We can’t imagine summer and early fall without juicy tomatoes. Although we can buy them in supermarkets and marketplaces during this period, the best ones are from our own garden. Tomatoes can serve different purposes.
According to statistics, tomatoes are the most cultivated vegetable in the world. They come from faraway America, and their cultivation is said to have begun in Mexico and came to Europe (first to Spain and Portugal) thanks to Christopher Columbus. This plant, which is sometimes even classified as a fruit, is doing well in Slovakia – in greenhouses, foil greenhouses, but also in gardens and fields or on balconies. However, it only thrives in warmer locations.
Orange, Purple, and Brown
The fashion of homegrown tomatoes has flourished significantly in Slovakia recently too. The range of varieties whose seeds or seedlings are commonly available in spring is enormous and new varieties are added each year. Some of them please children because the fruits are smaller and sweeter, while others delight gourmands because they offer unfamiliar taste experiences. They are no longer just classic red globe fruits. When it comes to color, the fruits can be yellow, green, orange, purple, pink, almost black, or even brown.
They differ in taste and shape: cherry, plum, globe, heart-shaped, and others. The shape even suggests how to use them. For example, the largest globe fruits are ideal for preparing soups and sauces. Tomatoes in plum shape, are suitable for decorating canapes and sandwiches because there is not much juice coming out of them. Cherry tomatoes are best for immediate consumption – even in the garden. Tomatoes that contain a lower percentage of water and are sweeter are excellent for drying or grilling.
Tomatoes in Cuisines
The possibilities of using tomatoes are enormous and the health benefits of consumption are also significant.
In terms of use, it is not only soup, sauce, ketchup, juice, or the incorporation of slices into sandwiches, hamburgers, pasta, Mediterranean dishes, pizza, or vegetable salads. Recently, for example, dried tomatoes have become popular. Although their production tends to be more laborious, it is certainly worth trying to dry homegrown tomatoes. Dried tomatoes are a wonderful treat that can surprise your guests, who can leave the garden party with a small gift. It is also worthwhile to embark on the production of tomato chutney, which is also now a popular ingredient. It is suitable for roasted or grilled meat or cheese. Less often, tomato jam is prepared, resembling the rosehip jam with its flavor. A pinch of cinnamon, chili, ginger, or lemon will give it originality and an attractive taste.
Recipe:
Delicious tomatoes filled with minced meat (4 servings)
Ingredients: 4 large beefsteak tomatoes, sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, 1 red onion finely chopped, 3 chopped garlic cloves, 200 g minced beef, 1 teaspoon thyme, 50 g breadcrumbs, 100 g Gruyère cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley.
Directions: Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Cut the top off the tomatoes, and remove the center and seeds with a spoon. Try not to pierce the tomato. Add salt. Meanwhile, mix the minced beef with ½ cup breadcrumbs, finely chopped onions, uncut parsley, a spoonful of thyme, and two tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Fill the peeled tomatoes with the mixture and place the grated cheese on top. Sprinkle with olive oil and put back the top of the tomato. Place the stuffed tomatoes on a tray, on baking paper, and put them in the oven. After 40 minutes, you can serve it with fresh white pastries.
Text: Daniel Košťál, source: autor, Zrodené v EÚ, photo: Pixabay
