Bright Tomato Party Salad

Tomato Party Salad
Chronicle Books
https://easykitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/plenty_tomato_party-150x150.jpg
  • Yield: 4 servings

Instead of the Sardinian fregola (available from kalustyans.com), you can use Arab mograbiah (from Middle Eastern grocers) or Israeli couscous. Or just leave out the fregola and double the quantity of couscous.

Ingredients

3/4cup couscous
Salt
Olive oil
2/3cup boiling water
1cup fregola
3medium vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered
3/4teaspoon brown sugar
Black pepper
1teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
2tablespoons roughly chopped oregano
2tablespoons roughly chopped tarragon
3tablespoons roughly chopped mint
1 garlic clove, crushed
1small green tomato, cut into thin wedges
3/4cup red cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
  2. Put the couscous in a bowl with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil. Pour over the boiling water, stir and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside for 12 minutes, then remove the plastic wrap, separate the grains with a fork and leave to cool.
  3. Place the fregola in a pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 18 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Leave to dry completely.
  4. Meanwhile, spread the quartered vine tomatoes over half of a large baking pan and sprinkle with the sugar and some salt and pepper. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and some oil over the top. Place in the oven. After about 20 minutes remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 400F. On the empty side of the baking pan, spread the yellow tomatoes. Season them with salt and pepper and drizzle over some oil. Return to the oven and roast for 12 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and allow to cool down.
  5. Mix together the couscous and fregola in a large bowl. Add the herbs, garlic, cooked tomatoes with all their juices, the green tomato and cherry tomatoes. Very gently mix together using your hands. Taste for seasoning: you might need to add salt, pepper and some olive oil.
Reprinted with permission from Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London’s Ottolenghi (Chronicle Books, 2011).