Welcome to our new series where we’ll let you know what fruit and vegetables are market fresh this week, give you handy storage tips and recipes to make the most of seasonal produce.
Summer is synonymous with tomatoes, as they reach their peak sweetness and ripeness during this season. The long, sunny days provide optimal growing conditions for these sun-loving plants.
Do you know the difference between beefsteak, Roma and grosse lisse tomatoes? There are many different varieties of tomato available in Australia with the most popular being Tommy Toes which is apricot-sized, excellent tasting with bright red fruit and a favourite for Summer salads.
Yes! Tomato is a fruit botanically because it contains seeds and grows from a flower, however, tomatoes are often used in savoury dishes and are typically considered a vegetable in the culinary world.
Tomatoes are the major dietary source of the anti-oxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. They are also a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K.
Usually red when mature, tomatoes can also come in a variety of colours, including yellow, orange, green and purple. What’s more, many subspecies of tomatoes exist with different shapes and flavours.
The water content of tomatoes is around 95% with the other 5% consisting of carbohydrates and fibre.
When choosing tomatoes, consider their colour, smell, firmness and weight. They should be bright and uniform in colour, without green spots or blotches and have a sweet, earthy, sweet smell; they should also be firm but not rock hard and feel heavy for their size.
Avoid tomatoes with blemishes, dark spots or broken skin. Heirloom tomatoes may have some blemishes which won’t affect their quality.
How you store tomatoes depends on whether they are ripe, how long you want to keep them and where you are storing them.
Unripe tomatoes can be stored in a paper bag to encourage ripening and kept them out of sunlit. For short-term storage of ripe tomatoes, keep them at room temperature in a well-vented ripening dome or paper bag, away from direct sunlight.
For longer storage, refrigerate them, however, there is some debate as to whether this alters the flavour. You can also freeze them whole for up to six months.
Here are three recipes for you to enjoy tomatoes this week at home:
Put dinner on the table in a flash and add variety to your midweek meals with this chicken and tomato tray bake. Don’t forget the drizzle of pesto!
Tip: store any remaining bocconcini in its liquid in the fridge for up to three days, slice and add leftover tomato to salads or use it to make sandwiches.
This creamy bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado pasta salad is perfect for picnics or your next barbeque.
Give this gluten-free grilled polenta dish some pretty pops of colour with basil leaves and juicy cherry tomatoes. The polenta can be cooked on the barbeque or char-grill, making it the perfect side for your festive family gathering along with your favourite steak, chicken or seafood.
