Garlicky Grilled Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- 100 ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil
- 2 mild long red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 10 garlic cloves, finely sliced lengthways
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- Handful of flat-leaf parsley (leaves and stalks separated)
- 4 beef tomatoes, sliced crossways into 5 mm (¼ inch) thick discs
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
I am always looking for a way to get the most out of bland supermarket tomatoes, and this dish is it. It looks beautiful and impressive, and somehow elevates a boring beef tomato into something rich, sweet, and full of flavour. It’s based on a recipe by the great Yotam Ottolenghi but, while his dish features Middle Eastern spices, my version is inspired by the key flavours of the Tyrrhenian: garlic, chilli, and oregano.
Directions:
Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan with the fresh and dried chillies, garlic, and oregano over medium heat for about 5 minutes so the flavours infuse into the oil. Add the parsley stalks and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, making sure the garlic turns soft and golden but doesn’t brown. Take the pan off the heat, briefly cooling it if it starts to darken.Leave the oil mixture to sit for around 10 minutes while you get the tomatoes ready.Preheat the oven grill to 200°C (400°F), fan setting.Lay the tomato slices in a roasting tin large enough to hold them in a single layer. Using a pastry brush, coat them generously with some of the infused oil (save the rest for later). Season evenly with salt.Place the tomatoes on the top shelf of the oven and grill for about 15 minutes.Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly until easy to handle. Transfer to a serving dish, then spoon over the remaining oil along with the garlic, chillies, and herbs.Allow to cool a little before serving, either slightly warm or at room temperature.
