When the hot days of summer come around and the garden is popping, there is nothing like a fresh, ripe tomato. Whether it’s from the farmers’ market or your own garden, a sweet, juicy tomato is one of summer’s sirens, letting us know it’s perfectly acceptable to eat tomato sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner. All I need is simple bread, lightly toasted, a smear of mayonnaise, a couple thick slices of tomato and sprinkle of salt and pepper. That’s it.

While I suggest eating as many fresh tomatoes in the summer as you can, sometimes you may need to use them in other ways — especially if you have a bumper crop. Using fresh tomatoes in condiments is a great way to extend their shelf life and they provide options for pulling together a delicious meal in a hurry.

The following recipes are designed in relatively small volumes, that allow you to use them quickly. If you’re looking to make a larger batch, they are easy to scale up and jar for use later in the year when the fresh, summer tomatoes are no longer available. That being said, Canada produces great greenhouse tomatoes, so maybe you won’t have to wait until next year to make these recipes again.