5 Tasty & Creative Local Heirloom Tomato Recipes
Recently, we covered the wide selection of Brim Seed Co. heirloom seeds that we carry at Farmview Market, with suggestions for gardeners that are still learning the process of planting & harvesting local heirloom vegetables. Since tomatoes are among the most popular heirlooms, we wanted to feature some wholesome and delicious heirloom tomato recipes.
Heirloom fruits and vegetables are cultivated through open pollination, which means the crops are pollinated naturally, using insects and wind to fuel the future generations. This also ensures that the offspring produces seeds that resemble the original parent plant.
Another characteristic trait of heirlooms is the variation of bright, vibrant colors. In addition to the bold saturation of color, heirlooms are also said to have high quality and amazing flavor, sometimes regarded as having a more “authentic” taste.
Heirloom tomatoes are available in an assortment of shapes and colors, ranging from green, yellow, purple, and orange, to the traditional bright red. The succulent, true-to-taste flavor of heirloom tomatoes outweighs many hybrid varieties. This is why recipes that incorporate fresh heirloom tomatoes are bursting with flavor. See our top 5 picks below for simple-yet-creative heirloom tomato recipes that use fresh heirlooms, and be sure to let us know how these creations work out for you at home!
Recipe via Sally's Baking Addiction
1 Prepared pizza crust
1 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Cloves of garlic, roasted & finely chopped
1/4 cup Pizza sauce of your preference
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/2 -inch thick pieces
2 Heirloom tomatoes, sliced
Handful of fresh basil
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Prepare your pizza dough on a pan or pizza stone and preheat the oven to the prescribed temperature. To prevent the filling from making your pizza crust soggy, brush the top lightly with olive oil.
Mix the olive oil and chopped garlic together in a small dish. After brushing your crust with oil, wait 15 minutes, and spread olive oil/garlic mixture on top of the crust. Top with pizza sauce, then the mozzarella cheese slices, then your heirloom tomato slices.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil and pepper. Bon Appetit!
Recipe via The Pioneer Woman
1 1/2 cups Balsamic vinegar
1 cup Olive oil
5 Heirloom tomatoes
5 Large mozzarella balls
Handful of fresh basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Begin first by reducing balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-to-low heat. Allow balsamic vinegar to reduce for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat when it becomes a thick, but pourable, glaze.
Cut the tomatoes into slightly thick slices. Repeat this step with the mozzarella. Lay alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella on a platter. Tuck a basil leaf underneath each individual slice. Drizzle olive oil over the entire dish. Drizzle balsamic reduction as well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe via The Noshery
4 -6 Slices Farmview select thick-cut bacon
4 Slices sourdough bread
4 tbsp. Butter
1 Egg
1 Heirloom tomato, sliced
1 cup Arugula
1/2 Lime
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzle
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 Clove garlic
2 tsp. Balsamic reduction
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay bacon on prepared sheet pan and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy. In a small bowl, combine mayo ingredients and set aside to allow flavors to meld.
Heat a large skillet, or griddle, over medium heat . Depending on the size of your skillet or griddle you may have to do this in batches. Melt 1 tbsp. of butter for each side of bread as you toast the bread, don't add the butter all at once. Also, be careful not to let the skillet get too hot or the butter will brown. While toasting the bread, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat, spray with non-stick spray, and slowly fry the egg until the yolk has set as desired.
In a small bowl, toss arugula with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lime, season with salt. Spread toasted sourdough with balsamic mayo. Build your heirloom BLT by assembling bread, bacon, tomato, arugula, egg and bread.
Recipe via Sunset Magazine
1 lb. Ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
3-4 Cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and chopped (For a true heirloom treat, try finding heirloom cucumbers as well!)
1/3 cup Green onion, chopped
1/3 cup Cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup Basil, chopped
1 tsp. Fresh lemon juice
Process everything except cucumbers in a food processor lightly until the soup has reached your preferred texture. About 15 seconds should give you a salsa-like purée. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to develop as your vegetables chill. You may chill for up to two days. Garnish with chopped cucumber and add more salt to taste. Enjoy!
Recipe via Martha Stewart
12 Ripe heirloom tomatoes, washed & cored (About 3 1/2 lbs.)
3 Fresh basil sprigs
4 Cloves of garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise (About 3 tbsp.)
1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high. Prepare an ice bath. Score a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato with a knife, then place in boiling water for about 10 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes immediately into ice bath. When cool, remove and peel tomatoes by gripping the skin at the bottom of the scored X.
Combine tomatoes (cored sides down), basil, and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle generously with salt and drizzle with oil. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer tomatoes with the juice to quart-size mason jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Pair with your favorite fish or meat dish, or freeze until use— up to 1 year.
