Chef Mario Batali writes: “You know, when you get your first asparagus, or your first acorn squash, or your first really good tomato of the season, those are the moments that define the cook’s year. I am more excited by that than anything else.”

Tomatoes are fruits, actually the large edible berries of the plant solanum lycopersicum and originated in western South America, Central America and Mexico. Spanish explorers brought tomatoes to Europe where (once they got over thinking they were poisonous due to their association with the nightshade family and their habit of tarnishing the pewter plates commonly used at the time) they became widely used in Spanish, French and Italian cuisines. Portuguese travelers introduced tomatoes to the Far East and India, while the British took them to North Africa and the Middle East, and later to the United States. 

These days it’s hard to think of a cuisine where tomatoes don’t play a major role. They are sweet, savory and full of umami. Fresh tomatoes are low in calories and carbs and moderately high in fiber. They provide lots of antioxidants, especially lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits, including a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer, and they are a good source of vitamin C, potassium, folate and vitamin K as well.

While tomatoes are available year-round, the tomatoes you get in the winter too often fall into the category described by "60 Minutes" curmudgeon Andy Rooney when he complained that the “federal government has sponsored research that has produced a tomato that is perfect in every respect, except that you can't eat it. We should make every effort to make sure this disease, often referred to as 'progress,' doesn't spread.”

There is something entirely magical about that first real tomato of the season — vine ripened, firm yet juicy, sweet yet acidic, and redolent with all the fragrances of summer. Ready to be sliced, seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper, maybe a dash of herbs, and popped into your mouth. That is if it even makes it out of the garden. 

So now is the time to take advantage of all the varieties  becoming available — from gardens, farm stands, CSAs, farmers' markets and even grocery stores — and enjoy these fruits of the summer. Or as Jose Andres puts it: “There is nothing better than picking up sun-warmed tomatoes and smelling them, feeling them and scrutinizing their shiny skins for imperfections, dreaming of ways to serve them.” 

The hardest part about cooking for this week’s column was picking just a few of the many available recipes to try — and my editors will tell you I didn’t do a very good job at that. So we’re keeping things short today to try to get in all the recipes we made. 

Starting out there’s the primavera stuffed chicken dinner. Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts are sliced hasselback style and stuffed with thinly sliced veggies — tomatoes, zucchini, peppers and red onion — drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with seasonings and mozzarella cheese. Baked in the oven, the breasts came out moist and the veggies retained a bit of crunch. Add more seasonings and maybe a bit of heat to your taste. We served ours up with some crisp roasted potatoes that baked along with the chicken.

Stuffed tomatoes are a great way to combine flavors and often can be frozen so that you can enjoy your summer bounty year-round. This version combines sweet Italian sausage with basil, panko for a bit of crunch, and fontina and parmesan cheeses. The cheese helped hold the filling together but the end result wasn’t at all greasy. Try this with a salad and maybe a slice or two of garlic bread.

What do you do with that tomato that fell off the vine before it ripened? Try some fried green tomatoes … or better yet, a fried green tomato sandwich. Sourdough bread layered with mashed avocado, fried green tomatoes, a spicy remoulade sauce, bacon, crispy romaine lettuce and a little mayo. This recipe took a bit of time to make but was tasty and surprisingly filling. One tip — go light on the avocado and heavy on the remoulade for the best combination of flavors. 

Need more of a snack? Try this easy cherry tomato bruschetta — a nice Italian batard lightly fried in fragrant olive oil topped with quartered cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic and a pinch of salt. Makes a great afternoon snack or a full lunch when served up with a salad. 

And speaking of salad — the saying goes that “Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.” But that doesn’t mean that tomatoes can’t date other fruits. This summer tomato and cantaloupe salad melds sweet and savory with tomato, cucumber and red onion marinated in apple cider vinegar, tossed with fresh cantaloupe and sprinkled with a dressing that combines olive oil, lime juice and a dash of maple syrup. Talk about all the flavors of summer ... 

And there you have it. Take a bite out of a fresh tomato and enjoy summer’s bounty while you can. Just watch out for those juices dribbling down your chin.

Source: Thrillist by Lena Abraham, Aug. 29, 2017

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make slits in each chicken breast, being careful not to cut through completely, and stuff with zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers and red onion.

