To the botanist, tomatoes are a fruit, along with aubergines and peppers, but to us cooks they are a versatile vegetable. Tomatoes are perfect chopped into a salad or sliced and served with mozzarella and basil, or even under a poached egg for breakfast, with plenty of salt and pepper.
This tomato and kale salad is light and tasty, perfect for these long balmy summer evenings - when you get home from work, the last thing you feel like is spending ages in the kitchen. Serve it with a barbecued chicken breast or steak.
I have most dressings pre-made and waiting in the fridge - this makes the preparation even simpler. If you have a bumper crop of beans, this almond and honey dressing is great drizzled on, with a sprinkle of nuts. An abundance of other produce can be tossed into this salad - it's very versatile.
I love a good tomato tart and this one is particularly light and fresh. It is easy to whip up with just a few ingredients and perfect for a picnic, or served with a fresh salad for lunch under the umbrella at home.
I have used home-grown tomatoes that have been ripening on a tray in the sun for the past few days, but the basil is looking a bit sad with the lack of water, so I have used a bought pesto, which works perfectly.
When tomatoes are cooked for a short time the flavour remains delicate; the longer they are cooked, as in the sauce recipe, the more piquant they become. A teaspoon of sugar helps to bring out the sweetness.
When you think how popular tomato sauce is, I'm amazed more of us don't make our own - it's so simple. Just peel and deseed the tomatoes or chop and push through a sieve or colander - which I have done here.
Then toss everything into a large pot and cook away. It couldn't be easier and is a great way to use all those tomatoes in the garden. If you like your sauce to be really thick, use a little cornflour just before it finishes cooking, but do remember it will thicken as it cools.
I gave my niece a bottle of this sauce for her birthday recently and she loved it - perfect for homemade burgers and fries. I am sure she will be back for more.
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