Grilled Tomatoes Marinated in Basil Vinaigrette
From Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
3 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
oil for greasing pan
6 tomatoes, halved horizontally, seeds squeezed out

1. Preheat broiler or grill.
2. Combine olive oil, vinegar, basil, bay leaves, garlic and salt in a medium bowl; stir until well combined.
3. If using the broiler: lightly oil a baking or broiling pan. Place tomato halves cut-sides down in the pan. If you are using the grill: Lightly oil grill. Place tomatoes cut-side down directly on the grill.
4. Broil or grill tomatoes until they start to char and blister (or shrivel and show good grill marks on the grill), about 4 minutes. Using tongs or a spatula and spoon, carefully turn the tomatoes and broil or grill for 2 more minutes.
5. Remove the cooked tomatoes from the heat and place them cut-sides up in a dish with the oil and vinegar mixture Spoon some of the mixture onto them, then set aside to marinate for at least an hour.

The tomatoes can also covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature on a bed of lettuce, on slices of crispy, toasted bread with or without some creamy cheese, or over rice or pesto-tossed pasta.

---

Fried Green Tomatoes with Crispy Cornmeal Crust
From Farmer John's Cookbook: The Real Dirt on Vegetables

1/2 cup milk, or 1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup cornmeal or flour, or a combination
1 1/4 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
mild-flavored vegetable oil
4 large, firm green tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

1. Line a plate with paper towels.
2. Put the milk or egg-water mixture into a shallow bowl; set aside. Put the cornmeal or flour in another shallow bowl and stir in salt and pepper.
3. Fill a large skillet 1/4-inch deep with oil. Heat over high heat until the oil just begins to smoke, about 3 minutes.
4. Dip each tomato slice into the liquid, then into the cornmeal or flour. Carefully place the tomato slices in the oil and cook until golden and soft (but not mushy), 3 to 4 minutes on each side (working in batches as necessary). Adjust the heat as necessary to prevent burning.
5. Transfer the fried tomatoes to the paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season with more salt to taste. Serve immediately.