Tomatoes By The Twos And Threes

 There's a phenomenon that's happening right now involving tomaottes.Maybe because it's the height of their season or there's so many of them right now. It seems that there are many dishes requiring two and three types of tomatoes.

I discovered this a week ago when I was trying to use up leftover grape and vine ripened ones . Both kinds looked ripe and juicy so why not combine them in a salad with some fresh basil and olive oil? It turned out to be a good combination, The smaller variety gave the bigger ones sweetness while the larger vine ripes brought a full bodiedness to the salad.A more colorful variation .  is using the Japanese black cherry tomatoes many groceries are selling right now. Combine these with what's called rainbow tomatoes (usually cherry tomatoes in orange,yellow and bright red hues) for a colorful end of summer dish. To make it more refreshing you could add watermelon chunks. Another idea is adding some kind of cheese whether feta or provolone.For a more Provencale flavor think about adding capers and anchovies or tuna to the salad too. A panzanella  or bread salad using different kinds of tomatoes is another tasty summer side or even lunch. Tear up a fresh loaf of Itlian bread or a baguette , toss in the mix of tomatoes and douse with a good glug of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and a sprinkling of torn freshly picked basil leaves.It's actually the easiest dish to make on a too hot day.

Can a combination of tomatoes be used in hot dishes! Yes! There is a recipe in tomorrow's New York Times Sunday Magazine that has Chef Eric KIm's sauce recipe. This looks like a good one, not just for the summer but for the cooler months ahead.He takes a mix of plum, cherry, grape and Campari tomatoes and transform them intoa silky sauce. Campari tomatoes has a high  sugar level and low acidity ,a perfect foil for the others.  All are coarsely chopped and then sauteed in olive oil and garlic .Cook  until the mix bubbles steasily. Salt is added and then the tomatoes are simmered over a medium heat. This will takes forty minutes until the tomatoes break down and then the sauce is sieved into a big bowl. Doing such rids the sauce of the skins and seeds,Repeatedly scrape the pulp agsinst the strainer to release more juice The sauce is then poured over spaghetti that's been cooked in the Dutch oven.It's stirred until every strand is coated. Tomato chutney is another dish you could make with two different kinds of tomatoes, It's an Indian side dish ususally cooked with a wide variety of spices.Most recipes call for one kind of tomato but you could add some grape or cherry ones for a sweetness that tempers the fieriness. Another idea is taking Campari and heriloom tomatoes and combining them in a tomatoes Provencale where they're sauteed in garlic and oil and topped with generous amount of breadcrumbs.

Combining toamtoes in cold and hot dishes is becoming popular. It's a great way of emphasizing the fruit's sweet and vegetal flavor. Try them in any combination for a tasty dish.