Smoked Heirloom Tomato Relish with Corn & Beans
by Eric Rupert
Hot-smoking the tomatoes allows them to pick up the smoky flavor of the wood chips. Serve with grilled shrimp or over grilled fish, meat, or chicken.
Think getting great smoky flavor from your gas grill is impossible? Think again. See it in action in our exclusive CooksClub video featuring grilling guru, Fred Thompson.
Yields about 5 cups.
Serves six as a side dish.
To learn more, read the article:
Heirloom Tomatoes
For the smoked tomatoes:
2 cups hickory, mesquite, cherry, or apple wood chips, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
Vegetable oil for the grill
2 lb. heirloom Roma-style (plum) tomatoes, cored, halved lengthwise, and seeded
Kosher salt
4 oz. thin green beans, trimmed and cut into 1- to 2-inch lengths
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, cut into small dice (scant 1-3/4 cup)
One-half large red pepper, cut into small dice (scant 3/4 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-1/4 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears)
1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
Freshly ground black pepper
Smoke the tomatoes:
Drain the wood chips well. Prepare a hot charcoal fire. When the fire is hot, arrange the coals in an even layer. Sprinkle the wood chips over the coals and put the grill grate in place. Scrub the grate clean with a wire brush and oil the grate with a folded paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. Arrange the tomato halves cut side down on the grill. Cover the grill and open all the air vents. Smoke the tomatoes until they're soft and their skins are light brown in spots, about 15 minutes.
Using potholders, remove the entire grill grate with the tomatoes on it to a clean heatproof spot (a large sheet of aluminum foil on a stone patio, for instance) and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. With tongs or a spatula, transfer the tomatoes to a cutting board. Cut the tomatoes into 1/2-inch dice and put in a bowl along with any juices from the cutting board. (The tomatoes may be smoked up to 4 hours ahead.)
Finish the relish:
Bring a 3- to 4-quart saucepan full of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and boil until barely tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the beans in a colander, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and set aside.
Set the saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onion, and red pepper and cook until soft and aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic no longer smells raw, about 2 minutes. Add the corn and a big pinch of salt and cook until the color brightens and the kernels look translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the green beans, the cherry tomatoes, and the smoked tomatoes with their juices. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the cherry tomatoes look a little wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
nutrition information (per serving):
Calories
(kcal):
160;
Fat
(g):
10;
Fat Calories
(kcal):
90;
Saturated Fat
(g):
1.5;
Protein
(g):
3;
Monounsaturated Fat
(g):
7;
Carbohydrates
(g):
18;
Polyunsaturated Fat
(g):
1.5;
Sodium
(mg):
190;
Cholesterol
(mg):
0;
Fiber
(g):
4;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 94
, pp. 44
July 1, 2008
