On the way home from my last family camping trip, we stopped at an amazing farm shop in Lincolnshire. The shop had row after row of fruit and vegetables which are grown on the farm. I was a bit giddy at the sight and ended up buying a lot of fresh foods. We then had to fit our bounty into the car, alongside the tent and all of our camping gear! The best bit of my impulse shopping was a lovely selection of colourful and plump tomatoes of many shapes and sizes. Beautiful spherical cherry tomatoes, deep red salad tomatoes and striking large yellow fruits were all in my bag. I couldn’t wait to get home and add them to all different kinds of dishes.
Varieties of tomatoes are in season in the UK from mid-summer to mid-autumn. Some varieties have short seasons and some are around for longer. Keep an eye out at markets and farm shops for different varieties as they all have their own special features. You don’t have to be a botanical expert to spot the difference; look for obvious differences in colour, size and shape. Not all tomatoes are round and red!
Tomatoes also pack lots of nutrients into their sweet and juicy fruit. They are a great source of vitamins C and E, some B vitamins, vitamin K and carotenoids, which are important for maintaining eye health. Knowing how nutritious tomatoes are makes them seem even tastier when I’m tucking into a delicious tomato and basil salad.
I use tomatoes in so many different ways; it’s hard to choose my favourite. I love making fresh tomato sauces, chutneys and salsa. Of course, they are also a brilliant addition to a salad. My top tip is to salt them before adding them to a salad. Salting tomatoes draws out some of the moisture, intensifying the flavour and making sure you aren’t left with a puddle at the bottom of your salad bowl. The salt will also highlight the sweetness of the tomatoes, making the flavours really pop in your salad. Simply chop or slice the tomatoes, pop them into a colander or sieve and sprinkle generously with table salt or salt flakes. Leave for 15-20 minutes before giving them a toss and adding to your salad bowl.
Cooking fresh tomatoes is a brilliant way to use up any that are a bit too squishy for slicing into a salad or sandwich. This recipe from our online collection is perfect with a salad on warmer days, or with steamed green vegetables on colder evenings. It uses tinned and fresh tomatoes so you get double the flavour.
