Side Dishes--Tomatoes!

Isn't is always so sad when tomato season ends? There's nothing better than that first ripe tomato on the vine. Then, of course, it's so great when your tomato plants have so many tomatoes that you simply have to share them because you can't eat them all by yourself. And when it comes to simple, yet satisfying meals, is anything better than a tomato sandwich or a BLT?

If you've never had a tomato sandwich, it's so easy. Here's what you do:

1.) Toast two pieces of whole wheat bread (trust me, there's something superior about the taste of whole wheat over white bread when it comes to these sandwiches).

2.) Slice 1-2 home-grown tomatoes.

3.) Butter the insides of the toasted bread and sprinkle the bread with salt and pepper, to your taste.

4.) Top the bread with the sliced tomatoes and sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper, to your taste. Top with the other slice of bread.

You're all done! Eat and enjoy!

As for BLT's, if you don't know what to do, here's how it goes: toast two slices of white bread. Spread the bread with a little mayonnaise and mustard, if you like. Top the bread with lettuce, tomato slices, and 1-2 slices of bacon. Yum!

But this post isn't about tomato sandwiches...it's about tomato side dishes. Which leads us to one of my all-time favorite tomato side dishes...caprese salad. Caprese salad is a little taste of summer--Italian-style. Could anything be better than the combination of tomatoes, basil, fresh mozzarella, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper? Besides, it even celebrates the colors of Italy's flag! It is pictured above without the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper (I wanted you to see the vibrant colors of the salad). It is pictured right above the recipe with all of the ingredients present. I have also included an easy way to turn caprese salad into an appetizer.

But that's not all! I'm also sharing a super easy and satisfying cherry tomato salad that can be made with grape or cherry tomatoes (thus making it available all year long). If you call this number within the next half hour, I'll double the offer and add two more tomato side dishes at no additional cost! Oh wait, sorry. They show way too many infomercial-style commercials on the Sprout kids channel that my son watches Sesame Street on from time to time! I'll include the last two tomato side dishes without you even having to lift a finger. The third side dish is a Creole-style side dish and it is very flavorful. The final side dish packs a nice vinegary punch!

I hope you like them!


Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

6 medium to large tomatoes (preferably home-grown), sliced
12 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/2 cup basil leaves (can be whole or thinly sliced)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar (or balsamic glaze)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Alternately layer tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil in a serving dish of your choice. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over all. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.

Source: Gosh, this recipe has been around for at least a couple hundred years. There are probably so many versions of this that it would be hard to pin down one source of origin.

Notes: We usually make this for quite a crowd, so I usually double or triple the recipe above. Once you have made this enough times, you can eyeball the amounts. Use less or more olive oil or balsamic vinegar to suit your tastes.

Caprese Appetizer: If you would like to make this recipe appetizer-friendly, try the following:

Use grape tomatoes instead of sliced tomatoes and bocconcini (marinated mozzarella balls) or cubed mozzarella instead of the sliced mozzarella. Slice the grape tomatoes in half. Then, using toothpicks, spear the bottom of the tomato, followed by the bocconcini or cubed mozzarella, then a small basil leaf, and finally finish with the top of the tomato. Repeat to make as many appetizers as you would like. Place the appetizers on a serving plate and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cherry Tomato Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until combined and thickened. Add tomatoes, red onion, and parsley; toss to combine all ingredients.

Source: This is a recipe I found on the Martha Stewart website.

Notes: I like to double or triple this recipe for a large crowd, but that's the only change I make. Seriously, this is a perfect recipe. Easy and yummy!

Creole Tomato Salad

4 Servings

Ingredients:

Salad:

3 ripe tomatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh mint
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

Vinaigrette:

4 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

Directions:

To prepare salad, alternate tomato and onion slices on a platter. Sprinkle with salt. Top with mint and chives.

To prepare vinaigrette, combine oil, vinegar, mustard, and garlic in a jar. Cover tightly; shake vigorously. Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and serve at room temperature.

Nutrition information: 73 calories, 4.8 g fat, 1.4 g protein, 7.5 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g fiber, 0.0 mg cholesterol, 0.6 mg iron, 185 mg sodium, 13 mg calcium.

Source: MyRecipes.com

Notes: This side pairs very nicely with my mom's Cajun lasagna (I'll have to get her to post that one soon).

Tomato, Cucumber, and Onion Salad

Ingredients:

2-3 tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup white wine vinegar or distilled white vinegar
Salt, to taste

Directions:

Alternately layer tomatoes, cucumber, and onion into a shallow serving dish (preferably with a lid). Sprinkle with salt and pour vinegar over all. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Source: I don't remember where we got this recipe from. It's a pretty basic recipe with a lot of variations and sources.

Notes: If you like salt and vinegar potato chips, you're going to love this side dish. This side dish has a definite kick and it might make your lips pucker, but it sure is good!