For as long as I can remember, my parents have abstained from eating tomatoes unless it’s summer.
“Oh, we’d never buy a tomato in the market,” my dad says, year after year.
“We wait for dad’s tomatoes — they’re the best,” my mom always adds.
My dad starts his summer tomato crop from seed — in little, tiny containers that sit on a tray on an antique stove until they’re ready for planting. He transplants these beautiful baby plants to the ground, variety by variety — each with great care.
In my parents’ house, this Tomato, Red Onion and Pesto Open-Faced Sandwich is presented at the dinner table a few times a week every summer.
My mom makes the pesto with their homegrown basil, while my dad picks the tomatoes. (I love it! No wonder they’ve been married for 48 years!)
My proud “farmer” dad with his gorgeous tomatoes!
How could I grown up in this environment, and not love whole, organic, fresh foods?!
Stay tuned for Summer Tomato Gazpacho, coming to you Friday!
- 1 English muffin sliced in half and toasted
- 2 tablespoons of your favorite pesto my favorites: Spinach Kale Pesto and Lemon-Caper Pesto
- 4 very thin slices red onion
- 4 slices of a large garden tomato about 1/4-inch thick
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Spread about 1 tablespoon of the pesto on each half of the toasted English muffin.
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Layer 2 slices of red onion and 2 slices of tomato on top of the pesto, on each one.
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Drizzle the top with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea alt and freshly ground black pepper.
Valentina,
This recipe looks amazing! I’m going to try it tonight! I love that Jim and Carole have made pesto and grown tomatoes for so long! Love to all of you! And Happy Birthday (late) to you!
All my fav things in a stack!
Look at that garden, how lush! I always have good intentions at the beginning of summer, only that I kill all my plants by the end of June. I am sure I am missing some gene or particular skill because I just realized my fresh mint is dead. The herb everyone says you can not kill it.
Enjoy your sandwich, it looks gorgeous. I will head to the farmer’s market to get bunch more tomatoes.
A really tempting bite! I know you learned a lot of plant love from your dad too. GREG