Seven Ways With… Tomatoes

There are so many foods out there that deserve the credit for being versatile and go beyond the mistaken boundaries of frying, baking and boiling. Tomatoes is renowned for being used for all sorts of delectable snacks and dishes, but have you ever thought about the other ways you can utilise its tastiness? In this feature, we’re looking at some alternative ways to cook and eat popular foods from across the globe. From unusual dishes to simple classics, here are seven ways with tomatoes. 1. Salsa Fresca Also known as Pico De Gallo, salsa fresca is refreshing, delicious and so easy to make. Best served fresh, you can moderate the heat by adjusting the amount of jalapeños. Have a look at the kitchn's recipe here. 2. Classic Tomato Soup Whenever the weather outside looks a bit miserable, there’s only one sensible thing to do warm you up: make a massive pot of homemade tomato soup! See Fine Cooking's recipe here. 3. Fried Green Tomatoes It garnered much fame from the film of the same name but fried green tomatoes is also a dish that's well worth making. It's great as an appetizer, snack, or as a side dish to your main meal. Have a look at this recipe here. 4. Rich Tomato Sauce A wonderfully classic, rich tomato sauce that goes great with pasta, meatballs and other dishes is worth having in your repertoire. Have a go at this recipe from Delia Smith here. 5. Stuffed Tomatoes Quick and easy and full of flavour. With stuffed tomatoes you can pretty much add anything to them. Cheese, meat, extra veg - the world is your oyster. Check out Clodagh McKenna's recipe here. 6. Homemade Ketchup Sure you could just pop to the shop and get your own, but making your own is so much more rewarding. Take a look at this homemade sugar and gluten free ketchup from Garraí Glas. 7. Panzanella The star of this dish is the tomatoes, so make sure you try to find a good, ripe selection of them. No need to worry about size or shape. Take as many colours as you can. Check out Patrick Ryan's recipe on RTÉ Food here.