Blackened Tomato Canapés
Well. Hello! I’ve missed you.
I’ve spent the last two years working in animal rescue, but it’s time to dust off the blog and get back in the kitchen. Today I have a super simple but delicious appetizer to share with you. It’s very nearly September and I am desperately clinging to the last gasps of summer. This might just be my favorite time of year; farmer’s markets are overflowing and I fall in love with ingredients I’ve taken for granted all over again.
Case in point: the tomato.
This recipe was made for the late-summer haul of juicy, sweet, perfect tomatoes. Use tomatoes worthy of a spotlight. If you happen to be growing your own grape tomatoes (and your own basil!) than this has got your name all over it. It’s quick to prepare and tastes great at room temperature, so you can make a bunch and let your dinner party guests enjoy them at their leisure. Perhaps on a deck with a nice bottle of red? I don’t have a deck, and didn’t throw a party, so I won’t tell if you just make these for yourself as a light snack on a weekend afternoon. They are so easy you can absolutely make them without an occasion.
Blackened Tomato Canapés
Makes about 25 pieces
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
Around 7 Slices of Sourdough Bread
25 Basil Leaves
1 Cup Balsamic Vinegar (or prepared/purchased balsamic glaze)
Olive Oil
Sea or Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Start off by preparing the crostini. Arrange your oven racks so you have one at the very top and set your oven to Broil.
Slice the sourdough into bite-sized triangles. I like to cut the bottom crust off with a long chef’s knife (helps you get a nice clean edge) and create one big triangle. Slice that in half for two triangles, and each of those in half again. Each piece of bread should give you 4 small triangles. You can save the scraps to make your own breadcrumbs, or toss them to the birds.
Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and brush lightly on one side with olive oil.
Season generously with sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. I like to go a little crazy with the black pepper, but if you don’t like its signature heat, you can ease up on it.
Broil for 2-4 minutes (watching constantly) until perfectly golden. Remove from oven and set aside. Do not walk away from these while they are in the oven or they will burn up!
Now grab your cast-iron skillet and put it over high heat, very lightly oiled. You can make the tomatoes in a regular pan if you don’t have cast-iron, but a cast-iron pan is perfect for this application. Once the pan starts to smoke, add the tomatoes. Every 10 seconds or so, gently shake the pan to toss the tomatoes around. We are looking to char the skin a little while only lightly cooking the tomatoes.
Meanwhile, if you need to make your own balsamic glaze, add 1 cup of balsamic vinegar to a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. Reduce about 75%, until it becomes a thick glaze, being careful not to burn. Set aside when done. This takes about 10 minutes or less.
The tomatoes are done when the skin is speckled with black char and begins to split. You are not making tomato sauce, so don’t overcook them until they are mushy. We want quick cooking over very high heat (about 5 minutes total) to add flavor but to keep the individual tomatoes whole.
Once all your ingredients are ready, begin assembly by placing a single basil leaf on each piece of crostini. I like to flip the leaf inside out to create a little boat for the tomato to sit in.
Top each piece with a single tomato and drizzle the balsamic glaze over the top. If you did not salt the bread enough before baking, you may wish to add a little pinch of salt over the top, but taste it first to be sure!
That’s it! If you happen to have leftover tomatoes, they would be a wonderful addition to just about any recipe. I think they would be killer in pasta or chopped up as a salsa base.
Welcome back – this is one of my favorite blogs and I hope you’ll be updating regularly
yes!! you’re back!! thanks for the recipe. :)
Yay!!! So glad to see you back! Loved your blog, love your cookbook! This looks delish!
I was so thrilled to see this post pop up in my google reader! Welcome back – your blog is eternally one of my favorites :) Can’t wait to see more from you.
What a delight to see you pop up in my reader, Lolo! Welcome back. :)
Oh wow, was so surprised to see your post pop up in my feed–welcome back to the blog! Those canapes look like perfect little bites of summer–so simple & beautiful.
YUM! Welcome back!
~Have a lovely day!
These look delicious. So good to see you posting again! :-)
OMG – You’re back!!!
I’ve discovered your blog last year, and you had already stopped posting, but I have loved your recipes so much that I drove from Vancouver Canada to Bellingham Washington JUST to buy your book… for some reason it wasn’t available here in Canada?
Anyway, I’m soo excited you are back.
I love your book, well well done!!!
