Heirloom Tomatoes Two Ways

There's a lot to love in the garden this time of year, but the star of our harvest is clear-- colorful, flavorful heirloom tomatoes. On August 25, we'll be hosting a dinner to celebrate heirloom tomatoes with Kennett Square's Happy Cat Farm. Our chef will cook up a four-course menu of tomato-centric dishes, featuring favorite heirlooms from Happy Cat's 200+ varieties. Farmer Tim Mountz will also join us to chat about sustainable farming and all things heirloom. During a recent visit to the café, Chef Ryan B. prepared two simple and refreshing dishes to enjoy this summer-- a tomato-topped focaccia, and an heirloom tomato salad with peaches and burrata. Read on for the recipes, and reserve your seat for our tomato celebration below. 

Heirloom Tomato & Peach Salad
2-3 heirloom tomatoes
1-3 ripe peaches
Burrata 
Arugula
Marinade: 1 part white wine vinegar, 3 parts olive oil
Salt to taste

Slice the tomatoes into chunks and marinate them for at least an hour in the vinegar and olive oil; they don't need to be fully covered, since they will produce some liquid as they rest. Drain off the marinade, then toss with sliced peaches and arugula. Dress with a bit of the marinade if desired, then top with burrata and salt to taste.

Grilled Tomato Toast
Focaccia, thickly sliced
Heirloom tomatoes
Neufchatel cheese (a fresh ricotta or farmer's cheese would also work)
Olive oil
Sea salt
Parsley
Chives

Whip the cheese in a food processor with a splash of olive oil, salt, and fresh herbs. Add the herbs at the end of processing so the cheese doesn't turn green! Rub the focaccia slices with olive oil and salt, then grill. Spread the whipped cheese onto the grilled bread and top with sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with olive oil and sea salt before serving. 

Join us on Thursday, August 25 to enjoy an Heirloom Tomato Dinner with Happy Cat Farm.