should be at least 12 slices.

Whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. In a third shallow bowl, coarsely crush the cornflakes by hand.

Working with one tomato slice at a time, dredge in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Dip the slice into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Gently set the slice in the crushed cornflake crumbs. Cover with additional crumbs, pressing lightly so the crumbs adhere to the tomato’s surface. Place the slice on a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining slices, arranging in a single layer.

Heat one tablespoon of the butter and one tablespoon of the oil in a non-stick sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. When the butter foam subsides, fry three tomato slices at a time until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

As each batch is finished, return the slices to the baking sheet. Add butter and oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining tomato slices. Finish the tomatoes in the oven on the middle rack, baking until tender and hot, about 15 minutes.

Serve immediately garnished with Red Tomato Salsa.

Yield: 4 servings.


RED TOMATO SALSA

  • 2 large ripe red tomatoes

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 dashes of Tabasco Sauce

  • 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar

  • 1 medium yellow onion, minced

  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

  • salt and black pepper

Seed and roughly chop the tomatoes. Place in a glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, Tabasco Sauce, and vinegar, stirring to combine. Add the onion, chile pepper, and cilantro. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. If not serving immediately, cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Note: Red Tomato Salsa is best when served on the day it is prepared. Chef Arab also likes to serve the salsa as a dip with tortilla chips.

 

ROASTED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE
Executive chef Brian Lennon of the City Club of San Francisco serves this vinaigrette over a salad of arugula, frisée, diced papayas, and toasted almonds.

  • 5 vine-ripened tomatoes

  • 1/4 cup champagne vinegar

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil

  • 1 1/2 cups olive oil

  • salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds with the tip of a knife or teaspoon. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Roast in the oven about 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and wrinkled. Remove from the oven. Carefully peel the tomatoes and discard the stem ends. Turn the tomatoes over and allow them to cool to room temperature.

Place the tomatoes in a blender and add the vinegar, mustard, and basil. Blend for 30 seconds. With the blender on medium speed, slowly add the olive oil. Turn off the blender and add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, drizzle the vinaigrette over chilled salad greens.

 

TALKING TOMATOES

  • To retain the most flavor, store tomatoes at room temperature, not in the refrigerator.

  • Ripe tomatoes peel easily. Cut a shallow “X” in the bottom of each tomato and place in a pan of boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in ice water. Drain and peel.

  • While tomatoes should be peeled for some dishes, unripe green tomatoes are seldom peeled.

  • Remove tomato seeds by squeezing them out or scraping them away with the tip of a spoon. The seeds may have a bitter taste in cooked tomato recipes.

  • Drain tomatoes on paper towels or place upside down on a baking rack to remove excess juice.

  • Cooking tomatoes for the shortest amount of time indicated in a recipe will produce the best flavor and retain the most vitamins and nutrients.

  • When using fresh tomatoes on a pizza, choose plum tomatoes. They contain less water and fewer seeds than other varieties.

  • A pinch of sugar will sweeten the acidic taste of some tomatoes.

  • Salsa and ketchup remain close in the battle for “most popular condiment,” but ketchup currently has the lead.

The chefs’ favorite herbs to complement tomatoes are basil, parsley, and chives, in that order.

 

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
Serving fried green tomatoes for the family’s supper used to be like serving TV dinners: We ate them, but they were nothing to brag about. My Southern grandmother, who set a fine table for lunch every day, considered fried tomatoes “common” and would never have served them in the dining room. Fannie Flagg changed the scope of the dish forever with her book Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café. The epitome of comfort food, the book propelled fried tomatoes from the obscurity of plain summer supper fare to trendy menu items.

Tomato historians differ on the origin of the dish but do agree that the technique of frying tomatoes is nothing new. Andrew F. Smith, author of The Tomato in America: Early History, Culture and Cookery, notes that fried green tomatoes probably originated in the northern states. He includes in his book a recipe from Lettice Bryan’s 1839 book Kentucky Housewife, which indicates that cooks all over the country needed a way to dispose of the garden’s surplus.

Once touted as a way to use unripe green tomatoes before frost would kill those left on the vine, fried green tomatoes are for some  of us the first taste of tomatoes each year. Whether homegrown or filched from the back of the bin at the market, green tomatoes signal the beginning of tomato season, and the faithful start frying early.

Most recipes specify cutting the tomatoes into slices and sprinkling them with salt, pepper, and maybe a pinch of sugar. From this point on, the directions vary widely in ingredients and methods. Southern recipes follow a certain style, with most using cornmeal to coat the tomato slices. In the South and Southwest, bacon drippings and a hot iron skillet are required for a perfect dish.

Recipes from the rest of the country are different. Breading ingredients include all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, bread crumbs, sourdough bread crumbs and even corn bread crumbs.  Some recipes require dipping tomato slices in egg or buttermilk and others use batters. Peanut oil, olive oil, melted shortening, and butter may be used for frying, although old recipes specify lard. While the crumbs and choice of fat may differ, there are just two ways to slice the tomatoes — thick or thin. Thin slices, no more than 1/4 inch thick, will yield crisp, crunchy tomatoes. Thicker cuts,1/2 inch or larger, produce sautéed slices. These slices are too thick to cook all the way through, but the tomato’s flavor is more pronounced.

The tomatoes should be panfried in enough fat to cover the bottom of the pan. The iron skillet gets my vote and it should be very hot before adding the tomato slices

Avoid crowding the pan so there’s room to turn the slices. Fry on both sides until just golden brown, or until very brown for a crunchier texture. Drain briefly and serve immediately with your choice of condiments or cream gravy.