August in NYC can have a lot of different meanings.  To some it is the end of the hot muggy summer months, to others its the end of BBQ and outdoor activities, to a lot of chefs its TOMATO SEASON.  This year the New York area seems to have a great crop of tomatoes.  The hot climate we have had the past few months makes the tomatoes grow faster and sweeter.

There are plenty of tomatoes out there to chose from but some of my favorites are heirlooms.  Heirloom tomatoes are not your ordinary variety.  They are original strains not genetically modified like the tomatoes you get in the grocery store.  They are not perfectly round, all one color and not all the same shape.  So if you are looking for unity go your local grocer and you will be satisfied.  If you are looking to break the mold of that boring red, round, plain, unsweet and flavorless tomato head to your local greenmarket and pick up some heirlooms.  They are the exact opposite of grocery store tomatoes.  They have not been ripened with green house gasses or genetically altered.  They are passed down through generations through seed saving and are delicious, juicy, sweet and bursting with flavor.  There are a lot of different types of heirlooms, all with different flavor profiles.  Some of the more common ones are Beefsteak, Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, Black Krim, Oxacan Jewel, Yellow Valencia , Black Russian, Brandy Wine, German Stripe Sunday, Early Girl and Big Pink.

There is a lot of debate as what constitutes an heirloom tomato.  How long do the seeds need to be passed down for it to be considered heirloom? There is no exact answer for that but one thing everyone agrees on is heirlooms must be open pollinated.  Tomatoes mostly self pollinate and rarely cross pollinate, so if you plant heirlooms and save the seeds year after year you will most likely continue to generate the exact same fruit.  As with anything there are some disadvantages to planting heirlooms.  They are not as disease resistant as genetically modified tomatoes so they are prone to cracking and they don't have much of a shelf life.  That shouldn't be a problem though because once you taste them I am sure they will not last long.

Most people don't cook with heirlooms because they have such great flavor raw.  They are used a lot in salads.  Try just slicing an heirloom and pair it with some fresh mozzarella, sprinkle of fleur de sel and a drizzle of aged balsomic.  After the first bite you will see what I mean.  I like to use heirlooms in one dish that is cooked however: tomato tarte tatin.  This is a twist on the classic dessert, apple or pear tarte tatin.  It's normally sweet but I put some savory twists on it.  Sherry vinegar and the natural sweetness of the tomatoes combine to make this is a great first course for your next gathering.  It also can be made early in the day before your guests arrive then just popped in the oven, warmed and served.  Enjoy!

Caramelized Tomato Tarte Tatin

Yields 6 Servings

 

4-5 Medium Sized Heirloom Tomatoes

2 tsp Fresh Thyme, Chopped

2 tsp Pitted Kalamata Olives, Chopped

3 ea. Medium Shallot, Thinly Sliced

2 ea Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1/2 c Sugar

5 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter

2 Tbsp. Sherry Vinegar

1 Sheet Frozen Puff Pastry, Thawed

Salt and Pepper

 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Depending on the size of the tomatoes you get core and ¼ them or 1/6 them.  Tomatoes as they bake will give off allot of moisture.  So when they are cut remove as much of the seeds and any other goop inside to reduce the amount of moisture you start off with.  If you leave too much you will have soup rather than a tart. 

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a 9-10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook slowly until caramelized.  When shallots are caramelized add minced garlic, cook for an additional 20 seconds, remove everything from skillet and reserve.  Add the remaining 4 tbsp butter and sherry vinegar to the skillet and melt.  Add the sugar to the skillet and mix with a wooden spatula, cook until liquefied, then remove from heat.  Spread sugar/butter evenly around that pan and arrange the tomato wedges, skin side down close together in skillet.  Try to fill in any voids. 

Return the skillet to medium heat and continue to cook until the sugar mixture is amber in color and reduced to syrup.  This should take approximately 10 to 15 minutes.  If your syrup is cooking to quickly reduce the heat.  About 10 minutes into the cooking add the olives and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.  When fully cooked your tomatoes should all be arranged as tight as possible with the skin side down.  The side that is down in the pan will be the top of your tart.  Remove from heat.

Trim the corners of the puff party to make a very rough 9 to 10-inch round.  Sprinkle the caramelized shallots and garlic mixture on top of the tomatoes.  Place pastry round atop tucking in the edges with a knife.  Cut a few small slits in the pastry.  Place skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.  Remove skillet from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.  Cut around the sides of the skillet to loosen pastry.  Place a large enough plate over the skillet and quickly invert.  Let the tart settle and remove the skillet.  Replace any tomatoes that stuck.  Serve slightly warmed.

 Executive Chef Michael Goldsborough

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