Tomato Tips

We wait all year for local tomatoes to fill our gardens or markets—once they arrive, we wonder, What will we do with all these tomatoes?! Parade chef Jon Ashton has the answer.

1. PARTY STARTER “Tomato bread is a nice alternative to bruschetta,” he says. Cut a baguette in half lengthwise, then cut into 3-inch lengths and toast. Grate large

tomatoes into a bowl, using a box grater’s largest holes; discard skin. Smear the tomato over the toast and top with a dollop of burrata (creamy mozzarella). Sprinkle with salt and black

pepper and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

2. DRINK UP For the chef’s summery-spicy sip, go to Parade.com/ bloody mary for a Tandoori Bloody Mary recipe.

3. DRY ’EM It’s so easy to make your own oven-dried tomatoes. Lay tomato slices on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 200°F for 8–10 hours, until edges are shriveled and dry. Let cool and put in a glass jar, covered with olive oil.

Store in the refrigerator. “I like to put some away for a rainy day,” Ashton says. “These are brilliant in soups or pasta.”

4. PICKLE IT Bring 1 cup distilled vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tsp sugar and 4 tsp kosher salt to a boil in a saucepan. Let cool 20 minutes. Pierce 1 pint (about 25–30) cherry tomatoes several times with a toothpick. Toss in a large bowl with ¼ cup chopped fresh dill and

2 thinly sliced garlic cloves; pour vinegar mixture over. Let stand at room temperature, then pour into jars. Store in refrigerator up to one month. Top salads, serve with cheese or chop to add to salsas.