Slow-cooked cherry tomatoes with pearl couscous
Don’t be put off by the word slow here. The tomatoes do take some time to cook, which is mostly unassisted, but once they are ready the rest of the dish comes together in a flash. Verging on a confit – cooked in oil – the flavour of these slow-cooked tomatoes intensifies and sweetens with hits of garlic and chilli to complement. Even if the fresh tomatoes don’t start off with a lot of flavour this cooking method will bring out the best in them. The tomatoes can be cooked on a larger scale if you have lots of cherry tomatoes. They will keep for a week in the fridge or can be frozen into portions. Serve with sharp feta and a starch to soak up the juices. I used the larger-sized Italian pearl couscous, you can also use standard small couscous, or a small-sized pasta such as orzo.
PREP TIME 20 minutes // COOK TIME about 1 hour // SERVES 4 as a side
• About 400g cherry tomatoes, halved • 3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved • 1 tsp sugar • generous pinch of salt • pinch of chilli flakes
• 5 tbsp olive oil (75ml)
To serve
• 1 cup (200g) dried pearl couscous, cooked
• 100g feta, crumbled
• handful basil leaves
1. Heat the oven to 160°C (fan 140°C).
2. Scatter the halved cherry tomatoes in a shallow oven dish, about 20cm x 25cm. Add the garlic, sugar, salt and chilli flakes. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to combine.
3. Place into the oven and cook for 50-60 minutes. Check them occasionally and give the dish a jiggle to coat in the juices. This can be ahead of time when you are pottering in the kitchen. You will know they are ready when you can smell them. If not using straight them away, cool and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring back to room temperature to serve.
4. Prepare the couscous following the packet instructions (allow 15-20 minutes cooking time).
5. Fluff the cooked couscous with a fork and tip into a serving bowl. Stir through the slow cooked tomatoes. Scatter with the feta and basil leaves. 6. Serve as a light meal or as a side. Delicious with barbecued lamb or pan-fried fish.