At the height of the British tomato season, the British Tomato Growers' Association is aiming to raise awareness of the British tomato industry, urging shoppers to opt for home-grown varieties when doing their weekly shop.
Why not try these two tasty recipes...
Baked Cod Bruschette with Hot Tomato & Aubergine Salsa
This clever fish dish is simple to make – and is so good to eat. You simply MUST try it! It’s easy, yet deliciously different.
Serves 4
Prep time: 15min
Cooking: 35min
- 2tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 4 medium British Cocktail Tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 small aubergine, finely chopped
- 2tbsp sun-dried tomato paste
- A few drops balsamic vinegar,
- 4 thick slices rustic-style bread, such as sourdough or ciabatta 4 x
- 150g skinless cod fillets, thawed if frozen
- 4 sprigs British Plum on the vine tomatoes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Basil or rocket leaves, to garnish
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan oven 170°C, Gas Mark 5.
2 Heat 2tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic and onion, frying them over a medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and aubergine and fry gently, stirring often, until very soft - about 5-6 minutes.
3 Stir in the sun-dried tomato paste. Add a few drops of balsamic vinegar and season to taste.
4 Spread the pieces of bread thickly with most of the tomato and aubergine mixture, then arrange them in a baking dish or on a baking sheet. Top each one with a cod fillet, then spoon the remaining tomato mixture on top. Put the British Plum tomato vines around the sides. Season with black pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil.
5 Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is cooked – the flesh should flake easily when tested with a fork. Serve, garnished with basil or rocket leaves.
Cook’s tip: You could make this recipe with haddock, salmon or sea bass fillets instead of cod. And try using mushrooms instead of aubergine if you prefer – just make sure that you chop them finely.
Cumin-Spiced Salmon with Tomato Kacumber
In this easy fish dish, salmon fillets are sprinkled with cumin seeds, then grilled and served with a tasty Indian-style salad of chopped British tomatoes, green chilli, spring onions and coriander. It tastes so fresh and healthy – you’ll love it!
Serves 4
Prep time: 15min
Cooking: 8min
- 4 British Cocktail Tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/4 cucumber, finely chopped
- 4 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 fresh green chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
- 3tbsp chopped fresh coriander, plus sprigs to garnish
- 4 x 150g salmon fillets
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 1tsp cumin seeds (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Juice of 1 lime or ½ lemon
1 First of all, make the tomato kachumber by mixing together the tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, chilli and coriander. Season with a little salt and pepper.
2 Preheat the grill. Arrange the salmon fillets on the grill rack and brush with olive oil. Grill for 6-8 minutes, depending on their thickness. Halfway through the cooking time, sprinkle them with the cumin seeds, if using, and season with freshly ground black pepper.
3 Arrange the salad on four serving plates and serve with the salmon fillets, drizzled with the lime or lemon juice and garnished with coriander sprigs.
Cook’s tip: This recipe works well with other oily fish, such as mackerel fillets or tuna steaks. Try varying the tomatoes too – you could use 6-8 British plum on the vine tomatoes or 12-14 British cherry tomatoes instead of cocktail.
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