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There are many things to love about June. The first hints of Summer are with us, the smell of freshly cut grass, delicate butterflies and ladybirds, the flourishing and lush feel to the air, with gardens all over the countryside bursting at their seams….and of course fresh, juicy, plump tomatoes!
They can be served in the simplest way possible – sliced thickly and drizzled with olive oil and a bit of fresh pepper or thinly sliced garlic – and nothing beats them in peak season. It’s best not to store tomatoes in the fridge, the cold air will kill the taste and the flesh will become mushy. Some people place them on small racks on the windowsill, so the air can circulate all around them. Use them quickly and with some simple recipes in your repertoire, you’ll run out of tomatoes before you run out of ideas!
Tomatoes just blush with goodness too. Lycopene, the compound that makes tomatoes red, is a powerful antioxidant, and found in high concentrations in tomatoes. Low lycopene levels are associated with prostate and breast cancers. Lycopene appears to have the ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage and has been linked in human research to the protection of DNA (our genetic material) inside white blood cells.
Tomatoes contain other phytochemicals which, together with their lycopene levels, make them an excellent addition to your salad.
Interestingly this is one case where processing can actually enhance the availability and absorption of nutrients. So not only can you enjoy fresh tomato, you can also enjoy a little tomato purée, tomato soup or even tomato sauce! This is great news when they are best-in-season, very abundant and very affordable!
You can make your passata and freeze it for the colder Autumnal days ahead. To make passata you purée and sieve ripe tomatoes to remove the skin and seeds. It can be smooth or chunky depending on your taste and the amount of sieving.
It’s useful to keep in the freezer to use in soups, sauces, pasta dishes, casseroles, or anything that needs a concentrated tomato flavour.
Tomatoes are also good sources of beta carotene and vitamin C, and they contain a small amount of potassium. A serving of tomatoes is one medium tomato or 7 cherry tomatoes. This counts as one of your 5-a-day.