Tomato-Palooza

During the growing season, we eagerly anticipate the moment when our garden provides us with fresh tomatoes. When the time finally arrives, we feel proud and ecstatic about our beautiful, sweet home-grown tomatoes. We enjoy them in various ways, from simple pleasures like freshly sliced tomatoes sprinkled with Celtic Sea salt, to delightful salads, sandwiches, and flavorful sauces.

We enjoy sharing our bountiful crop with friends, colleagues, and neighbors. Still, sometimes we are overwhelmed by the abundance of tomatoes and need new recipes and ideas to enjoy them throughout the summer.

To extend the enjoyment of our harvest, we freeze our tomatoes for future use. We can make our favorite pasta sauce, portion it, and freeze it. We wash our tomatoes and freeze them with the skin on, for larger tomatoes remove the core. We use these frozen tomatoes straight from the freezer in soups, stews, or sauces during the winter.

While summer is still here, try our bulletproof recipe with a few ingredients that yield a bold taste:

Mediterranean Salsa:
- Chopped red onion
- Crushed garlic
- Chopped tomatoes
- Capers
- Chopped olives
- Fresh herbs such as parsley and basil
- Balsamic vinegar

Toss everything in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy this salsa on toast, with chips, or over your favorite protein. Mix salsa with chickpeas or white beans and serve it in a wrap or with garlic bread for a light lunch or dinner.

For those who are looking for a heartier option, turn this recipe into a pasta dish:

- Chopped red onion
- Crushed garlic
- Chopped tomatoes
- Chopped olives
- Capers
- Red chili flakes
- Fresh herbs such as parsley and basil
- Cooked spaghetti, fettuccine, or your favorite pasta
- Parmesan

In a large skillet, sauté the onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft. Then stir in the garlic and sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, and chili flakes, sprinkle with salt, and cook until the tomatoes burst. Finally, add the herbs and pasta into the skillet, toss until well coated, mix with Parmesan cheese, and serve.