Tomato Time

These juicy gems are at their peak now, and our scrumptious recipes are ripe and ready to go.

You can't buy love or homegrown tomatoes" is an expression that rings particularly true for me during summer in the South. This succulent, sun-kissed fruit-picked from my garden or anybody else's, for that matter-is a delicacy I wait for all year long. Whether fresh off the vine with salt, chopped, marinated, baked, sliced, or served on white bread with mayonnaise, the possibilities are endless for these scarlet beauties. So take advantage of their too-short season, and try all these mouthwatering recipes while you can.

Tomato-Egg Sandwiches

MAKES 12 APPETIZER SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN.

This recipe is a snap to make ahead. The day before serving, combine the first 4 ingredients; cover and chill. Boil eggs, peel, and slice; cover and chill. Slice the tomatoes and toast the bread just before assembling the sandwiches. It's not necessary to cut the toasted bread slices with a cutter, but it looks really nice.

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1 (9-oz.) jar horseradish sauce

1 small onion, grated (about ¼ cup)

1 (1-oz.) package Ranch dressing mix

12 white sandwich bread slices, toasted

12 whole wheat sandwich bread slices, toasted

24 tomato slices (about 6 medium-size ripe tomatoes)

48 hard-cooked egg slices (about 8 large eggs)

Chopped fresh dill

Freshly ground pepper

1. Beat cream cheese and next 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended; set aside.

2. Cut 24 rounds from toasted bread using a 3-inch cutter. (Select a cutter close to the size of the tomato slices.) Reserve bread trimmings for another use, if desired.

3. Spread 1 side of each round evenly with cream cheese mixture; top with 1 tomato slice and 2 egg slices. Sprinkle evenly with dill and pepper. CAROLS WILLEY

BRANDON, MISSISSIPPI

Italian Tomato Salad

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 15 MIN.,CHILL: 30 MIN.

6 medium-size ripe tomatoes, diced (about 2½ lb.)

[fraction one-third] cup cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. chopped fresh oregano

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

Mixed salad greens

1. Stir together first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes. Serve over or toss with salad greens. CAROL S. NOBLE

BURGAW, NORTH CAROLINA

Broiled Tomatoes With Feta Cheese

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 5 MIN., BROIL: 3 MIN.

6 plum tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

[fraction two-thirds] cup crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup Italian dressing

1. Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise, and place, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper to taste, Italian seasoning, and feta cheese. Drizzle evenly with ¼ cup Italian dressing.

2. Broil 3 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or just until cheese starts to brown. PAM FLOYD

TRUSSVILLE, ALABAMA

Fresh Tomato Slices With Basil Mayonnaise

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 5 MIN.

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

¼ cup egg substitute

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

2 tsp. coarse-grained mustard

½ to ¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

[fraction two-thirds] cup vegetable oil

2 large ripe tomatoes, sliced

1. Process lemon juice, egg substitute, and next 4 ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. With processor running, pour vegetable oil through food chute in a slow, steady stream; process until smooth and thickened. Spoon over sliced tomatoes.

Kitchen Express: Stir together ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, 2 tsp. coarse-grained mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve mayonnaise mixture over tomatoes. Cover and chill up to 1 week.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Jul 2006
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