Tasty tomatoes abound at Historic Lewes Farmers Market

This past Saturday, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market held its 11th annual Tomato Festival. A few years ago, organizers changed the format of the event from a recipe contest featuring enthusiastic home cooks to tastings of dishes created by restaurant chefs paired with market vendors. 

Although the market stalls opened at 8 a.m., visitors had to wait until 9:30 for the tasting to begin. By that time, long lines had formed, especially where enticing aromas wafted from portable cooktops. And, if you tried to sneak a sample from the array of prepared plates, you were quickly shooed away. 

My first taste was a sample of Goat Cheese Bruschetta prepared by Chef Andrew Dulaney of The Buttery Restaurant in Lewes. He partnered with Cheryl and Dave Wiley of Herbs, Spice, Everything Nice of Selbyville. They shared their recipe (below) and also gave us a peek at the featured tomato salad special on the menu for the evening's dinner service (see photo). 

I wasn't sure what to expect from the combination of sweet blueberry and tangy goat cheese, but the flavors melded nicely - neither cloying nor too tart, with a creamy texture. Toasted baguette slices had a salty hint and stayed crisp beneath the juicy tomato slices and rich Black Garlic Vinaigrette. 

For those of you unfamiliar with black garlic, it's long been an ingredient in Asian cuisine and is relatively new to gain popularity in this country. It's created by fermenting raw garlic through a prolonged process of exposure to heat and humidity. The result is an intense umami flavor, hints of sweetness, soft texture and very dark color. I haven't seen it in any local shops, but there are several online suppliers. 

Back at the tomato festival, a number of chefs offered different styles of bruschetta as well as other variations on bread and tomato combinations. Panzanella (tomato-bread salad) made an appearance, as did tomato pizza and a sweet-savory cake with tomato. Although they didn't host a demo, Bennett Orchards shared a recipe for peach and tomato crostini with honey from Honey Bee Lake Apiary and blue cheese from Chapel's Country Creamery. 

My favorite taste of the day came from the team of Gary and Lorraine Papp of Palate Bistro and Catering who paired with the owners of Black Hog Farmstead, well-known for their beautiful microgreens. They served a lobster-corn soup brimming with fresh flavor. Unlike a traditional corn chowder, thickened with starchy boiled potatoes, this soup had a delicate consistency. 

When asked for the recipe, the Papps offered a description of the process, starting with a simmer of lobster shells and veggies to form a rich, tomato-based stock. Freshly shucked corn was seasoned and tossed with lobster meat, then garnished with microgreens. To serve the soup, a spoonful of the corn mixture was placed in a cup and the elegant lobster stock was added. 

I've included my recipe for lobster stock, which can be mixed with seasoned corn kernels for soup similar to this one or used as the liquid in a rich seafood risotto. The tomatoes looked great this year.

Goat Cheese Bruschetta* 

1 baguette 
olive oil 
salt & pepper 
4 oz goat cheese 
1/2 C blueberries 
1 ripe yellow tomato 
1 ripe red tomato 
1 ripe zebra tomato 
5 cloves black garlic 
1/4 C white balsamic vinegar 
1 t Dijon mustard 
1/2 t kosher salt 
1/2 t sugar 
1/2 t black pepper 
3/4 C olive oil 

Preheat oven to 400 F. Thinly slice the baguette on the bias. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Brush the surface of each slice sparingly with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until light golden-brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Combine berries and goat cheese, whipping into a smooth consistency. When bread is cool, spread each piece with goat cheese mixture. Cut tomatoes into thin slices and arrange evenly on the bread slices. Whisk together remaining ingredients and drizzle over tomatoes. *Adapted from The Buttery Restaurant, courtesy of Andrew Dulaney.

Peach & Tomato Crostini* 

1 baguette 
2 T olive oil 
1 garlic clove 
2 ripe Bennett Orchards peaches 
1 pt cherry tomatoes 
8 oz blue cheese 
2 T honey 

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut bread into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake until light golden-brown, about 7 minutes. Pit the peaches and cut into thin wedges. Cut the tomatoes in half. When bread is toasted, remove pan from oven, leaving the slices in place.

Halve the garlic and rub each bread slice with the cut side of the clove. Arrange peaches and tomatoes evenly over the bread slices. Crumble cheese evenly over the slices and drizzle with honey. Return pan to the oven and bake until cheese has started melting, about 5 minutes. *Adapted from Bennett Orchards.

Lobster Stock 

shells & legs from 2 lobsters 
1/3 C olive oil 
2 onions 
6 garlic cloves 
1 bay leaf 
5 sprigs lemon thyme 
3 large tomatoes 
2 C dry white wine 
cold water 
salt & pepper, to taste 

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium. Cut lobster shells into 2-inch pieces and add to the skillet. Halve and thinly slice the onions; add to the skillet. Peel and crush the garlic; add to the skillet. Stir in bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent. Peel and roughly chop the tomatoes; add to the skillet along with juices. Stir in the wine and bring to a gentle simmer; cook for about 5 minutes. Add enough water to cover the shells and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat; season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly; remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Pour the stock through a fine mesh strainer, discarding solids. Cool completely before placing in a sealed container to refrigerate or freeze.