On my way to the bank this morning I got sidetracked and walked through Copley Square Farmers' Market, which is held every Wednesday and Friday. I'll admit, I haven't done much cooking lately. It's been God-awful hot here in Boston and even hotter in my apartment (aka The Sweatbox). Seeing as how I suffer from what my fake Southern grandma would call 'a delicate constitution', I've been subsisting on lots of premade salads and cold treats. However, this morning it was *only* 80 degrees (plus humidity) and I had yet to have an heirloom tomato this season. By the time I arrived at the bank I had accumulated a pound of heirlooms, a pint of cherry tomatoes, a generous bunch of basil, and a small french baguette. My mind was already spinning with the possibilities: panzanella? caprese salad? marinated tomatoes with pasta? I decided to keep it simple for starters, since it was almost lunchtime, and caprese baguette seemed like the fastest way to get rid of my hunger pangs.
I sliced one of the heirlooms and delicately seasoned it with salt and pepper. If the tomatoes are fresh, which these were, you just need a touch of seasoning to enhance their natural flavor. I love the earthy, slightly tangy/slightly sweet flavor of heirlooms in their prime and this one was no exception. Then I chopped a generous heap of basil and sliced some mozzarella. I loaded everything between a sliced baguette and lightly drizzled the sandwich with EVOO. The tomato was absolutely perfect--just the right amount of juice. Luckily, I was home alone so I was free to eat my creation over the kitchen sink, like a lady. I figure tomorrow will be an excellent time to make panzanella with the leftover baguette and the rest of the heirlooms.
No comments:
Post a Comment