New Ways to Fix Tomatoes
Tomatoes, which are in abundance now, are the most popular home-grown vegetable in this country. Eating the first tomato of the season can almost make us forget the red "bowling balls" available during winter. In addition to slicing for use in salads or sandwiches, fresh tomatoes can be used in numerous ways. Once purchased, tomatoes are best stored at room temperature. For recipes requiring pulp, drop ripe tomatoes in boiling water for 10-20 seconds, plunge in cold water, then peel. Core tomatoes and cut in half prior to gently squeezing out the juice and seeds, then coarsely chop remaining pulp. Pulp will keep covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days and is an excellent way to extend the usefulness of very ripe tomatoes. The first recipe for Ratatouille not only takes advantage of the tomato crop, but also makes good use of eggplants, zucchini and red peppers.
