Make the most of summer tomatoes

Is there anything quite as tasty as a summer tomato? August is the best time to eat ripe juicy tomatoes, which add flavor and depth to many recipes. We have put together some easy, late summer recipes that fully appreciate tomatoes.

Parmesan Tomato Chips
Yields 3-5 servings
For this recipe, you will need:
• 5-7 ripe tomatoes
• Olive oil, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup of grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 slice of Alexian Pheasant Rosemary pâté

Cover an oven rack with aluminum foil. Thinly cut the tomatoes and brush with olive oil and your choice of seasoning. We like to stick to simple salt and pepper, as the pâté in this recipe is very flavorful. Put the tomatoes into a 275F-degree oven for around 2.5 to 3 hours. Check every now and then to make sure the tomatoes don’t get burnt. Right before taking them out of the oven, sprinkle the tomatoes with the cheese and bake for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is melty. Remove from oven and let completely cool for an hour. Once cooled, top each tomato with a small slice of the Pheasant Rosemary pâté.

Tomato Pasta Salad
Yields 4-6 servings
For this recipe, you will need:
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/4 pounds tomatoes, chopped
• 8 ounces penne pasta
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 slice of Alexian Pâté de Campagne

In a large bowl, mix tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, oil, basil, and parmesan cheese. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours to blend flavors. Meanwhile, cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain. Cut the pâté into small chunks and let it get to room temperature. In a large serving bowl, mix cooked pasta, tomato mixture, and pâté until well combined. Sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese over top, to taste.

Caprese sandwich

For this recipe, you will need:
• 1 Italian sub roll
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon balsamic glaze
• 3 thick slices fresh mozzarella (buffalo, if possible)
• 2 fresh Campari tomatoes (thickly sliced)
• 5 basil leaves
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 slice of Alexian Sage and Pork Mousse

First, cut open the roll and slice the tomatoes. Spread pâté, to taste, on the underside of the top half of the roll, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic glaze. Add basil and tomato to the bottom half of the roll and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with fresh mozzarella. Close the sandwich and enjoy!

Simple Crostini

For this recipe, you will need:

• 1 loaf of fresh French or Italian bread, cut into thin diagonal pieces
• 8 oz of sharp white cheddar
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 slice of Chicken and Veal Pâté (or anyone of our coarse pâtés)

First, slice your loaf of bread into thin diagonal pieces. Then, cut the cheese and pâté into slices that will fit nicely onto the pieces of bread that you just cut. To make one crostini, place the cheese and pâté on the bread and top with the cherry tomato slice. Repeat until you’ve reached the desired number of crostini you wish to serve. Enjoy this as a delicious snack or an easy appetizer for your next backyard gathering!