9 cooking ideas for tomatoes

1. To enhance the flavours of fresh tomatoes and create the perfect side to a summery meal, simply toss them with one or more of the following ingredients: torn basil leaves, small black olives, salted capers, anchovies, oregano leaves, roughly chopped parsley, finely sliced fennel, thinly sliced zucchini or wild rocket leaves. Recipe for caprese salad

2. When making any tomato salad, if time permits, cut your tomatoes a half hour in advance and lightly salt them – this will draw out the juices, leaving you with a sweet, tomato-flavoured dressing. When buying tomatoes, check for any telltale bruising or markings; if the surface of the tomato feels soft and watery, it’s definitely one to avoid. 

3. Toss cherry tomatoes into a baking dish with some black olives and halved baby potatoes. Add a generous amount of olive oil, garlic, fresh rosemary and sea salt and bake in a moderately hot oven until the potatoes are golden brown and the olives are nice and crinkly. Recipe for roast cherry tomatoes in parmesan cups

4. For a fast and easy pasta treat, toss cherry tomatoes and tinned tuna into a bowl with some freshly torn basil leaves and finely grated parmesan cheese. Add warm pasta, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, and stir to combine. Alternatively, try this recipe for warm tuna & tomato pasta salad

5. Top circles of puff pastry with halved cherry tomatoes and goat’s cheese. Bake until puffed and golden, then serve with a dollop of black olive paste and a rocket salad.