Ever been confronted by a couple of unpromising looking tomatoes and some of yesterday’s bread, with nothing else for supper?

In The Big Red Book of Tomatoes, Lindsey Bareham will turn them into a delectable dinner for one. And, if you are a gardener, next time you are stuck with a load of tomatoes that won’t ripen, why not try Lindsey’s mouth-watering green tomato tart with zabaglione cream?

In her lively, inspirational new book, with a stunning collection of more than 400 recipes, the fruit we like to eat as a vegetable is given the star treatment. There are salsas from Mexico, curries from India, Arab tagines, pizzas from Italy and chutneys from the British Isles. If you want to know how to make the ultimate Bloody Mary, then this is the book for you. There are innovative dishes such as tomato tarte tatin, golden tomato lasagne with basil and vine tomatoes, classics such as spaghetti vongole, osso bucco and Shaker tomato cream pie, and pasta in every guise.

Lindsey explores in depth the tomato’s affinity with eggs, bread and pasta, in salads, sauces, with meat and fish. Some recipes take 10 minutes to cook, most take less than 30 and others need a couple of hours of slow simmering on the back burner while you get on with something else. The Big Red Book of Tomatoes is an invaluable addition to every cook’s bookshelf.