Tomatoes Everywhere!

It is prime tomato time at all of our local farms and markets. It's no secret that New Jersey tomatoes are glorious and their season is relatively short lived so don’t let it slip away without enjoying a couple of your personal favorite tomato creations whether it be a drippingly good BLT sandwich, a simple plate of sliced heirlooms, fresh mozarrella & basil or a refreshingly zesty bowl of tomato gazpacho. For the best area tomato finds, check out the live links to farmers’ markets included here on this page and pick up your very own copy of Farm Markets of Central New Jersey.

Here’s one of my personal favorite summertime tomato recipes…

Summer Tabboulleh Salad


Right alongside the BLT sandwich, tabbouleh salad has met the unfortunate fate of too often being served up as a year round menu staple. The problem is that this delicious treat – which is what it is when prepared in season with really good vine ripened tomatoes and fresh herbs – is simply lackluster when prepared with out of season ingredients. Uninspired, out of season tabbouleh tends to compensate with too much bulgur wheat and not enough of the good fresh ingredients that make this salad shine. The good news is that great Jersey tomatoes are ripe and ready now. Gardens and farm stands are brimming with fresh Italian parsley, spearmint and scallions – the other key ingredients needed to prepare this traditional Middle Eastern dish that, like hummus, we’ve enthusiastically embraced and welcomed into our kitchens. Tabbouleh has a season and the time is now so get chopping!

Good summer Tabbouleh, should be vibrant and green with fresh herbs. It’s delicious served as a bright refreshing compliment to anything and everything off the summer grill. I love it best served with grilled summer seafood as the flavor of the fresh herbs, lemon juice and olive oil make a perfect pairing.

1/3 cup finest grade bulgur wheat
2 bunches Italian parsley, washed well (1 generous cup chopped0
½ bunch spearmint, washed well (1/2 cup chopped)
4 scallions, trimmed washed and whites and light greens coarsely chopped
3 vine ripened summer tomatoes, cut into ¼ dice (1 ½ to 2 cup diced)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Small crisp lettuce cups for serving

Place bulgur in a small bowl, add fresh cool tap water to cover and set aside to absorb water for a few minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth lined colander and allow to rest while you prepare the remainder of ingredients.

Remove and discard all large parsley and mint stems. Pile the herb leaves into the work bowl of a food processor and pulse on and off to chop coarsely or use a large chopping blade to chop all leaves coarsely. Combine the chopped herbs, scallions, bulgur and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl and toss together. Cover and refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss to dress and season to taste with additional seasonings as needed. Serve surrounded with small crisp lettuce cups as this salad is really wonderful scooped up and eaten within the lettuce cups.