Maybe it's my intention (not resolution) to eat a little better this year than I did at the end of last year. It could also be my mild obsession with Alice Water's The Art of Simple Food, which I seem to look at everyday since I got it - more on that in another post. It could also be the unseasonably warm weather we've been having here...until today. As I sit here writing this, the largest snowflakes I've ever seen are falling, which is a rarity in Atlanta. I don't know what the reason is...but I've been craving tomatoes.
Although most tomatoes right now are incredibly dismal, the cherry tomatoes on the vine have been quite tasty - almost reminiscent of a real tomato! Wanting to make something quick that really highlighted their flavor, I quickly sauteed them with some garlic, a teensy bit of olive oil, and an herb I don't normally cook with - tarragon. In some dishes, I find tarragon really overpowering. Here, however, it really highlighted the sweetness of the tomatoes. The olive oil and the juices from the tomatoes mingle to create a really nice sauce...which was perfect served with a piece of crispy grilled Ciabatta bread. Add this to a meal of roasted chicken and it's the ideal side dish.
Sauteed Tomatoes with Tarragon - serves 4 as a side dish or appetizer
- 1 package on-the-vine cherry tomatoes or 2 containers cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 stems tarragon - washed, dried, and roughly chopped
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4" slices and grilled or toasted (optional)
- In a medium saute pan, heat up extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic and saute but not until brown. Add cherry tomato halves until the skin begins to pucker and they are warmed through - about 4 to 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and tarragon and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Served immediately with or atop toasted bread, if you so choose.
This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this time by Rinku at Cooking in Westchester. This could easily be included in sections about tomatoes *and* tarragon. Thanks to Rinku for hosting...and to Kalyn, as usual, for this wonderful blog event!