I love tomatoes, in essentially all their forms. Sauce, purée, paste, raw, broiled, grilled, sun-dried, juiced, blended, heated up, cooled down,gazpacho'd, you name it. Some might argue that my indiscriminate love of the tomato makes me a bit of a whore, but I prefer to think of myself as a connoisseur who just happens to like everything that a tomato touches.
Tomatoes are, after all, half of life. That's right, a full 50%. And as much as I have used this phrase over the years, I must attribute it to my dear friend, Beth Woodall, artistic genius, wife and mother extraordinaire, and fellow tomato-lover. Beth, if you're out there, I miss you and it's been too long by an extreme long shot.
Last night I made two delicious tomato-inspired dishes from the Veganomicon , but for the purpose of simplicity, I'm going to write me in two separate blogs. The Tomato Couscous with capers is a nice starter, and would be lovely hot or cold, and for a main course, a Mediterranean baked Lima bean casserole, rich, creamy, and satisfying.
I know I frequently return to the idea of satisfaction, partially because I think it's important to let people who are on the fence about healthy eating know that eating well does not mean going hungry. A healthy serving of either of these dishes will leave you convinced, promise.
Let's begin with the couscous shall we?
Heres the biz:
One 28 oz can of diced tomatoes (there is some debate over whether or not it's a good idea to use tomatoes from a can, although I am not particularly well-educated on the topic. In any event, if you so choose, you can buy the boxed Pomi brand tomatoes, or cook and dice your own tomatoes, or use fresh. In this case, I think that cooked tomatoes add a richness and full-bodied flavor that would not be present with raw.)
1 1/2 cups of couscous (I found brown rice couscous at Ocean State! Score!)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional, but totally worth it.)
A generous pinch of cayenne ( I chose to define a generous pinch as about an eighth of a teaspoon, present, but not overpowering. Cayenne can be a domineering mistress, or mister, be careful.)
2 tbsp of capers, drained.
Ok, several steps here but it's like a cha-cha, it all happens fast. Strain the liquid from the tomatoes, reserve 1 1/2 cups. If you don't have enough liquid, please consult this useful Instructional Video for alternatives.
Bring the liquid, oregano, and olive oil to a boil. Once boiling, slowly add the couscous while continuously stirring. Its kind of like tapping your head and running your belly at the same time, but, if your the sort of person who's proficient at tasks like walking and chewing gum, or talking on your cell phone while driving, you'll have it down in no time, which is good, because that's about how much time it will take. Stir in the salt, cayenne, and cloves, then, with a subtle flourish, cover the pan, remove it from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes or so. If you let it sit for 6 minutes, or even 10, rest assured the universe will not collapse. We're all busy people, and given the rapid pace of our modern lives, there's no predicting whether or not we will become preoccupied with other important tasks, such as texting, during those precious five minutes. I cannot vouch for the consequences of fifteen or twenty minutes, please consult your stovetop's instructional manual under the heading "armageddon-inducing culinary catastrophes, frequently asked questions, and warranty information.". If you don't find this section, it is more than likely only included in the Spanish version. I have this information in good confidence from a qualified spaniard.
At this point you may fold in the strained tomatoes and capers, then cover and let sit a few more minutes. Please see previous paragraph for serious warnings concerning couscous neglect, as they are often augmented exponentially by the addition of capers.
Then you can eat it.
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Location:Madison, CT
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