Paula McIntyre: At this time of year I like to eat as many tomatoes as I can as they’re delicious

Often when you buy supermarket tomatoes they disappoint. They look good but have no substance – like some of the influencers that pop up on my social media.

The good thing about tomatoes grown here is they have flavour, are misshapen in places and are totally real. At this time of year I eat as many as I can and pickle them or whizz into chutney to have that taste memory in the winter. For a quick pickle I cut the tomatoes in half and pack into a kilner jar.

The liquor is one part vinegar, one part water, sugar to cut through the acid and salt to season. Bring to a simmer with aromatics like mustard, fennel or coriander seeds and add some herb stalks. Lovage works particularly well with them.

Seal and chill until you need them. They make a great addition to casseroles, warm salads even soup.

The recipe here is for a pulao, an Indian one pot rice dish. Chicken thighs are marinated in lemon and spices.

The dish is then layered with onion, ginger, chilli and garlic cooked first, followed by the tomatoes, then the chicken and finally the rice and some coconut milk. Wash the rice first then soak in cold water for an hour.

At the end it’s covered with parchment paper and a lid allowing the rice to fluff up and take up all the aromats in the dish. You could serve it like this but I’ve added some mint yoghurt for an extra touch.

Chestnutt’s Farm, outside Portrush, just received two stars in the Great Taste Awards for their yoghurt. It’s available in good delis and farm shops and is creamy, tangy and delicious.

The first of the Victorian plums have arrived. Like local tomatoes they have a unique taste unlike anything you’d buy commercially.

What I love about them is their random shapes, their fragrance and juicy texture. Compare this to those grown overseas and imported here – perfect orbs that taste of very little.

You’ll be able to source local plums in farm shops or ask in a greengrocer if you’re lucky enough still to have one.

You can preserve them by making jam but last year I cut them in half, removed the stone and layered them in a tub with parchment paper in between.

Raspberries are also in season now and serendipitously go very well with plums.

In the recipe here the two are combined in a simple torta where the plums are poached very gently and then pressed into a batter with the raspberries and baked until golden and bubbling.

Serve with a dollop of cream or some ice cream.