Guest Columnist Les Kincaid   

In this era of jet-fresh vegetables – when your dinner may have more frequent flier miles than you do – there are precious few reminders of seasonality. The tomato is one of them. An out-of-season tomato simply isn’t as good as a sun-soaked summer beauty, and we all know it. Heirloom tomatoes are the best of the best. These varieties, passed down through the generations because of their great taste, are what we wait for every summer. During the month of August, the height of the season is the time to support any local farmers market of talk with the produce manager at the market where you shop and let them know you expect the best. Not simply “what the company sent them.” Take a few minutes and choose a recipe below. Then next trip to the store pick up some heirloom tomatoes and whatever ingredients you need and enjoy the summer evening with a great salad, maybe with a good glass or two of wine too.

Wine is Food.

Les is a true Las Vegan who has a deep passion for great food and wine. With an unwavering devotion to the complete culinary market in Las Vegas.

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Easy Heirloom Tomato Salad

3 large garlic cloves

1/2 cup olive oil

3 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes

Thinly slice garlic and in a small heavy saucepan cook in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and transfer oil with garlic to a glass measuring cup to cool. (Garlic will continue to brown as it cools).

Cut tomatoes into wedges and toss together in a serving dish. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with garlic-oil mixture.

Yield: 6 servings

Heirloom Tomato Stack with Blue Cheese

Onion Rings:

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups Arborio Rice coating, recipe follows

6 red onions, thickly sliced, loosely separated into rings

8 cups peanut oil Tomato Stack:

4 vine-ripened tomatoes Kosher 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: 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. Arborio Rice Coating:

1 cup Arborio rice

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semolina

2 tablespoons table salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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.

Yield: about 5 cups

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Heirloom Tomato & Fennel Salad

1 1/2 pounds heirloom tomatoes

1 small fennel bulb

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Core the tomatoes and cut into wedges. Remove the top of the fennel (save some fronds for garnish) and slice the bulb very thinly crosswise with a knife or on a mandolin.

Toss the tomatoes and fennel in a bowl with the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fennel fronds, season to taste, and serve

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

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