What a glorious sight: Heirloom tomatoes at the Minneapolis Farmers Market

When I saw the gnarled, cat-faced heirloom tomatoes ($4.99 per pound) lined up in rows at the Real Foods stand at the Minneapolis Farmers Market, I quickly consulted my internal calendar. Tomatoes, plump and heavy with juice, in late June in Minnesota? No way.

Turns out the Bauman family — parents Abraham and Rebecca and their sons Titus and David — starts cultivating tomatoes in mid-April under the shelter of a roof — a “high tunnel” is how David described the structure — on their organic farm near Wausau, Wis., skipping the hydroponic route and planting them directly in soil. Along with a wide range of vegetables, the family raises roughly 30 tomato varieties, from familiar ruby-red beefsteaks to a gaggle of variegated heirlooms that beautifully jumble the color spectrum.

I watched as noon-hour shoppers stopped dead in their tracks and asked David and Titus if they were selling “real” tomatoes. “We hear that a lot,” said David. “They may be covered, but they have as much flavor as you’ll find in a tomato in the middle of summer.”

David Bauman, foreground, and his brother Titus, rear, hawking early-season heirloom tomatoes at their busy stand at 6th Street and Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis.

You know what? He was absolutely right. The two large tomatoes I purchased went straight into BLTs, and the results were glorious; the cherry tomatoes perked up a chicken salad. Yeah, I’m definitely going to be a regular Real Foods customer (the family sells on Thursday at the market’s Nicollet Mall outpost and on Saturday at the main market on E. Lyndale Av. N.). Here’s my plan for the Bauman’s tomatoes for the upcoming holiday weekend:

The heirloom cherry tomato selection at Real Foods.

BREAKFAST BRUSCHETTA WITH TOMATO, EGGS AND PANCETTA
Serves 6.

Note: From “Outdoor Entertaining” by George Dolese and Steve Siegelman (Williams-Sonoma, $24.95).

For bruschetta:
6 slices baguette
2 tbsp. olive oil
6 thin slices pancetta
1 c. assorted heirloom cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
For scrambled eggs:
8 eggs
1/3 c. creme fraiche
1/4 c. snipped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Parmesan cheese shavings for garnish
Fruity extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions
To prepare bruschetta: Position a rack 6 inches from heat source and preheat broiler. Lightly brush both sides of each bread slice with olive oil and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Place bread under broiler and toast until edges start to turn golden, about 30 seconds. Turn slices over and toast until second side is golden, about 30 seconds longer. Wrap toasted bread in aluminum foil and keep warm until ready to serve.
Arrange each pancetta slice in a single layer on a separate rimmed baking sheet. Place under broiler and broil until edges start to curl and turn brown, about 2 minutes. Wrap pancetta in foil and keep warm until ready to serve.
Slice tomatoes in half through stem end and place them in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, gently toss to season evenly and reserve.
To prepare scrambled eggs: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, creme fraiche, 1/4 cup chives and salt. In a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add egg mixture and let cook undisturbed for about 1 minute to warm through. Using a silicone spatula, gently turn over areas of eggs as they set, then fold and stir them into soft and slightly runny crusts, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
To serve: Place a toasted bread slice on each individual plate. Top each bread slice with scrambled eggs and tomatoes. Garnish with pancetta curl, Parmesan shavings, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of chives and serve immediately.

TOMATO AND SWEET ONION SALAD WITH CREAMY HERB VINAIGRETTE
Serves 6.

Note: “A crumble of sharp blue cheese like Stilton, Maytag Blue or Roquefort is fantastic on this salad,” writes author Katy Sparks. From “Sparks in the Kitchen” (Alfred A. Knopf, $30).

For croutons:
3 tbsp. butter
3 slices country rye bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For salad:
2 lbs. assorted heirloom tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Vidalia or other sweet onions, cut into 1/2-inch thick rings
For vinaigrette:
1 pasteurized egg yolk
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, mashed with a pinch of salt with the side of a knife
6 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. freshly minced tarragon or chervil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
To prepare croutons: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add bread cubes and stir periodically until they are toasty brown. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and reserve.
To prepare tomatoes: Cut larger tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices and cherry tomatoes in half. Other tomatoes can be cut into wedges; the goal is visual diversity. Arrange tomatoes on individual plates or a platter, season with salt and pepper and arrange onions over tomatoes.
To prepare vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolk and cream together. Whisk in mustard, vinegar, lemon juice and garlic. While whisking, pour in olive oil, drop by drop, to start an emulsion. When all oil is incorporated, stir in minced herbs and season with salt and pepper.
To serve: Dress tomatoes generously with vinaigrette, scatter croutons on top and serve.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 1st, 2009 at 2:14 pm and is filed under Farmers markets, Market Watch, Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.