Tomato Party

August 25, 2011 · 0 comments

Tomato Party

Adapted from Plenty

Sometimes, I change the name of a dish to make it more descriptive so that when my readers scan the recipes page, it’s clear what the recipe is all about. I just couldn’t change this one to make it anymore illustrative. It says exactly what it is! This dish blends tomatoes of several varieties in an array of textures – some are deeply roasted, some just lightly roasted and a few are completely raw. You may be wondering why the green zebra tomato listed as an ingredient is missing from view in my photo. I couldn’t find one when I wanted it (but have seen a boatload since). Served warm or cold, this dish stands alone nicely as a vegetarian main dish and also works well as a side.

1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
1/2 cup whole wheat Israeli (pearl) couscous
3 ripe medium tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 small green zebra tomato, cut into thin wedges
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, pressed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Cook the traditional couscous and Israeli couscous separately, according to package directions. It will be tempting to throw them into the same pot, but because they are different textures, they need to be cooked independently. Fluff with a fork and allow each to cool while preparing the tomatoes.
On a baking sheet, spread the wedges of tomatoes evenly. Season lightly with kosher salt, then sprinkle with the brown sugar, black pepper and balsamic vinegar. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with a spatula to coat. Roast tomatoes for 20 minutes, then increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, toss the halved yellow tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread the yellow tomatoes on the same pan with the roasted tomato wedges, then place the sheet back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow them to cool, slightly.
In a large bowl, combine both types of couscous, the roasted tomatoes and their accumulated pan juices, the grape tomatoes, green zebra tomato, oregano, mint, basil and garlic. Toss the mixture gently, taking care not to smash the delicate roasted tomatoes. Taste seasonings and add a final drizzle of olive oil and if needed, additional salt and pepper. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 45 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Print

PDF