Best 6 Heirloom Tomatoes With Bacon Blue Cheese And Basil Recipes

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In the verdant realm of culinary arts, where flavors dance and textures intertwine, lies a dish that captivates the senses and tantalizes the palate: heirloom tomatoes with bacon, blue cheese, and basil. This symphony of flavors, a delectable union of sweet, savory, and tangy, is a testament to the transformative power of fresh, seasonal ingredients. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice cook, embarking on a culinary journey to craft this dish will unveil a world of culinary delight.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WITH BACON, BLUE CHEESE, AND BASIL



Heirloom Tomatoes with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Basil image

Categories     Bread     Cheese     Herb     Pork     Tomato     Appetizer     Fry     Cocktail Party     Picnic     Blue Cheese     Bacon     Spring     Summer     Gourmet     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

6 slices firm white sandwich bread
1/4 lb sliced bacon (about 5 slices)
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
3 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
4 assorted medium heirloom tomatoes (2 lb total), cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices
30 small fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 oz blue cheese (preferably Maytag Blue), crumbled, at room temperature
Garnish: very small heirloom cherry or currant tomatoes
Special Equipment
a 3-inch round cookie cutter

Steps:

  • Cut 1 round from each bread slice with cookie cutter.
  • Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until crisp, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off bacon fat from skillet and reserve fat (do not clean skillet).
  • Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then toast 3 bread rounds, turning over once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes total. Transfer toasts to a rack to cool and season with salt and pepper. Toast remaining 3 bread rounds in 1 1/2 tablespoons more oil in same manner.
  • Cook shallot in 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat and remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar and simmer, whisking, until emulsified, about 1 minute. Season dressing with salt and pepper and keep warm, covered.
  • Crumble bacon. Arrange bread rounds on 6 plates and divide tomato slices among them, stacking slices and sprinkling some basil and bacon between slices. Sprinkle cheese and remaining basil and bacon over and around tomatoes. Spoon some of warm bacon dressing over and around tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

SLICED HEIRLOOM TOMATO STACK WITH BLUE CHEESE



Sliced Heirloom Tomato Stack with Blue Cheese image

Provided by Michael Chiarello : Food Network

Categories     side-dish

Time 45m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 cups buttermilk
2 cups Arborio Rice coating, recipe follows
6 red onions, thickly sliced, loosely separated into rings
8 cups peanut oil
4 vine-ripened tomatoes
Gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
1/2 cup basil leaves, julienne
Balsamic vinegar, to drizzle
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, frozen
Onion Rings:
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semolina
2 tablespoons table salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Pour buttermilk into a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl spread out the rice coating. Take onion rings and coat with buttermilk, and then cover with coating, shaking off excess. Place coated rings on a tray.
  • In a large deep saucepan, heat peanut oil to 375 degrees F. With a slotted wire spoon, carefully lower the coated rings into pan to fry. Do the rings in small batches to allow oil to remain a consistent temperature. Place fried rings on a paper towel on a tray to dry.
  • Tomato Stack:
  • Cut a small slice from the bottom of the tomatoes - enough so that they will stand. Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices (about 2 or 3), leaving the stem on top.
  • Season the slices with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle with olive oil.
  • Place the basil leaves in between the tomato slices, and re-stack tomato. Serve re-stacked tomatoes around a larger stack of onion rings in center of a large serving plate. Drizzle more olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Grate the frozen blue cheese over top.
  • Grind the rice in a blender until very fine. Put it in a bowl and add the all-purpose flour, semolina, salt and pepper. Toss until well blended. Store in a sealed container in the freezer for maximum freshness.

CONTESSA'S HEIRLOOM TOMATOES WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING



Contessa's Heirloom Tomatoes With Blue Cheese Dressing image

When tomatoes are ripe in the summer, this is the simplest and most delicious salad to make. It only has a few ingredients, so choose luscious ripe tomatoes and a good Roquefort cheese. Adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook.

