Recipe: Summer Tomatoes Two Ways, with Isle of Wight Tomatoes
This article contains a PR product provided by Isle of Wight Tomatoes; all opinions and recipes are my own.
Tomatoes reach their peak around Litha when the light is long, the days are warm and the first true summer flavours begin to arrive. Nothing compares to the sweetness and depth of tomatoes at this time of year and they shine brightest when kept simple. Isle of Wight Tomatoes kindly sent me a box of organic tomatoes in a rainbow of colours and shapes. There was no obligation to share but the quality was so inspiring that I wanted to capture the moment with two recipes that honour tomatoes at their seasonal best.
Tomato, Peach and Burrata Salad
Ingredients
500 g tomatoes
1 ripe peach
1 tbsp olive oil
Zest and juice of half a lemon
1 chilli, finely chopped
Pinch of salt
2 balls burrata
Method
Roughly chop the tomatoes and peach. Mix the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, chilli and salt to make a dressing. Toss the fruit through the dressing. Serve with half a ball of burrata per person and finish with a little more dressing. Best enjoyed with fresh sourdough.
Tomato Tarte Tatin
Ingredients
500 g tomatoes, mixed sizes
25 g butter
25 g caster sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 sheet puff pastry
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C. Melt the butter, sugar and balsamic in a pan and simmer until it becomes a light caramel. Pour into a lined tart tin and spread quickly before it sets. Halve the tomatoes and arrange them cut side down in the caramel.
Lay the puff pastry over the top, trim the edges and tuck the overhang inside the tin. Add one or two small holes to release steam. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden. Allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a plate. Reserve any caramel that escapes and drizzle over the tart. Serve warm with steamed asparagus.
A Seasonal Note
Litha marks the height of the sun’s power and the moment when gardens and fields begin to surge with early summer abundance. Tomatoes are one of the season’s purest pleasures and these simple recipes honour their brightness at this point in the Celtic year. Enjoy them fresh, slow and outdoors if you can.
