Fresh Local Jersey Tomatoes

Just as good today as they were 56 years ago when Mom and Dad opened Goffle Brook Farms, Jersey Tomatoes are here. In 1968, the Jersey Tomato was so famous that even Campbell’s Soup and Heinz Ketchup called upon NJ farms to grow and provide them with their freshest tomatoes for their products. Back in 1968 Dr. Bernard Pollack (a professor at Rutgers University) released a hybrid variety of this tomato that gained popularity for its resistance to cracking and common diseases. Word then quickly spread about this tomato that was not only disease resistant but a culinary marvel for its tastiness. The Ramapo Tomato, as it came to be known, was so delicious that it soon found its way into Campbell’s Tomato Soup and Heinz Ketchup.

AVAILABLE IN THE FARMERS MARKET

How should you store freshly-picked Jersey tomatoes at home?

Here’s what Joel Viereck, the President of the New Jersey Vegetable Growers Association has to say:

“Jersey tomatoes should be stored on the counter in the kitchen at room temperature. The tomatoes can be placed in the refrigerator if you want to save the lighter-colored ones so they don’t all ripen at once, but generally, room temperature is best.”

Joel Viereck , President | New Jersey Vegetable Growers Association

Make the best fresh tomato salad using Jersey tomatoes!

The ripe and juicy tomatoes soaked in oil and coated in salt and pepper, its a simple yet tasty snack any tomato lover will go crazy over. The Jersey tomato salad involves the same simple ingredients a lot of summer salads consist of. So, odds are you already have most of what you need stocked in your pantry already. A lot of you probably have some of these vegetables growing in your vegetable garden now.

If not, fret not; we have everything you need to create this culinary concoction in the farmers market, all of it fresh and all of it local.

Jersey tomatoes – 6 to 8 medium size minimum
2 to 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon avocado oil (if using ripe avocado below then use 1 tablespoon)
1 ripe avocado, sliced or diced
1/2 fresh onion sliced and diced (red-yellow)
1/2 cup fresh radishes – sliced and diced
2 large broccoli crowns – sliced to size
1/2 medium cucumber thinly sliced
feta Cheese (optional, but delicious – sprinkle generously)
dash of Kosher salt
tsp ground black pepper
1 minced garlic clove

This is one of those recipes that’s almost not even a recipe because it’s just that easy to toss together. I could almost make this one with my eyes closed. Like one of those Christmas cookie recipes your Mother made every year, that you came to know by heart. It’s so good and almost foolproof. What I like a lot is you can turn this into a pasta salad with the simple addition of a box of good pasta and chilling overnight.

Just go with the flow, enjoy the morning by gathering some fresh herbs (it’s preferable to harvest your herbs in the morning because early on their essential oils are most bountiful, so you’ll capture their incredible tastes and aromas). If you’re growing peppers, harvest three or four of them, and don’t forget to pull some onions. And remember, if you aren’t growing them, we have everything you need to create this culinary concoction in the farmers market, all of it fresh and all of it local.

HOW TO MAKE JERSEY TOMATO SALAD

Cut tomatoes into medium-sized pieces, place in a bowl and set aside.
Whisk or stir the Extra virgin olive oil, Fresh Onion (red-yellow), Avocado oil or ripe avocado, fresh brocolli crowns , Kosher salt, ground black pepper together along with any of the other options you chose or added and pour over tomatoes, and add some minced garlic into the mix.
Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
An optional twist you could add a dazzling of feta cheese to top of the final serving. You could also top it off with sprigs of fresh parsley and basil.
For a real treat have some fresh baked rye bread or sourdough bread for dipping (optional)
For pasta salad prepare pasta according to box instructions, drain and add place in large bowl, add all your above ingredients and season to taste with dressing. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.

Eat within 24 hours or refrigerate the rest.