Knock: The many fruitful dishes anchored by heirloom tomatoes

My tomatoes may not be bigger than yours. They may not be redder than yours. They have, however, logged more miles than yours.

Let me explain.

Back in January, I wrote a column about my friends, Matt and Pat, two all-around good guys who operate Coyote Run Farm in Marion County. That column was about ground beef, and I wrote it after I gave members of my family several pounds of genuine Coyote Run beef for Christmas.

I knew the beef was good because the other Michael and I got to sample some during a visit to the farm last August. It was delicious, and so were the homegrown heirloom tomatoes they served alongside their burgers.

Pat raises more than 40 varieties of heirloom tomato plants at Coyote Run. For the record, an heirloom tomato is one whose seeds have been passed down from generation to generation. They are also open-pollinated, which means you can save seeds from tomato plants one year, plant them the next year, and get the same variety. That is not true of many of the genetically modified plants that are often available at the supermarket.

Heirloom tomatoes come in every shape, size, color and taste. There are Black Krims and Cherokee Purples. There are also Ox Hearts, Opalkas and Paul Robesons. During our visit to Coyote Run last summer, Pat invited us to just pick some off the vine and take a bite. They were amazing with a sweetness you cannot find in most commercial tomatoes.

That’s because most commercial tomatoes are bred for their ability to survive travel across long distances rather than for their flavor. That’s an important trait to have when your tomatoes are grown in places like Mexico or California. It’s not a great thing when what you really want is a sweet-tasting tomato on top of your BLT, however.

Which leads me to the tomatoes in our garden. Last May, just as the gloom of winter was starting to give way to spring, I got an email from Pat. “Did I want any tomato plants?” he asked. At first, I thought, “Well, heck yeah. But how do I get them from Marion County to Dubuque?” What followed was a plan that rivaled the D-Day invasion.

At first, I thought that I could drive down to the farm and pick them up myself. That seemed silly, however. After all, there are many farmers in the area who sell heirloom tomato plants. Did it really make sense to drive 3 ½ hours when I could support farmers right here in Eastern Iowa? That said, in my mind Matt and Pat are local. They are good friends, and I loved the idea of buying the plants from them.

Next, I asked Matt if he had any plans to come to northeast Iowa soon. His job often takes him out on the road, so I thought we might get lucky. Alas, he said that he had no scheduled trips to my neck of the woods.

I wracked my brain trying to think of some other way to get those tomato plants. Who did I know in Des Moines? And then it hit me. My friend, Mark, works in Des Moines, and lives in Iowa City. If only I could convince him to pick up my tomato plants on his lunch hour, I could drive down to Iowa City and pick them up later.

I asked Mark, and he agreed (though I suspect he thought I was crazy). I talked with Matt and Pat, and they said they would make it work. My plan was coming together, and it was delicious.

My tomato plants (with a few basil plants thrown in for good measure) would first travel from Coyote Run to Des Moines. From there, they would travel to Iowa City. The final leg of the journey would be from Iowa City to my home in Dubuque.

For those of you keeping track at home, that’s roughly 243 miles. All for a homegrown heirloom tomato.

Was it worth it? Heck, yeah. The recipes that follow are the evidence. I’ve used my heirlooms in flatbread pizzas, salads and appetizers where their sweetness can shine. Most of these call for fresh tomatoes rather than cooked (with the exception of the pizza). That’s because the sweetness of an heirloom tomato shines through best when served fresh.

Of course, if you want to use traditional supermarket tomatoes, these recipes will still work just fine. You won’t get quite the same flavor, but they will still be good.

Ricotta and Tomato Pizza

This recipe works great as either a meal or an appetizer. It’s easy, especially if you use store-bought pizza dough (I won’t tell). It also combines cherry tomatoes with a fresh heirloom, so you get that full tomato flavor in every bite.

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart.

Ingredients

1 cup ricotta

1 cup grated Parmesan (about 4 oz.)

Salt and pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 pound pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes

1 large tomato (heirloom is best), cut into 4-inch slices

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Combine the ricotta and Parmesan in a bowl. Add a little salt and pepper. Stir in the egg.

Place your pizza dough on a baking sheet, and stretch it to about a 12-inch diameter (it doesn’t have to be a perfect circle). Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Spread the ricotta mixture on the dough leaving a 1-inch border.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the cherry tomatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes (the tomatoes should be soft, and their skins should have burst). Remove from the oven.

Place the pizza in the oven and bake for about 8 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven.

Toss the cherry tomatoes with your heirloom slices and season with salt and pepper. Spread on top of your pizza and serve.

Panzanella Salad

A panzanella is a traditional Italian bread and tomato salad. It’s cool and light, making it the perfect salad for a hot summer day. It’s also a great way to showcase your heirloom tomatoes.

This recipe comes from the website Natasha’s Kitchen.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

6 oz. crust French or Italian bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into small wedges

8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced or torn into small pieces

½ medium red onion, thinly sliced

½ cup basil leaves, coarsely chopped

For the Vinaigrette:

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves pressed or grated

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

The first step is to toast your bread. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the bread in a medium bowl, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake for 9-12 minutes until toasted. Set aside to cool. Note: The bread should be crispy on the outside but not fully dried through.

Now, make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl combine the vinaigrette ingredients. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

Assemble your salad. Combine the bread cubes with the rest of the salad ingredients. Stir, and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle on the vinaigrette. Toss ingredients to combine.

Serve.

Best BLTs

Do you need a recipe for a BLT? Maybe not, but I’m including one anyway because it’s a great way to enjoy delicious and fresh tomatoes.

This recipe comes from the website Oh Sweet Basil.

Ingredients

10 slices of sore dough bread

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound bacon, cooked to your preference (mine is crisp)

1 cup mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of salt

2-3 fresh tomatoes, sliced

1 head of lettuce (either iceberg or another variety), torn into pieces.

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat your skillet over medium heat, and add the butter.

Place each piece of bread face down on the skillet, and cook on one side until golden and toasted.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and minced garlic. Whisk together. Slice your tomatoes and season with a little salt and pepper.

To assemble your sandwiches, spread some mayonnaise on the untoasted side of each slice of bread. Top with lettuce, a slice of tomato and bacon. Finish with another slice of toasted bread with the mayo side facing the sandwich.

Serve.

Caprese Salad Appetizers

These simple appetizers are a great way to show off the flavors of summer. They are also ridiculously easy to make.

You can make them with cherry tomatoes or with sliced heirlooms. It’s your choice.

Ingredients

1-2 large heirloom tomatoes or 1 pint of cherry tomatoes

Fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

Fresh mozzarella (you can use the pre-made balls or just slice up the mozzarella yourself)

Balsamic vinegar

Toothpicks (for assembly)

Slice up your tomatoes (skip this step if using cherry tomatoes) into bite-sized pieces.

Take a toothpick and poke it through a piece of fresh mozzarella. Add a torn basil leaf followed by a piece of tomato (or a cherry tomato). Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Serve.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Food column: On the hunt for heirloom tomatoes