When it comes to summer in the garden, my mind instantly goes to all the delicious foods you can make with tomatoes and basil. Both of these plants are fair-weather friends that cannot handle cold temperatures, but relish the heat of summer. Plant them in fertile, well-drained soil, water regularly, and you will be rewarded with tasty results. Tomatoes and basil are like high school sweethearts that were always meant to be together. Plant them close to each other in the garden since they are known as a perfect match when practicing companion planting.
My go-to summer lunch harkens back to my childhood and brings out my inner farm girl with tomato sandwiches. Back in those days, a tomato on Wonder Bread with mayo did the trick. But today, thoughts of toasted wheat bread, garden tomatoes and basil, mayonnaise, freshly ground pepper with sea salt and a splash of balsamic vinegar make my mouth water. Another quick summer lunch makes use of all the stale, leftover Italian bread that seems to accumulate on my counter. Panzanella is a Tuscan bread and vegetable salad, once referred to as the “poor man’s dinner”, but when I eat it, I feel quite rich and blessed. Though you can look up the traditional recipe, my take uses roughly torn crusty, Italian bread mixed with tomatoes, basil, and oregano, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, a little red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar, then seasoned with freshly ground pepper and salt.
Of course, no list of tomato-basil recipes would be complete without a caprese salad which layers tomatoes and basil with mozzarella cheese. Topped with extra virgin olive oil and coarse salt, caprese salad makes a perfect and quick side dish for a barbeque. If you have a little extra time, chop up the ingredients for bruschetta to make a delicious summer appetizer. I love bruschetta so much that I’ve turned it into an entrée, by tossing any leftovers with linguine—but we rarely have any bruschetta left! Pasta salad is another family favorite summertime dish that finds its way to most of our barbeques. I call it “Tammy’s Italian-Greek Pasta Salad”. In this summer salad, I add a small bottle of robusto Italian dressing to a box of cooked and cooled rotelle pasta, then add chopped garden tomatoes and basil with oregano, salt, and pepper. Finish it off with feta cheese and Kalamata olives.
Not only are tomatoes and basil soulmates in the kitchen, they also complement each other in the garden. Companion planting is the practice of growing two plants near each other for the benefits they can bestow on the partner plant. You may have heard of planting marigolds near your vegetables to attract pollinators, while also warding off harmful insects. In the same way, basil is said to repel enemies of tomatoes such as white flies, thrips, and the dreaded hornworm. Old-time farmers also swear that basil improves the taste of tomatoes when grown in the same soil.
Shore Local News would love to hear from our readers. What are your favorite tomato-basil recipes and go-to dishes made from herbs and vegetables in the garden? Send your pictures, comments, and questions to: shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.
Tammy Thornton is a mom of four, a substitute teacher, and a Sunday school teacher. She is passionate about gardening and cooking, and loves the beach.
