Chef John's Best Recipes for When Summer Tomatoes Are at Their Peak

Mexican-Style Shrimp Cocktail

Cooked, cooled shrimp are mixed into a refreshing gazpacho-like sauce made with fresh tomatoes, English cucumber, red onion, celery, jalapenos, avocado, and cilantro. "This was the best shrimp cocktail ever!" raves kelly. "Served with warm naan bread and called it dinner. Perfect for summer!"

Chef John's Gazpacho

This refreshing Spanish soup is the taste of high summer. Chef John calls it a "garden salad masquerading as a cold soup." The key is to use "killer, end-of-summer, super-sweet tomatoes," says Chef John. "There just isn't any substitute, so happy hunting." Serve cold in chilled bowls.

Beef Medallions with Fresh Horseradish Sauce

This quick-and-easy dish combines a sweet cherry tomato salad with pan-seared sirloin steaks and a fresh horseradish and crème fraiche sauce. Simple and light, yet hearty and comforting: "It's dedicated to that little mini-season between summer and fall," says Chef John. "That time of year when I crave hearty, comforting dishes that are still light and simple to make."

Chef John's Tomato Tart

Use the ripest summer tomatoes to make this classic tomato tart from the south of France. Fresh tomato slices, sprinkled with herbes de Provence and Parmesan cheese, caramelize above flaky, buttery puff pastry crust spread with a a layer of Dijon mustard. To feel even closer to Provence, enjoy with a glass of chilled rosé.

Tomato Concassé

Concassé is simply peeled, seeded, and finely chopped fresh tomatoes. Use it as a base for fresh salsas. Add it to sauces, stews, soups, and chili. "The technique is relatively quick and easy," says Chef John. "And it will allow you to enjoy those gorgeous summer tomatoes sans skin and seeds. If you're feeling ambitious, do a few quarts, and can them for the winter."

Chef John's Steak Pizzaiola

Tomato Concassé is also the key to Chef John's Steak Pizzaiola recipe. He describes it as "the soul of the superb sauce." While there are many ways to make pizzaiola, "the one thing most people agree on is that you should, if at all possible, use really fresh, very sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes," says Chef John. Serve over toasted bread with mozzarella cheese.

Chef John's Panzanella

Super-ripe cherry tomatoes make this bread salad irresistible. "The key to this panzanella is frying the bread cubes in loads of olive oil in a skillet," says Chef John, "which obviously makes them crispy. But the healthful fat also soaks into the bread cubes and renders them semi-waterproof, or dressing-proof. The same goes for the dusting of Parmesan cheese applied halfway through the crisping process."

"Naked" Cherry Tomato Salad

Make this simple salad when cherry tomatoes are spectacularly sweet. You'll slip off the tomato skins and marinate them in a zippy dressing of sherry vinegar, olive oil, fresh mint, and a pinch of cayenne. "Cherry tomato skins can sometimes be tough, and you really don't notice that until it's not there anymore," says Chef John. "Choose the most perfect tomatoes you can find for this recipe." Watch the video to see Chef John's trick for removing the tomato skins.

Stacked Tomato and Burrata Salad

This stacked salad features buttery burrata cheese spread between layers of heirloom tomato slices and beautiful fresh basil leaves with a healthy drizzle of good quality olive oil. That's all there is to it! "Burrata is our newest addiction," says AdvenChef. "It's decadent and delicious. This is a beautiful presentation."

Fresh Tomato Soup with Crispy Cheese Toast

Here's Chef John's fresh tomato twist on the classic cream of tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. "Since we're using fresh tomatoes at their peak of vine-ripened goodness, this simple soup is going to be not quite, but almost, 100% tomato," says Chef John.

“Toy Box” Tomato Ricotta Cheese Torta

This crustless tomato tart showcases colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes. "Followed the recipe to a T and it was great. Super flavorful and easy. I'd have it breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Yet another perfect recipe from Chef John." – A M

Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce

"As you know, I'm not above opening a can of tomatoes or jar of prepared sauce to use with pasta. In fact, I do it proudly with zero shame," says Chef John. "But when it's the middle of fresh tomato season, and the vines in our garden are heavy with this glorious fruit, all of a sudden I turn into a major food snob. Nothing but the homemade stuff will do."

Greek Tomato Feta Fritters (Domatokeftethes)

Chef John describes these herb- and cheese-packed fritters as a perfect summertime appetizer. "This recipe is EXTRAORDINARY! I followed it to a T and the fritters came out fantastic. My guests raved about them. Just picked up fresh Jersey tomatoes for a new round." – frontson

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