Tomato Party from From Salt to Jam
I live for tomatoes. In summer I am constantly seeking and eating them. Here they play together in all their forms – the pop of fresh, the collapsing roasted, and the smoky sweet chewiness of the semi-dried smoked versions. The slathering of feta and fragrant hit of zhug make this salad the life of any party. When showcasing a few ingredients like this there is nowhere to hide, so buy the best that you can find and afford.
I live for tomatoes. In summer I am constantly seeking and eating them. Here they play together in all their forms – the pop of fresh, the collapsing roasted, and the smoky sweet chewiness of the semi-dried smoked versions. The slathering of feta and fragrant hit of zhug make this salad the life of any party. When showcasing a few ingredients like this there is nowhere to hide, so buy the best that you can find and afford.
Tomato Party from From Salt to Jam
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
- 450 g (1 lb/3 cups) cherry tomatoes
- 6–8 smoked garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant, then roughly ground
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted in a dry pan until fragrant, then roughly ground
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) Zhug (page 101)
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) smoked semidried tomatoes (the absolute best you can find), chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 75 g (2¾ oz/½ cup) crumbled
- Persian feta
- generous handful of basil leaves
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 150˚C (300˚F).
Step 2
Add the roasting ingredients to a baking dish and, using your hands, give everything a good toss. Roast until the tomatoes are blistered, soft and caramelized. This usually takes about an hour over the lower heat. Allow to cool, then peel the garlic cloves. Transfer half of the cloves to a bowl and use a fork to gently crush them.
Step 3
To the same bowl, add all the dressing ingredients, except for the olive oil, and whisk to combine. Continue whisking and slowly stream in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 4
To serve, add all the tomatoes and diced onion to a bowl. Give everything a gentle toss. Crumble over the feta and finish with the dressing and basil leaves. Season again with salt and pepper and serve.
Excerpted from From Salt to Jam by Katrina Meynink (Hardie Grant Books). Copyright © May 9th 2023. Order the book here.
