7 things to make with tomatoes

'Tis the season

I’m not one to only use tomatoes in the summertime. I buy them in the winter, in the spring, in the fall — all year round. I cook with them, I enjoy them, but frankly, there’s something missing. And that something is summer.

A fresh, never-been-refrigerated, peak-season tomato grown with love, maybe by yourself in your garden or by a local farmer selling the fruits of their labor at the farmers market, is something damn special. And it doesn’t happen all year-round, folks! Because of that, it deserves to be celebrated. And how do we celebrate tomatoes? By eating them.

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You could definitely make all of these recipes at any time of year, but just like anything made with seasonal produce, they’ll taste best when said produce is in season. So go ahead, splurge on some heirlooms at the market and whip yourself up something that can really only be truly experienced right now.

The recipes

1. Chicken Cutlets With a Mozzarella, Tomato, Nectarine, and Olive Salad

This is my most viral recipe to date (5.5 million views, 117K likes, and 121K saves and counting) and was developed in partnership with my friends at Gratsi wine. Honestly, I just love a good salad on top of a hot chicken cutlet and this combination sounded bomb to me, but apparently it’s very divisive! I’ve had countless comments from people saying that the addition of olives and/or fruit to the classic mozzarella + tomato mix is not for them. And about twice that many comments and DMs from people saying they made this recipe and absolutely loved it.

So, it’s not for everyone. The only way to know if it’s for you? Give it a go.

Serves: 4

Cook time: 30 minutes

Salad:

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

• 2 nectarines, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

• 1/2 shallot, chopped

• 1 cup castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped or torn

• 1 8-oz container Ciliegine, halved or torn into bite-sized pieces

• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• flaky salt

Mix all ingredients together. For best results, mix right before serving.

Chicken:

• 2 chicken breasts (about 1-1.25 lbs total), sliced in half into cutlets and pounded until 1/4-1/2” thick

• 1 cup flour

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

• oil for frying

Place your flour, eggs, and panko bread crumbs into three separate shallow bowls. Season each with salt and pepper. Season your chicken cutlets with salt. Dredge your cutlets by first coating them in flour, then the egg wash, then the breadcrumbs.

Heat 1/2” oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottom skillet. Working one at a time (or two, if you have a very large skillet), cook cutlets for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown.

To serve, top cutlets with salad.

2. BLT With Cacio e Pepe Mayonnaise

I’m a firm believer in sauces being able to take a meal from boring to brilliant. Not that there’s anything boring about a BLT, but a little extra something-something never hurts. And in this case, that something-something is a homemade olive oil mayonnaise infused with lots of freshly grated parm and freshly cracked black pepper à la cacio e pepe. Together, they add an undeniably delicious umami flavor to this an already great classic sammie.

For the mayo:

• 1 egg + 1 egg yolk

• 1 tbsp vinegar

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• Sea salt

• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp freshly cracked pepper

• 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano

Add all ingredients to a wide mouth jar. Place your immersion blender firmly at the bottom and turn on, letting it emulsify the oil and eggs together. Slowly lift it up and inch and down and inch once you see movement/emulsification slow. Once most of the oil is emulsified, slowly lift the blender out of the jar. Add in 1 tbsp freshly cracked pepper and 1 cup freshly grated parm and mix.

3. Eech

This is an Armenian “salad” that you’ve probably never heard of (unless you’re a longtime subscriber/follower of mine, as it’s one of my favorites). I use quotes around salad because it’s not really your typical salad. Tomatoes are cooked down with onions and bell peppers to create a flavorful sauce, then mixed with fine bulgur. The result is a grain dish that’s very light but flavorful, and tastes best in my opinion wrapped in romaine leaves.

• Olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 

• 1 lb tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tbsp tomato paste 

• 1 tbsp red pepper paste 

• Juice of half a lemon (about 1-2 tbsp)

• 2 cups fine (#1) bulgur 

• Salt to taste

• Parsley, green onion, and Aleppo pepper to garnish

Heat a pan over medium heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom well. Add in about ⅔ of the chopped onions and all of the chopped green bell pepper plus some salt, sautéeing until very soft. Add tomatoes, tomato and red pepper pastes, more salt, and lemon, and cook until everything is soft and saucy. 

Add the remaining chopped raw onion to the bulgur along with the tomato sauce and mix until combined. Let sit for 20-30 minutes until all liquid is absorbed and it's cool enough to handle. Using your hands, knead the mixture for a few minutes to soften the bulgur and fully mix the ingredients. If it feels a little dry, add cold water a tablespoon at a time. You can either heap it onto a bowl or press it into a shallow dish. Garnish with chopped parsley, sliced green onion, and Aleppo pepper. To eat, wrap in romaine leaves. I think pickles are absolutely necessary alongside this dish (and most dishes, to be honest).

