Tomato

This sauce really showcases summer tomatoes. Use the best you can find.

This caponata uses a technique called a "cold fry." Instead of frying the vegetables in preheated, hot oil, you combine the vegetables and room temperature oil in a pot and heat them up together. The benefit of this method is that you use less oil than you would normally use when you "hot fry" and there is very little splatter because the food and oil are always at the same temperature. And, like "hot frying," you still get a golden crispy exterior and soft, creamy interior but with no mess.

Our favorite Bloody Mary is an instant classic. Great-quality tomato juice, bright lemon juice, savory Worcestershire, and a tangy hot sauce deliver on all fronts.

Babylonstoren’s chef Maranda Engelbrecht uses exotic tamarillos. If you can get them, great. If not, tomatoes are your best swap.

The color-coded salad is one of Babylonstoren’s signature dishes and always features a mix of fruits and vegetables on the same plate. Chef Maranda Engelbrecht says produce that looks good together tastes great together, too, and she’s developed specific vinaigrettes to complement the red, yellow, and green options.

Choose the best-quality fish for this simple ceviche.

This fragrant sauce calls for a mix of dried spices. If the ones you’ve got in the pantry smell musty or you can’t remember when you bought them, restock.

Roasting brings out the sweetness of canned tomatoes, but this method works with fresh tomatoes, too. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Reserve any leftover chile oil for drizzling over grilled fish, vegetables, or greens.

Be sure to strain the tomatoes before topping the pie in this pizza margherita recipe. If you don't, the extra liquid could lead to a soggy crust.

You’ve probably never seen smoked swordfish before, but you probably weren’t looking. Find it at Mexican, Spanish, or other specialty grocers, or at a well-stocked fish market.

This rave-worthy soup is all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—tomato paste, herbs, Parm, and, of course, kosher salt.

Gigante beans are our favorites, but almost any bean will be delicious this way. 

Charring the vegetables adds bittersweet depth; serve leftovers on scrambled eggs.

If you’re not a lamb person, ground beef will also taste great.

The smoky flavor of the fire-roasted tomatoes fits in here, but regular tomatoes would be good, too. This goes great with our beer-braised brisket.

A classic ribollita is cooked one day, then reheated and served the next. To do that, just hold back the last croutons so they keep their crunch.

Like a fish shepherd’s pie; the zucchini helps thicken the filling, but disappears in the sauce.

You might have more of the salsas than you need; serve them on the side for dipping. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Let’s cut to the chase: Nobody likes tough balls. Easy. Don’t overwork the meatball mixture, and make sure to simmer gently.

You're making the gnocchi, so keep everything else simple. A classic tomato sauce and hands-off roasted pork shoulder are the ultimate go-withs.

There’s marrow in those bones! Scoop out the cooked marrow and whisk it into the braising liquid, or eat it on a crust of bread with salt. You earned it.

This is the pizza margherita of the square-shaped pie. Resist the temptation to add extra cheese; a light hand is key.