2. Drizzle with oil and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with mozzarella.

3. Bake until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside, 25 minutes.

4. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Columnist’s tip: To keep from cutting completely through the chicken, place a couple of skewers through the base of the breast before you make your cuts.

Source: Delish, by Anna Watson Carl, July 8, 2022

2. Core tomatoes with a paring knife and cut a larger 2-inch wide circle on top of each. Using a small spoon, scoop out insides, place tomatoes upside-down on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and let drain while you prep the filling.

3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned and cooked through, 8 minutes.

4. Using a slotted spoon, remove sausage mixture to a large paper towel-lined bowl to soak up grease, then discard paper towel and stir in basil, Panko, fontina and Parmesan.

5. Place tomatoes in a small baking dish and season insides with salt and pepper. Stuff tomatoes with sausage mixture (filling will shrink as you cook, so be sure to mound tops until they look like they’re overflowing), and bake until cheese is melting and tops are golden, 15-20 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes and serve with a simple green salad.

Source: by Shani W., Coined Cuisine, July 20, 2022

1. Start by mixing all of the remoulade sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Cover, and let sit in the refrigerator until the sandwiches are ready to assemble.

2. Slice the green tomatoes about ¼ inch thick. Lay down on a paper towel-lined pan, top with another paper towel, and let them dry for at least 20 minutes.

3. While the tomatoes are drying, cook the bacon to your preference. I like to bake mine in the oven at 390 degrees for about 10 minutes. Be sure to pat dry your bacon.

4. Prepare the rest of your ingredients: Wash and slice the Romaine lettuce, toast the sourdough, and mash the avocados. Season the avocado mash with a bit of salt and pepper.

5. Your tomatoes should now be dry! In a shallow bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and the hot sauce.

6. In another shallow bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and black pepper.

7. Dip the tomatoes in the egg wash, then the dry mix and repeat to double-coat them.

8. Let the tomatoes rest while you heat up the oil in a cast-iron skillet to about 375 degrees. You want enough oil to barely cover the tomatoes.

9. Fry the tomatoes for 5-6 minutes until golden brown, flipping them halfway through. Be sure to not overcrowd your skillet; I suggest frying 3 or 4 at a time.

10. Assemble the sandwiches: bread, avocado mash, fried green tomatoes, remoulade sauce, bacon, lettuce, mayo and bread. This order makes the perfect bite! Enjoy!

1. To start press (or finely mince) half of the garlic into a small mixing bowl, then add the olive oil and whisk to evenly distribute the garlic. Add the tomatoes, basil and salt, and toss gently to combine. Set aside.

2. Generously oil a large cast iron skillet and, with the heat off, place the bread slices (as many as will fit) into the oil, then flip them to evenly coat both sides. Once the bread is oiled, turn the heat on to medium and toast the bread. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn, flipping each piece after about 2 minutes, or when the underside is deeply golden. Repeat with any remaining bread, adding more oil as needed.

3. Place your toasted bread on a wooden cutting board or other surface to cool slightly. Take your remaining cloves of garlic and cut them in half lengthwise. When the bread is cool enough to handle, rub each slice with half a clove of garlic. Finally, cut each slice of bread in half (for 8 total pieces as recipe is written, adjust if altering the default number of servings) and top each piece with a generous serving of the tomato mixture.

4. Serve immediately! Delicious alongside salads, pasta or soups.

 Recipe note: Best when fresh, but the tomato mixture will keep for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Not freezer friendly.

1. Add cucumber, tomato and onion to a small mixing bowl and top with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Adjust flavor as needed, adding more vinegar for acidity or salt and pepper for flavor balance. Set in the refrigerator to chill.

2. Prepare dressing by adding lime juice, maple syrup, and sea salt to a small mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lime juice for brightness/acidity, maple syrup for sweetness, or salt for flavor balance. Set aside.

3. Add cantaloupe to a large serving bowl and top with dressing. Gently toss to combine. Then add the cucumber-tomato-onion salad on top, leaving any excess liquid/dressing behind.

4. Gently toss to combine and garnish with fresh mint. Serve.

Recipe note: Best when fresh. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Leave mint on the side to keep as fresh as possible.

Note — if there’s not enough room the last recipe can be on line only, just need to note that at the end of the column.