“Endings are almost always a little sad, even when there is something to look forward to on the other side,” writes the author Emily Giffin. For me, this notion is aptly applied to tomato season, the end of which signifies the last of the brightest warmth of summer—and also the eager anticipation of a positive autumn ahead.
I am a believer in squeezing every bit of joy from the things I love, and that means turning my attention in early September to how I can make the most of the last of the heavy, juicy tomatoes on my garden vines. I have my high-summer favorites, but how can I send the season out with a flavorful bang?
1) Gazpacho
Cold, bracingly flavorful and requiring only a blender to make, this classic soup is a celebration of tomatoes and their late summer cousins: cucumber, sweet pepper and basil. Smash up a clove or two of garlic, add a heavy squeeze of lime or lemon and blitz your harvest into a refreshing, delicious treat. Top with crumbled feta cheese or diced avocado for a protein upgrade.
2) Easy Tomato Tart
Store-bought puff pastry, thawed and poked with the tines of a fork make this tart as easy as it is elegant. Brush the pastry with olive oil—you can mix this with minced garlic or even rub the pastry with cut garlic before you oil. Thinly slice your most riotously colorful late-season tomatoes and pat them dry with paper towels before arranging them on the pastry. Top with kosher salt, black pepper and an additional drizzle of olive oil before baking at 375 for 30-35 minutes. Serve topped with torn fresh basil leaves.
3) Tomato Grain Salad
Cooked grains like farro, spelt or wheat berries are a reliable year-round staple, but my thoughts turn to a grain-salad-for-dinner in the fall, when sturdy vegetables like butternut squash start to appear in the grocery stores again. They are just as delicious as a canvas for your colorful tomato harvest. Chop a variety of tomatoes and fold into your grains with spinach or torn herbs, sweet or spicy peppers, and the last of the summer’s sweet corn. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and vinegar or citrus juice to dress your salad for success.
How do you enjoy the last of the summer’s tomato crop?
