Editor’s Note: The following story was written by Senior Editor Bev Davis prior to her untimely death last weekend. Another story by her will appear in Sunday’s newspaper.

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As Beckley cooking instructor Sawsan Galal began her weekly class in the kitchen of her home, she reached into a pile of red, ripe tomatoes.

“Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, vitamin C and other nutrients that help our bodies fight off disease,” she told the half dozen participants. “They’re in abundance right now, so it’s a perfect time to look for recipes that call for tomatoes.”

For those not lucky enough to have tomatoes growing in your backyard or in a container on a deck, Galal offered some advice on choosing the best buys at the grocery store or produce market.

“Choose tomatoes that have a deep rich color. Look for those that are well- shaped and smooth-skinned with no wrinkles, cracks, bruises or soft spots,” she said.

Tomatoes that are puffy or have soft spots in them have already started to overripen, and you will not get as much of the tomato flesh for the money you spend.

“Ripe tomatoes will yield to slight pressure and will have a noticeably sweet fragrance. If they have been vine-ripened, you may still be able to smell the fragrance of the vine on them,” she said.

Store tomatoes at room temperature and out of direct exposure to sunlight. They will keep for up to a week, depending upon how ripe they are when purchased. To hasten the ripening process, place them in a paper bag with a banana or apple. The ethylene gas emitted by the other fruit will increase the ripening of the tomato.

If the tomatoes begin to become overripe, but you are not yet ready to eat them, place them in the refrigerator (if possible, in the butter compartment which is a warmer area), where they will keep for one or two more days. Removing them from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before using will help them to regain their maximum flavor and juiciness. Whole tomatoes, chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce freeze well for future use in cooked dishes.

Sundried tomatoes should be stored in an airtight container, with or without olive oil, in a cool dry place.

Always wash tomatoes thoroughly under cool running water and pat them dry before using them raw.

“We don’t know how many hands have touched them before we got them, so we want to make sure the skin is as clean as possible,” Galal said. “Bacteria can travel from the skin into the flesh of the tomato as the knife cuts through it.”

If your recipe requires seeded tomatoes, cut the fruit in half horizontally and gently squeeze out the seeds and the juice.

The high acid content of tomatoes will interact with aluminum cookware, so opt for another metal pan.

Galal demonstrated the following recipes for her class before the group sampled the finished dishes. The recipes are adapted from those found on Epicurious.com.



Gazpacho

3 cups finely diced plum tomatoes, juices reserved

2 cups finely diced cucumbers, peeled and seeded

1 1/4 cups finely diced onion

1 cup finely diced red bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (tarragon, thyme, or parsley)

3 cups canned tomato juice

1/4 cup red wine vinegar, or as needed

Juice of 1/2 lemon, or as needed

1/4 teaspoon salt, or as needed

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or as needed

1 cup tiny croutons

1/2 cup thinly sliced chives or scallion greens



Reserve 2 tablespoons each of the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, and pepper for the garnish.

Puree the remaining tomato, cucumber, onion, and pepper in a food processor or blender along with the garlic, tomato paste, olive oil, and herbs until fairly smooth but with some texture remaining.

Transfer the puree to a mixing bowl. Stir in the tomato juice, the red wine vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt and cayenne to taste. Cover and chill thoroughly, at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

After chilling, check the seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve in chilled bowls, garnished with the reserved vegetables, croutons, and chives.

Making this recipe yours If the soup is too thin for your taste, add about 1 cup of freshly made white bread crumbs before chilling. If it's too thick, the consistency can be thinned by adding more tomato juice or water. Part of the tomato juice can be replaced with fish broth or clam juice. If desired. Serves 8.



Provencal tomato soup with rice

2 pounds tomatoes

2 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (2 cups)

1 medium carrot, coarsely grated

1 celery rib, finely chopped

4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 (3-inch by 1-inch) strips fresh orange zest, finely chopped

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

Scant 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/4 California

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups water

1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch crumbled saffron threads

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup long-grain white rice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil



Cut a shallow X in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife. Blanch tomatoes in batches of 2 or 3 into a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling water 10 seconds, transferring with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking.

Peel tomatoes, then halve crosswise. Squeeze halves gently, cut sides down, over a sieve set over a bowl to extract seeds and juices, then press on seeds and discard them. Reserve juice and tomatoes.

Cook onions, carrot, celery, garlic, zest, thyme, red-pepper flakes, fennel seeds, and bay leaf in oil in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes with reserved juice, tomato paste, water, chicken broth, salt, pepper, saffron, and 1 teaspoon sugar, then simmer, uncovered, stirring and breaking up tomatoes with a spoon occasionally, 20 minutes. Stir in rice and simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in parsley, basil, and sugar and salt to taste. Serves 4 to 6.



Quick-pickled cherry tomatoes with dill



3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup water

4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 3-by-1/2-inch strip lemon peel (yellow part only, removed with vegetable peeler)

12 ounces cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and/or pear tomatoes

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper



Pour vinegar and 3/4 cup water into small saucepan. Add salt, sugar, and lemon peel. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat. Let cool 20 minutes.

Pierce each tomato 2 times with slender wooden skewer. Toss tomatoes, dill, garlic, and crushed red pepper in large bowl. Add cooled vinegar mixture. Let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Makes 3 cups.



Shrimp and mango cocktail

6 cherry tomatoes

1 large ripe mango

1 fresh mild green chili, seeded and chopped

Juice of one lime

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Salt, pepper to taste

1 pound shelled jumbo shrimp, cooked



Place tomatoes in a heat-proof bowl and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Let stand for 1-2 minutes, then remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place in cold water. Remove skins. Dice tomatoes and place in a large non-metallic bowl.

Dice mango into chunks. Add to the tomatoes with any of the mango juice. Add the chili, lime juice, chopped cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked shrimp and gently fold. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. Makes 4 servings.