Provided by Sharon123

Categories     Vegetable

Time 15m

Yield 6-8

Number Of Ingredients 8

3 lbs heirloom tomatoes, mixed colors and sizes
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 lb Roquefort cheese, divided
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons. chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Steps:

  • Core the tomatoes and cut the large ones into thick slices, halve or quarter the small ones. Arrange to look pretty on a platter and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
  • To make dressing:.
  • Place half the Roquefort cheese, maoynnaise, cream, vinegar, 1 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons pepper in the bowl of a food processor: process until combined but still chunky.
  • Drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes. Crumble the remaining Roquefort cheese over the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

BASIL & HEIRLOOM TOMATO TOSS



Basil & Heirloom Tomato Toss image

I came up with this garden-fresh salad to showcase the heirloom tomatoes and peppers we raised for our stall at the farmers market. Try out other types of basil like lemon, lime, licorice and cinnamon. -Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Lunch     Side Dishes

Time 15m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium sweet yellow pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, whisk the first seven ingredients until blended. Add remaining ingredients; toss gently to combine.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 162 calories, Fat 14g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 449mg sodium, Carbohydrate 10g carbohydrate (5g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 1g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

HEIRLOOM TOMATO, MOZZARELLA AND BASIL SIDE DISH



Heirloom Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Side Dish image

This is a 5 minute "recipe". It's so simple it's silly. We came up with the idea when planning the food for my wedding last summer. We did all the cooking for 100 ourselves and really had no way to use my stove on the big day. Everything we served, except the salmon on the outdoor bbq, was a cold dish. The challenge we had was coming up with a vegetable "side" dish, that wasn't a salad to go with the salmon. This was the perfect answer. It was a huge hit. I think the key was using fabulous heirloom tomatoes, if you can't get heirlooms, use the best tastiest tomatoes you can. Using "buffalo mozzarella" is great if you have it. This recipe is just for 2 servings...it's obviously easy to adjust! You do need a knife and fork for this. Enjoy!!

Provided by Mrs Goodall

Categories     Vegetable

Time 5m

Yield 2 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 large heirloom tomato
2 pieces mozzarella cheese, round, cut 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
4 basil leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, drizzled to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, drizzled to taste
salt, to taste

Steps:

  • Cut the tomato in half. If tomato will not sit flat, take a small thin slice off of the bottom.
  • Place 1 piece of mozzarella on top of each tomato half.
  • Chiffonade the basil into thin strips and place 1/2 the basil on top of the mozzarella.
  • Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic (no need to pre-mix the two together) over the tomato/mozzarella/basil.
  • Serve with salt to taste (we let guests add their own).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 137.1, Fat 13.7, SaturatedFat 1.9, Sodium 5, Carbohydrate 3.8, Fiber 1.3, Sugar 2.4, Protein 0.9

HEIRLOOM TOMATO SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE



Heirloom Tomato Salad with Blue Cheese image

Categories     Salad     Cheese     Tomato     Appetizer     Vegetarian     Quick & Easy     Blue Cheese     Summer     Grill/Barbecue     Bon Appétit     Pescatarian     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Kosher

Yield Makes 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

8 1/2-inch-thick slices crusty bread
4 large garlic cloves, halved
3 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup currant or grape tomatoes or halved cherry or pear tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green onions
10 medium heirloom tomatoes of assorted colors, cored, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, sliced paper-thin
3 celery stalks, sliced thin on diagonal
1 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled blue cheese

Steps:

  • Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Rub bread with cut garlic halves; brush bread with 3 tablespoons oil. Combine remaining 1/3 cup oil, currant tomatoes, and green onions in medium bowl; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Overlap tomato slices in concentric circles on platter, alternating colors. Scatter onion and celery slices over tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon tomato and green onion mixture over. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese.
  • Grill bread until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Cut each slice diagonally in half; serve with salad.

Tips:

  • Choose the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can find. Heirloom tomatoes are a great choice, as they come in a variety of colors and flavors. Look for tomatoes that are firm to the touch and have no blemishes.
  • Use thick-cut bacon for the best flavor and texture. You can also use pancetta or prosciutto if you prefer.
  • Don't overcrowd the pan when cooking the bacon. This will prevent it from cooking evenly.
  • Cook the tomatoes until they are just softened. You don't want them to become mushy.
  • Use a good quality blue cheese for the dressing. A sharp, creamy blue cheese will add a lot of flavor to the dish.
  • Add the basil just before serving. This will help to preserve its flavor and aroma.

Conclusion:

This Heirloom Tomatoes with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Basil is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a summer meal. The combination of sweet tomatoes, salty bacon, tangy blue cheese, and fresh basil is simply irresistible. Serve this dish as a side salad or as a main course with grilled chicken or fish.

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