As promised, I returned to the market today to get my hands on some fat tomatoes. These are heirloom varieties. The redder one is a "Delicious" and the pinkish, more deformed one is a "Mortgage Lifter." The farmer is quite a character and very helpful. Despite about a hundred tomatoes on the table, the troublesome customer in this picture insisted that the farmer open the boxes behind him to look for the perfect, round, red and not-too-ripe Delicious.
I ate my "delicious" with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. I also bought some zucchini because I've been seeing a lot of recipes for it lately. This is adapted from a Cook's Illustrated recipe:
3 medium zucchini
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon minced hot pepper (or more to taste)
2 teaspoons olive oil + more for frying
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Cut the ends off the zucchini and then cut each crosswise into pieces about 2-3 inches. Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater, except for the seeds and core. Toss the grated zucchini with the salt and put it into a colander set over a bowl. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes to release liquid. Squeeze excess liquid out using a clean kitchen towel. Toss the zucchini with the olive oil, garlic and hot pepper. Heat additional oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add zucchini and cook without stirring until bottom is browned, about 2 1/2 minutes. Stir and cook again until browned, another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste. Yum.
