Consumed from July and until October for the latest, the tomato is the summer fruit par excellence. Queen of nightshades, Solanum lycopersicum, also called ” Golden Apple “ (pomodoro in Italian) is a fruit originating from the Andes, imported to the Old Continent by the conquistadors in the 16e century. Fearing its toxicity, Europeans first used it ornamentally and only began to consume it in the 18th century.e century.
There are more than 12,000 kinds of tomatoes in the world, from tiny “currant tomatoes” to large “oxheart”, rare blue tomatoes “osu blue”, “pineapple”, “Cornue des Andes”, “green sausage” or the amazing “traveling tomato” with detachable lobes.
Worldwide popular, it has become an emblem of the excesses of industrialization. To enjoy it – it can be eaten raw or cooked, stuffed, poached or grilled, in soups, in salads, in tartare – avoid tomatoes from heated greenhouses, tasteless and floury, served in the middle of winter.
Daily bread
The Panzanella recipe predated the arrival of tomatoes in Europe, and was originally prepared without… but it is much better with it. Originally from Tuscany, typical of the Italian “cucina povera”, this dish combines tomato with cucumber, onions, basil and stale country bread, a little salt, olive oil and a dash of vinegar . The mixture must be prepared at least 30 minutes in advance, so that the bread (which can be moistened and crumbled beforehand) soaks up the juice well.
winter treats
To make a reserve of tomato candies, a tasty delicacy to enjoy all winter long, roast at low temperature (100°C), for at least 2 hours, 2 kilos of small cherry tomatoes, cut in half, arranged on vine or fig leaves and sprinkled with salt, sugar, pepper, thyme or savory.
Andalusian salmorejo: Alexis Muñoz’s recipe
Ingredients for 4 persons
- 1 kg of juicy and tasty red tomatoes
- 200 g of breadcrumbs (very dense)
- 100 ml monovarietal extra virgin olive oil (preferably picual or arbequina)
- 1 clove of garlic
- salt
- 2 boiled eggs
- 150 g Iberian ham
Step 1: the tomato soup
Peel and blend the tomatoes in a powerful blender. Add the breadcrumbs, the crushed garlic, a pinch of salt, mix everything well. Gradually add the olive oil and continue blending until smooth and creamy. Switch to Chinese if necessary. Taste and adjust the salt.
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