Having had so-so luck over the years with growing heirloom tomatoes, I was told that little cherry tomatoes were almost foolproof. So before abandoning homegrown completely, I procured several plants of hearty red cherry, heirloom “black cherry” and yellow pear varieties. I staked, composted, fed, watered, and cajoled these little orbs; truth be told, I wasn’t expecting much more than salad filler. What I got was a whole toy box full of little juicy bursts of sweet intensity, ready for culinary playtime.
Like other tomatoes, these tiny toms do best stored on the kitchen counter, not in the refrigerator. And like their bigger siblings, cherry tomatoes are great in salads, sauces, toppings, even in pies. Unlike the anemic, hot house cherry tomatoes found in salad bars, home grown packs much more flavor for their size, especially when roasted. And no need to peel or seed. Here are a few of the delicious creations from this year’s colorful little crop, definitely not my last!
ROASTED SWEETS
The first bowl full went straight from the garden to a small shallow baking dish and, after roasting, were served warm as an appetizer with crusty slices of bread to scoop up sweet mouthfuls. If you don’t want to eat them right away, just roast, cool, and store in zip lock baggies in the freezer. Makes about 3-1/2 cups.
4 cups assorted cherry tomatoes
1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2teaspoon sugar
1/2teaspoon sea salt
Preheat oven to 400 F. After removing green tops, if any, put tomatoes in a shallow baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil; stir to coat. Sprinkle with chili powder, sugar and salt. Roast, uncovered, for about 12 minutes or until skins start to burst; stir gently halfway through roasting time. Remove from oven and serve warm.
TOMATO SALAD WITH CORN & BASIL
Summer lingers on your plate with this trio of season-ending vegetables. Look for small, golden cherry tomatoes, green heirlooms, and as many other colorful tomato varieties as available. Recipe from “Fresh From The Farmers’ Market” by Janet Fletcher; makes 4 servings.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 shallot, minced
Salt and pepper
1 pound of mixed cherry tomatoes
1/2cup fresh corn kernels
1 dozen fresh basil leaves
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and shallot. Season with salt and pepper; set aside for 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Remove stems from tomatoes. Halve tomatoes through the stem end, and arrange attractively on a large serving platter. Sprinkle corn kernels over tomatoes. Tear basil leaves in small pieces and scatter over all. Spoon dressing evenly over salad and serve.
FREE-FORM CHERRY TOMATO PIZZA
I cheat a bit on this one, procuring ready-made pizza dough at Trader Joe’s. You can use any prepared pizza dough or your favorite recipe. The focus is in the topping: so much better than tomato sauce. After stretching your dough to fit the olive-oil-rubbed pan, top dough with cherry tomatoes that have been de-stemmed and cut in half, plus other toppings of your choice, such as sliced mushrooms, torn basil or rosemary, chopped olives, or shreds of prosciutto. Then top with one or two cheeses (I used small dollops of goat cheese and a sprinkle of Parmesan) and drizzle everything with a little extra virgin olive oil. Bake in preheated oven (usually 425 F.) until done, checking bottom and center of crust after 10 or 12 minutes. Time will depend on your dough and toppings.
ROASTED TOMATO KETCHUP
This will spoil you from ever going back to regular ketchup. It can be refrigerated up to a week or frozen up to three months. Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens magazine; makes 1-1/4 cups.
3 cups assorted tiny tomatoes (cherry, pear, grape)
1/2medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/4cup)
1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil. Place all ingredients in prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/4teaspoon kosher salt; toss to combine. Roast, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until skins have burst and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir once or twice during roasting. Remove from oven and cool slightly, then place in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Store in refrigerator in a covered glass container until ready to use.
ROASTED TOMATO, ONION AND WHITE BEANS
Try this alone or served with grilled or broiled fish fillets such as ahi or other firm fish. Recipe adapted from “Cooking Light” cookbook; makes enough for 4 servings.
1 cup cherry tomatoes, green stems removed, and coarsely chopped
1/2cup coarsely chopped onion
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, slivered
15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
1/4cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/8teaspoon salt
In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, olive oil and garlic; spoon mixture into an 11x7x1-1/2-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in preheated 425 F. oven for 25 minutes or until liquid evaporates and onion is tender. Add beans, parsley, oregano, vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper; cover and bake 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from oven and keep warm until ready to serve.
# # #