Roasted Tomato Toasts with Halloumi
Watermelon season is all but over, corn season has come to a close (you can still get it, but its not nearly as good as the early and mid season stuff) Tomato season is now in full swing and I’ve got to be honest, its my least favorite. I can only guess it’s artifact from having to choke down tomatoes as a kid against my will—unseasoned tomato sauce and overboiled macaroni anyone? Maybe it was my body’s way of defending me from nightshades in a time that I needed it the most.
Even as a grown-ass adult I still will eat a tomato in the name of being polite, but I don’t truly enjoy them. Even after all these years my poker face game when it comes to tomatoes is meh at best but my dislike for them seldom comes up in dinner conversation. I’ve tried to like them, I’ve tried so hard to understand what all the buzz was about and I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it. Tomatoes are one of those things I buy with the best intentions that is always on the verge of being chucked in the compost pile and it just gets thrown into a meal to prevent it from going to waste.
To my horror (ok, maybe that’s a bit dramatic) my friend Heather from Ten Mile Creek Produce asked me to not only come to the market and create a recipe showcasing tomatoes for shoppers to sample, but also to judge the tomato tasting portion of “Tomato Fest 2021” last weekend. I was stoked to get to work creating some recipes that celebrate the finest tomatoes the season has to offer, but I had a major confession to get off my chest. I messaged Heather back to let her know that I probably wasn’t the best choice for the judging portion, because I know a good tomato when I taste one, I’m good at making tomatoes taste good, but I can’t control my face. She happily agreed to let me off the hook. I ended up making a fresh bruschetta with a variety of heirloom slicers and cherry tomatoes with some crisp nectarines and basil, I checked it for seasoning, it tasted good but wasn’t anything I’d sit down with a plate of—it was well received among the producers and shoppers though.
All that to say there are a few dishes starring tomatoes that I don’t actually mind eating more than just a few bites, and typically they’re roasted. After Tomato Fest wrapped my friend Teresa from J. Dozier Farms stopped by my booth and left a bunch of different tomatoes which were worked in to recipes throughout the week. Everything but the pint of Clementine Cocktail tomatoes, little plum size orange fellas. They sat on the counter staring me down for over a week, without a single fruit fly until yesterday. when I finally bit the bullet and worked my magic on them. Guys, I ate tomatoes under my own free will and enjoyed it.
TL:DR I’ve never met a tomato I liked until I tried it this way. Tomater hater approved recipe folks. ALSO EASY AF.
Roasted Tomato Toasts with Halloumi
1 pint Cherry or other Small tomatoes, Halved or quartered depending on size
1 head of garlic, peeled cloves, cut in half lengthwise
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup good Olive Oil (this is going to make a sauce of sorts, you don’t want to simp here)
6-8 sprigs thyme, more for garnish if desired
1 brick Yaya’s Halloumi cut in 1/4 inch cubes
1 loaf crusty bread, My absolute favorite being Hudson Baking Co’s Idaho Loaf, sliced 1/2” thick
Preheat oven to 400f
Toss Tomatoes and Garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Place thyme in the bottom of a cast iron skillet or other shallow oven safe baking dish. Add the tomatoes and garlic and any oil remaining in the mixing bowl. Ensure everything is situated in a single layer (or close to) by giving it a good shake.
Bake, uncovered for approximately 35 minutes without stirring.
Add the cubed halloumi and gently tuck it amongst the tomatoes and olive oil. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes until the tomatoes are nice and jammy and the halloumi has just begun to turn golden brown on the corners.
Meanwhile spray both sides of the bread slices with avocado or olive oil spray and place it on the oven rack to get crispy.
Remove the tomatoes and bread slices from the oven and serve while its still piping hot spooning over the toast and soaking up the remaining olive oil. Finishing salt optional.
Recipe Notes: I found my cast iron fajita pan the best tool for this job because of its super shallow sides and wooden coaster, which is why I ended up dirtying a mixing bowl to ensure that the tomatoes and garlic were evenly oiled and seasoned.
