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Grilled or Broiled Tomatoes
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Makes 4 servings 1x
Time 20 to 30 minutes
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Ingredients
- 4 large ripe tomatoes
- 1/4 cup olive oil, or more as needed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare a grill or turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. Core the tomatoes and cut each horizontally into 3 or 4 thick slices. Spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle or brush with the olive oil, turning to coat them all over, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- The goal is to end up with tomatoes that are slightly charred and soft but not mushy.
- To Grill: Transfer them to the grates over the fi re and cook, undisturbed, until they start to brown underneath and ooze some juice, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully turn and cook them on the other side until they’re also darkened but you can still lift them from the grill without their falling apart, anywhere from 1 to 4 minutes more depending on the thickness of the slices and the heat of the grill.
- To Broil: Put the baking sheet under the broiler and cook them without turning until the tops are browned and bubbling, 5 to 8 minutes. Either way, if at any point they start to look dry and stick, drizzle the tomatoes with a little more olive oil.
- To serve, transfer the tomatoes to a serving platter or individual plates, sprinkle with the cheese, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
—Recipe from How to Cook Everything: The Basics
Recipe variations
3 Ways to Vary Any Grilled or Broiled Vegetable:
- Instead of Parmesan, try topping them with crumbled blue cheese or a smear of ricotta cheese.
- Before serving, sprinkle about 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, dill, parsley, or mint leaves over everything.
- For an Asian twist, substitute 2 tablespoons vegetable oil mixed with 2 tablespoons sesame oil for the olive oil and use a drizzle of soy sauce instead of the Parmesan.