Too many tomatoes

The fruit of summer that kind of seems like it is a vegetable came a little late this year. Every one around me seemed to be growing them and I eagerly await the arrival of the early season northern hemisphere ones, a little too eager as it is months away.
The growers of tomatoes always end up with heaps all at once and the beauty of the simple tomato and basil salad gets lost on them.

A few instructions
Buy good balsamic, unfortunately this means expensive, trust me it is worth
Ok now you need good oil, nice salt and pepper mill.

Suggestions
No I haven’t finished telling you to support your local gourmet store yet….. Chorizo ok I am more than willing to admit I have a problem with this ingredient. It all started in Spain when I didn’t speak a word of Spanish, this paprika filled, fattier the better sweet smokey sausage broke through the language barrier and now remains one of my friends.
Now you know I have edible friends …… I will continue to sound like someone whose advice you think is worth paying attention too
All I am getting at is it makes a great salad.
Find top quality chorizo – this can be hard in NZ the Pyrenees has decent stuff
Slice thinly fry in a hot dry pan until releases oil turn and add halved cherry tomatoes, once they soften remove from heat and hit with a splash of balsamic. Pour over mixed greens, (I like baby spinach and rocket) with avocado, red onion and some potato croutons (just potato cut into cubes and cooked until crispy).

Next another warm dressing
Shallots dice and sweet with a little oil, add whole cherry tomatoes and throw in hot oven until skins burst. Remove and let cool, while still warm add some good oil and sherry vinegar. Salt and pepper. Great with grilled asparagus, a little goats cheese, crusty bread, shellfish, squid, nuts or pretty much anything else

Big ones
Try peeling them, real easy – pot of boiling water and bowl of ice water. Make little x at base of tomato and throw in boiling water for 20 seconds then ice, skin comes off easy.
Cut in half and deseed then stuff with a tuna aioli chive mix or feta olives and herbs.
Use seeds to make a sauce just cook with malt vinegar and brown sugar.
Tomato Bruschetta really benefits from skinned and seeded tomatoes

One more salad to finish
Heirloom tomatoes, these big ugly looking ones are super flavorful, these come ripe in reds, yellows and greens. Chop em up chunkey, combine with blanched green beans, quartered boiled eggs, add some or all; anchovies, capers, olices, tuna, herbs, and dress with a aioli.