I try to make creative choices for this blog. I like to post recipes that are unexpected. However, I put far less effort into my day-to-day meal making. Like you, I’m busy trying to bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan. I also have the responsibility of a live-in parent-in-law with challenging needs. While the blog represents food I love, my daily meals aren’t Malaysian street food garnished with pickled mustard seeds preceded by labor-intensive appetizers. Most days I opt for simple preparations of whatever lean protein suits my fancy. Which leaves me in a constant struggle to dress that protein up. It also leaves me wondering: does on-the-fly, Warm Tomato Relish count as blog food?
In fact, lean protein topped with a warm tomato relish (containing just a few quality ingredients) begins to sound an awful lot like fancy diet food. Not that there’s anything wrong with the “Spa Diet”. However, I made a choice on this blog to rarely wander into the world of dieting. That’s partly because I understand that the word “diet” is socially-loaded and very personal. We all have different needs. We all have different bodies, and we all have the right to take care of (or not take care of) our bodies as we see fit. However, the main reason I stay away from the subject is because I don’t diet. Or at least I don’t call my predominantly healthy eating choices dieting.
However, if I were to slap a label on my day-to-day dining I would call it a whole food, butter-friendly Mediterranean Diet with some Paleo aspects (I can’t believe I just used the word Paleo on my beautiful blog – insert smiley face here).
Which means I tend to favor lean protein served with wine and dressed up with seasonal goodies. These can include almost any combination of herbs, vegetables, grains, and (even) pasta. The struggle lies in keeping these simple day-to-day meals from being boring.
Which is how I came to the conclusion that even the humblest of lean proteins are best compared to a good pair of jeans – you can dress them up or dress them down. They’re appropriate for that fancy new spa or you can wear them day-to-day just because they’re so easy and comfortable. GREG
Warm Tomato Relish
NOTE: This Warm Tomato Relish is particularly helpful for those days when you open up the fridge and you see a plate of leftover sliced pork tenderloin or chicken staring back at you. You could reheat that pork or chicken but I bet you’d dry it out. This Warm Tomato Relish is just warm enough to bring these (or other lean proteins) back to life.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 10 ounce cherry or grape tomatoes
- 3 clove garlic (peeled and smashed)
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Directions
Heat oil in a medium skillet on medium heat. Add tomatoes, and cook, swirling pan often, until skins are blistered, about 5 minutes.
Stir in garlic, wine, and balsamic vinegar, and cook until liquid reduces by half and tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, salt, and red-wine vinegar, and cook for 1 minute. Serve immediately, or cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. (Warm over low heat before using.)
Wow Greg — this looks terrific. It would even be great with some pasta — yummy stuff!
I hope you finger is doing better! I love the beauty and simplicity of this blog/spa/delicious dish.
The thought of this spread across some shredded smoked brisket on a tortilla.…sounds like an amazing food truck style taco. Great shots, Greg!
Anything is worthy of being blogged if the flavor is good. Love the idea of this — bet this has a lot of snap to it. And it looks great — another thing that makes it blog worthy. 🙂
Now this is a wonderful way to enjoy leftover pork, love these bright bold flavors.
A little bit of warmth enhances the flavors of tomatoes so much just as the way your tomato relish will enhance a simple meal.
What an absolutely beautiful way to dress up leftovers. I may just borrow your recipe for some tilapia tonight, shaking it up.
I skipped the sugar and the white wine and it was wonderful on broiled tilapia! Thanks for the inspiration.
I’m making it again tonight on store bought roasted chicken. (I smashed my finger in the car door today so this relish is all the cooking I can handle). I’m glad you liked it. Was it “clingy” enough without the sugar? GREG
The simplicity of this is what makes it so beautiful. And it is perfect blog food, perfect every day food, and perfect special occasion food. Why wouldn’t you share this?
Don’t be apologetic at all for this post! As interested cooks, we all want to read about unusual and elegant recipes,. sure. But I for one am just like you — I don’t have the luxury of being able to devote myself to cooking 24/7. Most days, I have just enough time to throw something together. So I relish recipes like these! I’m always curious to know what foodies do on the fly. It gives me ideas of what I can throw together for myself.
So pretty. This would be great on just about anything, even fish!!!
YES… Your gorgeous Warm Tomato Relish definitely counts as blog food! This is exactly the kind of thing that we all need in our daily meal repertoire — it’s easy enough to make any night of the week, and beautiful enough to make any meal feel special. Perfect!
You did it. You used the word Paleo. I was like you in the beginning, but once I did my first Paleo recipe, people LOVED it. So, now alongside three biscuits (one reg. one gluten free, one grain free) five of the top ten recipes every day are paleo. I have fretted about not being “diet y) or health nut weird. Those kinds of blogs are usually not my style. So I came up with a new tag line Big Fat Healthy Food, hoping to portray what you’re also saying. Yes, I use TONS of butter and olive oil every day. I cook most meals simply yet better than most restaurants (just like you). So does your chicken and tomato relish make a good blog post? Absolutely! The best food is simple and we all need daily inspiration for this so that every day is a good day, a big fat healthy food day!
(sorry you’re going through family stuff; she couldn’t be in better hands). xoxo
I will pin you to my paleo boards!
Boring is the enemy and with this recipe boring has been defeated. Thanks so much for the inspiration.
Greg, you really are a wonderful guy. Our upbringings are very close, and where we ended up, quite similar. Perhaps a semi-sterile family life as a child makes us just that much more attuned to the needs of others, and more outwardly loving. Something to ponder.
This recipe is lovely. I do something somewhat similar to this, but I will try this one for sure. I eat primarily “paleo” and “low carb”. Partly because I prefer it, and partly because I need to. It may be catch-phrase(ish) or “trendy” to use these words, but the food choices work for me.