Heirloom fruits and vegetables are cultivated through open pollination, which means the crops are pollinated naturally, using insects and wind to fuel the future generations. This also ensures that the offspring produces seeds that resemble the original parent plant.
Another characteristic trait of heirlooms is the variation of bright, vibrant colors. In addition to the bold saturation of color, heirlooms are also said to have high quality and amazing flavor, sometimes regarded as having a more “authentic” taste.
Heirloom tomatoes are available in an assortment of shapes and colors, ranging from green, yellow, purple, and orange, to the traditional bright red. The succulent, true-to-taste flavor of heirloom tomatoes outweighs many hybrid varieties. This is why recipes that incorporate fresh heirloom tomatoes are bursting with flavor. See our top 5 picks below for simple-yet-creative heirloom tomato recipes that use fresh heirlooms, and be sure to let us know how these creations work out for you at home!
Fresh Heirloom Tomato Recipes
Recipe via Sally's Baking AddictionMargherita Pizza
Ingredients:
1 Prepared pizza crust
1 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Cloves of garlic, roasted & finely chopped
1/4 cup Pizza sauce of your preference
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/2 -inch thick pieces
2 Heirloom tomatoes, sliced
Handful of fresh basil
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare your pizza dough on a pan or pizza stone and preheat the oven to the prescribed temperature. To prevent the filling from making your pizza crust soggy, brush the top lightly with olive oil.
Mix the olive oil and chopped garlic together in a small dish. After brushing your crust with oil, wait 15 minutes, and spread olive oil/garlic mixture on top of the crust. Top with pizza sauce, then the mozzarella cheese slices, then your heirloom tomato slices.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the cheese is bubbling. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil and pepper. Bon Appetit!
Recipe via The Pioneer WomanHeirloom Caprese Salad
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Balsamic vinegar
1 cup Olive oil
5 Heirloom tomatoes
5 Large mozzarella balls
Handful of fresh basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Begin first by reducing balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-to-low heat. Allow balsamic vinegar to reduce for about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat when it becomes a thick, but pourable, glaze.
Cut the tomatoes into slightly thick slices. Repeat this step with the mozzarella. Lay alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella on a platter. Tuck a basil leaf underneath each individual slice. Drizzle olive oil over the entire dish. Drizzle balsamic reduction as well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe via The NosheryHeirloom Tomato BLT with Balsamic Mayo
Ingredients:
4 -6 Slices Farmview select thick-cut bacon
4 Slices sourdough bread
4 tbsp. Butter
1 Egg
1 Heirloom tomato, sliced
1 cup Arugula
1/2 Lime
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzle
Salt to taste
For Mayo:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1 Clove garlic
2 tsp. Balsamic reduction
Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay bacon on prepared sheet pan and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy. In a small bowl, combine mayo ingredients and set aside to allow flavors to meld.
Heat a large skillet, or griddle, over medium heat . Depending on the size of your skillet or griddle you may have to do this in batches. Melt 1 tbsp. of butter for each side of bread as you toast the bread, don't add the butter all at once. Also, be careful not to let the skillet get too hot or the butter will brown. While toasting the bread, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat, spray with non-stick spray, and slowly fry the egg until the yolk has set as desired.
In a small bowl, toss arugula with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lime, season with salt. Spread toasted sourdough with balsamic mayo. Build your heirloom BLT by assembling bread, bacon, tomato, arugula, egg and bread.
Recipe via Sunset MagazineHeirloom Garden Gazpacho
Ingredients:
1 lb. Ripe heirloom tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
3-4 Cucumbers, quartered lengthwise and chopped (For a true heirloom treat, try finding heirloom cucumbers as well!)
1/3 cup Green onion, chopped
1/3 cup Cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup Basil, chopped
1 tsp. Fresh lemon juice
Directions:
Process everything except cucumbers in a food processor lightly until the soup has reached your preferred texture. About 15 seconds should give you a salsa-like purée. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to develop as your vegetables chill. You may chill for up to two days. Garnish with chopped cucumber and add more salt to taste. Enjoy!
Recipe via Martha StewartHeirloom Tomato Confit
Ingredients:
12 Ripe heirloom tomatoes, washed & cored (About 3 1/2 lbs.)
3 Fresh basil sprigs
4 Cloves of garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise (About 3 tbsp.)
1/2 cup Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high. Prepare an ice bath. Score a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato with a knife, then place in boiling water for about 10 seconds. With a slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes immediately into ice bath. When cool, remove and peel tomatoes by gripping the skin at the bottom of the scored X.
Combine tomatoes (cored sides down), basil, and garlic in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle generously with salt and drizzle with oil. Bake until tender, about 50 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer tomatoes with the juice to quart-size mason jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Pair with your favorite fish or meat dish, or freeze until use— up to 1 year.