So it’s a stretch, but it is St. Paddy’s day. And, well, this post really has nothing to do with the Irish, or beer, or celebrations, or the only-in-Massachusetts holiday of Evacuation Day. But, it does have everything to do with tomatoes. Warm, amazing, flavorful tomatoes.
At the tail end of winter, it is hard to remember the deep flavor of a tomato. The stores are starting to stock fruits and vegetables from southern parts of the US, instead of from distant countries. Maybe it is this difference that made this so flavorful. I like to think, that somehow, I managed to coax out that wonderful tomatoey-flavor by how I prepared them.
Sorry if I’ve lost you. What I’m talking about is this tomato tapenade/dip/spread/dish that I made. You see, this is a very simple dish to prepare. It seems far more sophisticated than it actually is. It proved a perfect accompaniment to the rosemary flatbreads.
Tomato Tapenade
3/4 pint cherry tomatoes
juice of 1/2 lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
1. Slice tomatoes in half.
2. Heat medium saucepan over high heat and coat with olive oil.
3. Add tomatoes to pan and stir frequently. Be careful – they splash.
4. After 2-3 minutes when tomatoes begin to soften and cook down, add lemon juice and lemon zest.
5. Cook to combine flavors.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
These tomatoes, combined with a simple guacamole made a delicious appetizer . Luckily, there were plenty of people to share this with, or I might not have had room for dinner!