Herbed Tomatoes
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 6medium-size summer tomatoes — somewhere between the size of a golf ball and a tennis ball
- 4tablespoons olive oil (best possible), plus more for the pan
- Salt
- 2tablespoons chopped green or summer garlic, or 1 tablespoon chopped regular garlic
- 4tablespoons very finely chopped fresh cilantro, stems included
- 2tablespoons very finely chopped fresh Thai basil, leaves only
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
106 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 317 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Cut the tomatoes across their horizontal equators, and over the sink, scoop out some of their seeds and juice without completely disemboweling them.
- Step 2
Heat a cast-iron pan or grill pan or grill big enough to fit all the tomatoes in one or two rounds. Lightly brush or drizzle your pan with olive oil. Cook the tomatoes in a single layer, cut sides down, for 3 to 4 minutes, until they just start to collapse or buckle when they are plucked at with tongs and their cut sides are browned or even a touch blackened.
- Step 3
Turn off the heat, and turn the tomatoes over, leaving them for 3 minutes on the second side and then removing them, cut sides up, to a plate. Lightly salt the cut sides.
- Step 4
In a mortar and pestle or on a cutting board, pound the garlic to a paste with a large pinch of salt — about ½ teaspoon. When you have a fairly smooth paste, mix in the chopped herbs and olive oil. Taste. Adjust salt until the paste is very well seasoned.
- Step 5
Divide the herb paste among the cut sides of the tomatoes, using it all. There should be a thick, herby blanket on each. Eat warm or at room temperature or cool.
Private Notes
Comments
Ouch! That was a bit harsh, don't you think? The *writer* didn't say these were French provincial; she said "may or may not" in a reference to her own skepticism about her friend's designation. Perhaps her point was a bit subtle, but your response, like a taste of cilantro administered too liberally, was a little over the top.
I would have written "might or might not," but this is a recipe, not a grammar lesson. At any rate, I might try this just to see if your pique is justified.
For a real Mediterranean touch, do as I did this
evening and add a finely chopped Kalamata olive
or two to the herb mix. Could make a meal on
these alone....
I've done this with Roma tomatoes, in a very low oven for a long time. They come out almost dried but the flavor is superb - a great accompaniment. Just cut lenghtwise, salt and pepper, garlic and any herb, and drizzle with olive oil.
I add corn to the sauce
I've made this several times over the past few years with Brandywine tomatoes and Thai basil from our garden. I probably would turn up the heat on the stove a bit because the tomatoes got soft but only slightly brown. Still delicious, with grilled steak and green beans.
I used this recipe purely as inspiration. I used a liberal amount of olive oil and butter, cooked the tomatoes while I put a handful of italian parsley, a handful of dill, a couple large cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and a handful of walnuts in my little food processer. I chopped finely (but did not puree). I spread the herb topping on the tomatoes and then flipped them over into the butter/EVO mixture and cooked few minutes longer. I scooped them out carefully and flipped up. GOOD.
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