MAKES 3 CUPS
Some cooks overlook standard red cherry tomatoes, disdaining them for heirloom varieties. Admittedly, some can be bland in comparison to the other varieties, but roasting them truly brings out their sweet flavor.
1½ pounds or 2 pints cherry tomatoes
2½ tablespoons fruity extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small jalapeno pepper
1 cup minced scallion greens
½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Rinse, drain, and blot the tomatoes dry with paper towels. Prick each tomato twice with the tip of a knife and place them in a bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss lightly to coat. Arrange in a single layer in a nonaluminum pan and roast for 20 minutes; the tomatoes will be very tender.
2. Trim the ends of the pepper and discard with the seeds. Cut into little pieces and drop down the feed tube of a food processor fitted with a steel blade while the machine is running (or into a blender) and chop finely. Add the roasted tomatoes with their juice, the scallion greens, cilantro, and lemon juice. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Pour into a serving bowl and chill for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Tomatoes contain an important phytonutrient, lycopene, that has been shown to prevent a number of forms of cancer, including prostate, colorectal, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic.
