A Greek Spin On Tomatoes

Tomatoes are in season right now.Probably everyone has tried all sorts of recipes with them by now from the simple sandwich to a primavera pasta sauce.To be honest we" re all a little tired right now of them and looking to a new and different tomato dish.Not to worry,There are a couple novel spins that can be part of a great summer meal. David Tanis decided to give this summer staple a Hellenic twist in his A City Kitchen column in the The New York Times Dining section yesterday with two very tasty dishes.The first is a tomato salad, similar to what would be served in Athens.A true Greek salad is nothing like what diners get here in the States.These huge bowls are filled with everything but the kitchen sink.A true one just has tomatoes , olive oil (preferably a fruity kind) and at most some herbs.There is feta cheese but only a small serving of it. Add pinches of dried oregano and fresh mint.If you want more variation then slice a red onion and throw in a few small bell peppers.It's a nice side for any thing barbecued, perfect with kabobs or good on its with crusty Greek bread or even pita.It's even a great dish to bring on a picnic or to the beach with some sandwiches.Mr Tanis recommends beefsteak tomatoes, fresh from the garden but I can also see the dish being made with plum or even cherry kinds. The second recipe is actually a baked one, featuring one of the staples of Greek cooking : seafood.It's made with feta cheese and more tomatoes.There"s an old culinary myth that cheese and any fish or crustacean cannot be cooked together.Ignore it.The feta becomes part of the sauce and compliments the fish.Besides it's added at the very end so the flavor is not permeable..The dish is a layered kind of one, with cooked tomatoes first, then the shrimp followed by the cheese.The only seasoning is just mint and oregano but you can omit these if you feel their flavors are too strong..Again Mr.Tanis recommends beefsteaks, but I can 't see why plum kind can be used too. A Greek spin on tomatoes is always welcome.Try it in a salad , with onions and peppers or baked with shrimp.Both recipes celebrate this summer standard in new ways with classic ingredients.