4. Confit Tomato Anything and Everything

Confiting tomatoes is one of those methods that could make even the saddest, most out-of-season ‘maters spectacular. So when you do it with summer tomatoes? Out of the worldddd good. Consider this your sign to make a biiig batch and throw them in the fridge, oil and all. They’ll keep for quite a bit. Then, use them to make different recipes — here’s five of my favorites, plus my confit method/measurements.

5. Cod Simmered in Tomatoes With Summer Squash, Olives, and Herbes de Provence

This is one of those meals that looks and tastes like you need a culinary degree to make it happen, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It comes together in around 20 minutes and requires minimal effort, making it ideal for summertime cooking and hosting.

Serves: 4

Cook time: 20 minutes

• 2 tbsp olive oil 

• Half a red onion, thinly sliced (I used a mandolin on the 3 mm/1/8th” setting)

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped 

• One large summer squash, thinly sliced (I used a mandolin on the same setting as the onions)

• 1/2 lb tomatoes, roughly chopped 

• 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence (this one has great reviews, or you can’t go wrong with Burlap & Barrel spices)

• 12-15 Kalamata olives 

• 1 lb cod, cut into four pieces

• 1 tbsp butter, divided into 4

Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook until soft and starting to caramelize, about 5 min. Add garlic and cook for a minute, then add in your squash and a little more salt. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes until the squash is starting to soften. Add tomatoes and cook until squash is totally soft and the tomatoes have broken down and released their juices, about 5-7 minutes. Add the Herbes de Provence and olives and stir to combine. Nestle the cod in the sauce, and top each piece with a sprinkle each of salt and Herbes de Provence and ¼ tablespoon of butter. Cover and cook for 5 minutes until the cod is just cooked through.

I serve this with buttered bread and a side salad, though rice, potatoes, or even pasta could work for a side. A bottle of Provence rosé would be the ultimate pairing.

6. Lebanese Green Beans and Tomatoes

This is my dad’s version of a classic Lebanese dish. I’m sure there are about as many recipes as there are cooks who make it, but I love the addition of finely chopped red bell peppers here, both for the texture and the taste. This tastes just as good hot as it does at room temp, so it’s perfect to make ahead.

Serves: 4

Cook time: 35 minutes

For the rice:

• 3 tbsp butter

• 1 cup vermicelli

• 2 cups rice, rinsed

• 2.5 cups water

• Salt

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When melted and bubbling, add vermicelli and cook, stirring frequently, until vermicelli is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it and stir it often, as vermicelli can burn very easily. Once golden brown, add in rice and stir. Toast rice for 3 minutes. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Leave covered until ready to serve.

For the green beans:

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, sliced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 lb tomatoes, cut into chunks

• 1 cup tomato sauce

• 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed and cleaned salt

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and just starting to caramelize in some places, about 5-7 minutes. If your onion is browning too quickly, turn the heat down. Add your garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until very fragrant. Add in your tomato paste and stir to combine, then add in your bell peppers, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Season generously with salt. Bring everything to a boil then reduce heat to low and cook covered for about 20 minutes, until the green beans are soft. Stir every few minutes to ensure nothing sticks or burns. Serve Over rice and enjoy

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7. Cannellini Beans With Tomatoes, Burrata, and Breadcrumbs

A stunner of a meal when you’re short on time and want something cheap but good. We use onions, garlic, tomatoes, and white wine to zhuzh up a humble can of beans, and top it all off with some homemade toasted garlic breadcrumbs (make extra of these — they taste good on everything) and a ball of burrata cheese. Also perfect as an appetizer. Serve with lots of crusty bread for dipping.

Cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2 for a main, 4 for a side/appetizer

For the garlic parm breadcrumbs:

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs

• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano

• sea salt

In a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until butter is melted and foamy. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, just until fragrant and starting to brown. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and toasty. Turn off the heat and stir in the parm and a pinch of sea salt. Remove from pan to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out pan.

For the beans:

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 medium white onion, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1/4 cup Gratsi white wine

• 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 cup sliced castelvetrano olives

• 1/2 cup water

• sea salt

• 1 ball burrata

Heat olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat, then add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent. Add in garlic and cook just until fragrant. Add in cherry tomatoes along with white wine and a generous pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes until tomatoes begin to break down. Add in cannellini beans, olives, and water, and season again with salt. Cook until beans are very soft and tomatoes are jammy, about 10 minutes. If it looks too dry, add a splash more water.

To serve, top with burrata and breadcrumbs. Serve with crusty bread.