Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
Happy Autumnal Equinox, friends!
Remember that time the whole summer flew by in like a minute and then fall snuck in and reared its delicious, pumpkin-flavored head? Oh hi, that happened. But for real, how is it September 23 already?!
The world may never know.
What the world DOES know, however, is that fall food is my favorite food. Like, FAVORITE favorite. Honestly, you really only need to know me for 2.5 minutes to understand that this is the case. Summer – as awesomely delicious as it may be – ain’t got nothing on those fall flavors. Baked goods stuffed to the brim with cinnamon-and-sugar drenched -covered apples; butternut squash cooked in ways you never imagined possible; and pumpkin combined with every food & flavor EVER. Really, whats not to love?!
Hint: the answer is nothing; there’s nothing NOT to love. duh!
So here’s the catch: instead of jumping face-first into pumpkin and apple and squash e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g., today I have one last bit of summer for you to enjoy. Partially because a little piece of me can’t give into the fact that school has started up again (which totally doesn’t affect me anymore, but whatev) or that the colder temps are definitely on their way… but mostly because, true to form, I’m behind.
In life.
I have about eighty-seven and a half incredible fall recipes that I want to test/eat/share, but every last waking minute of my life over the last month or so has been spent working (and watching football). Because did I mention that we’re leaving for France in TWELVE DAYS?! Yes, twelve. That’s less than two weeks away, FYI. And yes, I’m freakin’ the fk out – in all the best ways, obvi. But also in an I’m-so-stressed-that-I-can-barely-sleep-because-all-I-want-to-do-is-plan-and-research-and-I-have-so-much-work-to-get-done-before-we-leave kind of way.
OCD to the max.
So. Summer; where art thou?
IN MY GARDEN, that’s where.
I don’t know about you guys, but our garden this year was like an overgrown jungle, legitimately bursting at the seams. I kid you not, there were fruits & veggies spilling over the sides!
Picture this: the cucumber and watermelon grew like weeds along the edges of the garden fence and latched on to every other plant in the immediate area; the raspberry-less raspberry plants were legit taller than me; and all 47 of our tomato plants were roughly ten feet around. And then of course you can’t forget my dad, standing next to me every evening, explaining that “it’s the SUPER loam!”. #dadsknowbest
and I know I said to picture it, but I have a photo. And the photo does it absolutely no justice..
Irregardless. We’re still up to our eyeballs in tomatoes – which is a pretty awesome “problem” to have. So naturally, I’ve been pinterest-ing the hell out of tomato recipes.
I discovered this one in a year-old Bon Appétit magazine on our bedroom floor (because yes, I’m even behind in reading my favorite magazine. pathetic, I know). Cherry tomato vinaigrette – the name sounds innocent enough, right? Well, I quickly discovered that ‘vinaigrette‘ actually translates to ‘flavor explosion in your mouth‘. Bet you didn’t know that! It’s French. Cuz I’m fluent and all.
Fresh, garden tomatoes brought to life with a little salt & pepper, roasted to perfection on your stovetop with shallots and olive oil, and then smashed until all their delicious juices are released. In a word: perfection.
This has been my go-to for recent late nights – the vinaigrette comes together in 25 minutes or less and is incredibly versatile. The flavors are simple – and so is the preparation (which may be my favorite part)! If you are a tomato fan, this is a must-try.
Toss with greens and other garden veggies to make a salad; enjoy over grilled chicken as a makeshift marinade; and my personal favorite – over brown rice pasta and topped with toasted breadcrumbs (and more fresh basil)! Your options are endless – explore them until your heart (and stomach) is content!
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes (about 1 pint)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- fresh basil
- Cut about ¾ of the cherry tomatoes in half. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.; add shallot. Cook, stirring often, until translucent and softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add tomatoes to the saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 or 6 minutes or until they are softened and starting to release juices. Smash some (or all) of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add salt and pepper, to taste; simmer an additional minute or two. Add fresh basil before serving.
Recipe from: Bon Appetit | Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
I hope you guys have some room in your weekly rotation for another summer meal or two before fall really settles in! And if you find that you’ve run out of tomatoes, come on over – we’ve got plenty to share :)
