Grilled Tomatoes and Onions With a Creamy Pesto |
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Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes |
Ready In: 25 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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This is summer grilling at it's best. A friend of mine who recently visited Italy was over for dinner and we made this, I was hooked. I love the FL sweet onions for this, but Vidalia or any sweet onion will work - and good tomatoes. I just used some from the Farmers Market, but choose a nice large firm fresh tomato. Grilled until warm with a slight smoky flavor and topped with a mix of mascapone cheese and pesto. I made my own pesto, as I was over run with herbs, but you can buy a good quality pesto which would be just fine with this. Ingredients:
2 large tomatoes, thick sliced (you want approximately 10 slices) |
1 large onion, thick sliced (you want approximately 5 slices) |
2/3 cup pesto sauce |
1/3 cup mascarpone (room, temp) |
olive oil |
salt |
pepper |
parmesan cheese |
Directions:
1. Creamy Pesto - Just mix the pesto with the mascarpone cheese and set to the side. You don't want this cold when you are ready to start grilling. But you can made this ahead of time; just make sure to bring to room temp before you start grilling. And feel free to use more or less mascarpone to make it as creamy as you like. I like 2/3 pesto to 1/3 mascarpone.
2. Tomatoes and Onions - Slice into thick slices, 1/2 thick, they are going to be grilled, so you don't want them too thin, and bring to room temperature if they were chilled. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill - One quick note - the onions will take a bit longer to cook, so I start them first and then add the tomatoes as they don't take nearly as long. Grill on medium heat until lightly brown on each side for both the onions and tomatoes with a few grill marks and they start to soften.
4. Pesto Topping - After they have some nice grill marks and began to soften, add about 1 tablespoon of the creamy pesto to each tomato and onion slice and grill for just another minute until the pesto/cheese mix begins to heat up and melt, then remove from the heat.
5. Serve - Just plate. I usually plate 2 tomato slices to 1 onion slice per person. A little grated parm is a perfect finish. ENJOY. A nice toasted baguette is a great side to this simple dish.
6. Great with steak, chicken, seafood or just on top of some fresh greens. Also perfect as a side dish along a bowl of soup for a quick healthy dinner.
7. Note: This is definitely best on a outside grill, but even an inside grill pan will work.
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