SELLMEYER FARM NEWSLETTER

Well I hope you all are enjoying your heirloom tomatoes! We picked all day yesterday and had tons of tomatoes! We also picked zucchini, cucumbers, peppers and okra. We did pretty good today at Columbia Farmers' Market, Fulton's wasn't to great. Here are a couple of tomato recipes to help you get rid of all your tomatoes!

SOUTHWESTERN HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD
This heirloom tomato salad won the People's Choice Award at the 2003 Kendall-Jackson Heirloom tomato Festival. Serve it warm or chilled, as an accompaniment to grilled chicken, meat, or fish. - Chef Fred Langley's on the Green
1tsp. cumin seeds
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large heirloom tomato, seeded and diced
2 1/2 cups corn kernels (about 4 lg. ears)
2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
In a dry, medium nonreactive saute' pan over high heat, toast the cumin seeds, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool and grind in a spice grinder or in a mortar.
In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute' for 1 minute. Add the tomato and corn kernels and saute' for another minute. Add the black beans and ground cumin and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serves 4

HEIRLOOM TOMATO BLOODY MARY SHRIMP SALSA
Zesty homemade roasted-tomato Bloody Mary mix is added to a fresh tomato salsa with shrimp to create a dish reminiscent of the Mexican Shrimp cocktails served in tall glasses. Regardless of its provenance, it will have you guests hovering around it. Chef Michael Dunn, Yankee Pier restaurant
2 large heirloom tomatoes, finely diced
12 oz. bay (cocktail) shrimp
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 pasilla chili, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. sliced green onion
1/2 cup Roasted Tomato Bloody Mary Mix (see recipe below)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh tortilla chips for serving
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, shrimp, onion, chili, cilantro, green onions, Bloody Mary mix, and lemon & lime juices; toss well with a spoon. Season with salt & pepper. Serve with tortilla chips. Serves 4-6

ROASTED HEIRLOOM TOMATO BLOODY MARY
Making your own roasted-tomato Bloody Mary mix is easy, and the flavor is beyond comparison with store-bough mixes. - Chef Michael Dunn, Yankee Pier restaurant
2 red heirloom tomatoes, quartered
1/2 onion, cut into large dice
1 jalapeno chili, stemmed
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup tomato water
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
fresh lemon juice to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the tomatoes, onion, and chili in a non-reactive roasting pan in one layer and roast for about 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the vodka and tomato water to the pan and roast for another 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender, add the cilantro, and puree until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days. Makes 2 cups.

TOMATO WATER
This pure, clear tomato juice is the distillation of the tomato taste. Use it to intensify the tomato flavor in any recipe.
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, chopped
Place the tomatoes in a sieve set over a bowl and let drain for about 2 hours, or until the tomatoes stop dripping. To further clarify the tomato water, strain it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Use the drained tomatoes in another recipe; a sauce made with them will be less watery than if made with un-drained tomatoes. Makes about 1/2 cup.

The above recipes came from "The Heirloom Tomato Cookbook" by Mimi Luebbermann