61May 2010www.MHLAS.com

We marvel at the more than 100 varieties of enticing heirloom tomatoes and feast our eyes and palates on nature’s delicious harvest, reveling in their

names: Black Brandywine, Goliath, Sun Gold, Black Plum, Marianna’s Peace, German Giant, Banana Legs, Big Rain-bow, Aunt Gertie’s Gold, Box Car Willie, Daydream, Louisi-ana Pink and Missouri Pink Love Apple. Such signatures tell tales of their origins and of those who delighted in growing them. Their seeds have been handed down through generations of tomato growers whose love for these varieties has been shared with their neighbors and communities. To be certified as heirloom, a tomato must be grown from seed that has produced the same variety for at least 50 years; plus, it must be certified organic by a recognized U.S. Department of Agriculture organization. An heirloom cannot be a hybrid—a product of cross-pollination used for store-bought varieties to toughen them against susceptibility to parasites and lengthen their shelf life. Rather, they must be grown outdoors and naturally pollinated. The popularity of old-fashioned tomatoes has blossomed in recent years, not only due to their refreshing flavors, textures and crazy colors, but also because of their organic origins. Although heirloom tomatoes may blemish and spoil more quickly than factory-produced hybrids, they are worth the effort. Every bite of the delicious fruit speaks for itself. As a rule of thumb, the redder the tomato, the sweeter it is. Darker varieties, such as the purple and black,

generally offer a nice mixture of sweet and tart; the green and white tend to be more bitter. All are prized for their plentiful disease-fighting antioxidants and vitamins. Further, they present a healthful rainbow of colors and tastes that integrate well in a wide array of dishes.

Preparation Tips

Here are some easy ways to prepare some of the most popu-lar varieties of heirloom tomatoes:

Cherokee Purple: This sweet heirloom tomato, reportedly enjoyed by the Cherokee people, has a rich, smoky taste. For an impromptu Mexican pico de gallo party salsa, chop up a couple of Cherokee Purples with half a chopped jalapeño pepper, a couple of spoons of chopped onion, fresh corian-der, a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of natural salt.

Great White: This sweet and juicy yellow tomato exhibits low acidity levels. Slice and serve

with a little ground sea salt and fresh pepper.

Green Zebra: When ripe, this green tomato

has yellow stripes. It’s sweet, yet a bit tart at the same time. When preparing a

pasta dish, toss to-gether the sauce and/or

vegetables directly in the pan with the cooked pasta,

and then add chopped tomatoes just before

HEIRL M T MAT ES

by Chantal Clabrough

GOOD PICKING IN THE GARDEN

consciouseating

62 Natural Awakenings of East Michigan

serving.

Nebraska Wedding: This large, orange meaty tomato is sweet enough to be perfect on its own with fresh pepper and drizzled olive oil.

Snow White Cherry: Similar in flavor to other good cherry tomatoes, this sweet yellow cherry tomato perfectly comple-ments a tossed salad.

A final tip: Enjoy heirloom tomatoes within a few days of purchase. They lose their flavors when stored in the refrigera-tor, so put them in a dry place on the counter, out of direct sunlight.

Find more information in Carolyn Male’s 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden.

Chantal Clabrough is the author of A Pied Noir Cookbook: French Sepha rd ic Cu i s ine f rom A lge r i a and a contributor to SustainableTable.org.

Where to Buy Seeds

Gary Ibsen’s Tomato Fest at TomatoFest.com

Golden Harvest Organics at GHorganics.com/heirloom_tomatoes.htm

Heirloom Tomatoes at HeirloomTomatoes.net/Varieties.htm

Summer servings: 6

6 ears of organic corn with husks on6 cups water1 tsp salt (divided use)Freshly ground pepper to taste2 tbsp unsalted sustainable butter1 cup chopped sweet onions½ cup peeled and diced yellow potatoes (Yukon Gold, Yellow Finn or German Butterball)½ cup chopped celery1 tsp chopped fresh thyme½ tsp fresh sweet marjoram1 cup rBGH-free buttermilk (no manmade bovine growth hormone)Pesto3 small heirloom tomatoes, diced

Soak ears of corn in cold water for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Drain corn; place on baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes; turn corn over and roast 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Remove husks, cut kernels from cobs and set aside.

Chop cobs into two-inch pieces and place in a large pot with the water and ½ teaspoon salt.

Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 1 hour; strain, discard cobs and save broth.

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add on-ions, potatoes, celery, remaining salt and pepper.

Cook until vegetables are wilted. Add corn, corn broth and fresh herbs.

Simmer until vegetables are tender.

Purée and strain by pressing through a medium-coarse strainer and chill.

Stir in buttermilk and adjust seasonings before serving.Garnish soup with a dollop of pesto and diced tomatoes Tip: Excellent with a grass-fed steak, seasoned with salt and pepper, or simply with bread and a farmers’ market salad.

Source: Cooking Fresh from the Mid-Atlan-tic, edited by Fran Mc-Manus and Wendy Rickard

Chilled Corn Soup with Pesto and Heirloom Tomatoes

63May 2010www.MHLAS.com

Summer servings: 4

Cold Soup6 organic Yellow Taxi tomatoes or other low-acid, sweet yellow heirloom tomatoesRipe cloves of garlic peeled, to taste1 English or standard organic cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into large pieces1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into large pieces1 red onion, cut into large pieces½ small, hot red chili, seeded and cut into large pieces or to taste¼ cup red wine vinegar3 oz extra virgin olive oilKosher salt and white pepper to taste4 each, red and yellow heirloom cherry tomatoes, cut in half for garnish

Salsa2 seasonal avocados, preferably Haas, diced small1 small hot red chili, seeded and diced small1 small red onion, diced small1 red heirloom slicing tomato, peeled, seeded and diced1 tbsp cilantro, finely choppedJuice of one lime¼ cup extra virgin olive oilKosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

To Prepare the Soup:Working in batches, purée all ingredients except for the cherry tomatoes in a blender until smooth.

Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into another bowl by pressing the solids with a wooden spoon to extract liquid.

Season with salt and pepper.

Refrigerate two hours or overnight.

Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

To Prepare the Salsa:Combine all ingredients in a stainless steel bowl and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.

To Serve:Place salsa in the center of chilled soup bowls.Ladle soup around the salsa and garnish with red and yellow cherry tomato halves.

Advance Preparation:The chef recommends making this soup a day ahead; the flavors are better and more complex when given a day of rest in the refrigerator.

Tips:This soup can be made with either red or yellow tomatoes, as long as they are ripe. The flavor of the soup depends entirely on the taste of the tomatoes. Ripe organic tomatillos

can be substituted for the heirloom tomatoes in the salsa; they will add a citrus flavor element that bal-

ances the richness of the avocado.

Source: The Sustainable Kitchen: Passionate Cooking Inspired

by Farms, Forests and Oceans by Chef Stu Stein

with Mary Hinds and Judith H. Dern.

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho with Avocado-Tomato Salsa

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