Tomatoes are synonymous with late summer — when ripe and plump, they promise to explode with juice and flavor, a comforting reminder than sunshine can be contained and that tomatoes are the ideal vessel.
As creaking farmers market stalls threaten to collapse from the weight of the red, yellow, green and orange vine-ripened globes, at their peak now, chefs are cashing in. Here, we’ve gathered a bumper crop of our favorite tomato dishes to get while the getting is good.
Tomato pie at Dixie. In the South, pie is king, and tomato pie rules over summer. The classic Southern dish features layers of cheese and bright, salted tomatoes baked in a traditional pastry crust, but Dixie owner and chef Charlie McKenna and Tony Quartaro, director of culinary for Southern Revival Hospitality, wanted to let fresh tomatoes sing. To make their version, the pie gets a spread of smooth, bright goat cheese in a cheddar tart shell plus a generous layer of tart heirloom tomato slices. A splash of sherry vinaigrette, thinly sliced shallots and tomato jam — the same heirloom varieties are cooked down to concentrate their flavors — punch up the acidity. “The pie celebrates the essence of the tomato,” says McKenna. 1952 N. Damen Ave., 773-688-4466.
Heirloom tomato salad at Ruxbin. The tomatoes in this composed salad are as local as they get, grown on Ruxbin’s rooftop garden alongside lemon cucumbers, nasturtium, Thai basil, chocolate mint and more. Chef Edward Kim and his team apply a light touch to this dish — the jewel-toned tomatoes are accompanied by watermelon, cucumbers and savory, creamy housemade cashew cheese. Simple, but sublime. 851 N. Ashland Ave., 312-624-8509.
Tomato sortallini at Giant. Chef Jason Vincent’s “sortallini” is a play on tortellini — think half-opened, pillowy envelopes of pasta stuffed with goodies. In this case, the goodies are guanciale, pine nuts, basil and peak-season tomatoes, sourced from Gary Comer Youth Center, which runs an educational farm on Chicago’s South Side. 3209 W. Armitage Ave., 773-252-0997.
Nectarine cobbler with tomato jam at Blackbird. At Blackbird, the kitchen plates what can be best described as a summer sunset — juicy roasted nectarines are served with cloudlike quenelles of olive oil ice cream (made with olives from general manager David Barriball’s family orchard in Argos, Greece), black pepper shortbread, Parmesan-infused pudding, Parmesan crisps and tomato jam. The brightness of the tomatoes — cooked down with salt, sugar and lemon juice — brings a burst of acidity to this sweet-meets-savory dish. 619 W. Randolph St., 312-715-0708.
Tomato tartare at Momotaro. The restaurant’s signature dish makes ingenious use of its namesake, a variety of Japanese tomatoes famous for a sweet and tangy profile. Here, the dehydrated tomatoes are rehydrated and treated like raw beef, approximating both its texture and savoriness. A bright Maui onion puree serves as a foil to the dish’s robust flavors. Vegans, rejoice: This is one savory tartare you can dig into. 820 W. Lake St., 312-733-4818.
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