Move over slow roasting and welcome GRILLED CHERRY TOMATOES! Holy snappin’ garter belts this dish was delicious!! I know, too many exclamations points – can’t be helped. The night I worked on my bbq herb brush post, I wanted something quick to go with the chicken I was cooking. To save making the kitchen any hotter than it already was, I threw some on-the-vine cherry tomatoes on the grill. No marinating, no brushing with herbs – nothing. Just picked them up by their vine – usually 6 to a cluster – and threw them right on the grill. While they did their thing, I chopped up some garlic, fresh basil and Italian flat parsley, put it in a serving dish then poured a little extra virgin olive oil over the top. That took me about three minutes… Went back to the barbee, carefully turned the cherry tomatoes over, making sure I didn’t tear their skins. That way all the lovely cooking juices stayed inside the tomato. Three more minutes on the other side and those tiny tomatoes were ready to burst. Using tongs and a spatula, I placed them on top of my herb mixture. The smell of the garlic and basil, after those hot tomatoes touched down, was knee buckling! As I pulled the scorched stems from the charred tomatoes, their juice released and mixed with the olive oil creating its own sauce. It was like watching a magic show. Somehow, in less than ten minutes on the grill, the cherry tomatoes were able to develop the same deep rich flavour you’d expect from a long slow roast in the oven. I served my sauce with pasta but you could eat it as is, poured over fresh mozzarella with some crusty bread, tossed with a bit of balsamic vinegar and greens… I could go on but you get the idea. I LOVE it when a happy accident turns into a keeper!
OK, I’ve controlled myself as long as possible but I’m now ready to bust. My girls are coming home! Meg lands Friday, Sara arrives Saturday and Kaitie will be here next Thursday. It’s amazing how the universe shifts at the thought of my daughters.
HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY…
GRILLED FIREY CHERRY TOMATO PASTA SAUCE
Serves 3-4
Preheat grill to high
20 on-the-vine large cherry tomatoes
Handful fresh basil leaves
Handful fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 clove fresh garlic
½ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes, or to taste
Scant ½ cup extra virgin olive oil*
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* I like lots of olive oil but you can use as little as ¼ cup and still have a tasty sauce!
THE STEPS:
- Place on-the-vine cherry tomatoes directly on preheated barbecue grill – close cover for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place garlic, basil and flat Italian parsley leaves on a wooden board and chop coarsely
- Place in a large serving dish and pour olive oil over top.
- Sprinkle with dried chilli flakes, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – set aside.
- Using a spatula and tongs, carefully turn tomatoes over without tearing their skins – grill for another 3 minutes with cover closed.
- Place grilled tomatoes on top of herb mixture. Using tongs to hold tomato, pull out the stems.
- Squish the juice from the tomatoes with the tongs then toss the mixture really well
- Serve hot or at room temperature.
THE LOVE: Watch your tomatoes carefully to make sure that they don’t burst. You want all of the yummy tomato juice for your sauce not wasted on the bottom of the grill.
one year ago: spicy quinoa salad
two years ago: rasberry peach shortcake
three years ago: strawberry mint shortcake
Feel free to share the LOVE. XO
Thanks for reading.