Michelle
WELCOME BACK!!! What a wonderful surprise to see you pop up on my twitter. I applaud your efforts in animal rescue (I support as many of them as I can)!!! So looking forward to having you back.
YEA!!! I’ve been sad to think that the book was the end and can’t wait to start cooking new amazing vegan goodness.
You’ve been missed … Welcome back!!!
Welcome back!
so happy you’re back!
So glad you are back! :)
Congratulations on your return. Love it!
Welcome back! I was literally just thinking about your blog the other day, because even though I’m an omnivore, I’ve always found your recipes so incredibly delicious, which comes in handy when we eat vegetarian/vegan at least half the time!
New fan from moorecrafts&creations :) Love love love your blog! Simple easy, healthy recipes! Keep em coming! Im hooked :) Subscribed…subscribe back
Are you fixing the site? I can no longer search or find a recipe guide. This long blog set up is hard to use when I’m trying to look for old recipes. I hope this style is temporary! Welcome back.
Working on it!
Yay, you’re back! I’m a big fan of your blog and cookbook. Can’t wait to see what new tasty vegan recipes you have in store!
Welcome back! These look really tasty — can hardly wait for some ripe tomatoes from my garden.
I randomly popped on to reference your recipe for the tomato-basil-cashew pasta sauce — which I make often, because it is divine — and behold, a new recipe! So glad you’re back!
So glad to see you posting again! :)
woo hoo!
I CAN’T BELIEVE IT !! I’m so happy you’re back and I really hope you’ll be updating the blog… can’t wait to try out your new recipes…. and maybe you can come out with a new book one day ;) – big order I know, but your recipes are one of the main “facilitators” that eased me in a vegan lifestyle. Knowing that it could be THIS delicious to eat a vegan diet made it really easy on our family to switch :).
Much love from Montreal :)
Oh lolo how we’ve missed you! I’m so happy you are back with a bang. I love the new stripped back web page.
Yay Lauren!!!
Your recipes are my favs! So happy to see your post. I just made your Soy-Mirin Tofu with Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce last night for my daughter and myself. So yum-yum!
I’ve missed this blog so much! Glad to see you’re back. It seems you haven’t lost your touch at all. Beautiful recipe and photos…
Welcome back! What a crazy coincidence that just this morning my inbox had a recipe from VegNews — their mac n’ cheese recipe — and I immediately thought of your site, because your tweaked version of their recipe is my go to mac n’ cheese. AND THEN, not five minutes later, I see your happy little post pop up in my feed burner!!
You’ve been missed, Ms. Lolo. So glad to see you posting again. :-)
Yay!!!!!!! I’m so pumped to see you’re back!!! I found your blog after you had stopped posting and I was heartbroken.
Just another one saying “Yay, you are back!!”
And, I will make these, hold no partys, and eat them all myself.
What a shock! (Pleasant, though.)
These are like dear little ladybugs.
SO seriously excited to see you back! I’m a huge fan of your recipes and really look forward to seeing more!
I just did a happy dance in my cubicle! SO happy you are back to share your delicious food again. You’ve been greatly missed. I’ve only been vegan for a year but your blog is my favorite!! Thanks for making my day :)
Hooray! Welcome back and you have been deeply missed! Instead I’ve had to make do with your cooking book which I bought when I was in NY last Spring.
Happy Dancing! So glad you are back! We love your food and your cookbook. I share it with others that are learning about veganism and they love your book too!
Holy smokes! I am so happy you’re back :)
Yea, we’re so glad you are back cooking, photographing, posting recipes and blogging. We’ve missed you. The appetizer looks great as always :-)
Oh THANK YOU for coming back! I love your recipes beyond ALL reason, I’ve missed you so much!
YAY!!!!!!! Sooooo glad to see you back. Don’t leave us for so long again :(
Ecstatic that you are back!!!!! Your cookbook is my “go to” book and I am so looking forward to seeing more of your recipes! Woot!
Welcome back, Lolo! You were missed. :)
WELCOME BACK LOLO! We missed you!
I’m so glad you’re back!! You’re blog is my favorite!!
Oh my gosh! I had you in my favorites blog roll and saw the new posting. So glad you are back!!
It’s lovely to see you back! I’m looking forward to seeing what new delights you have in store for us!
Welcome back! I’ve become a new fan since you’ve been away– and have recommended your blog to many friends– but was disappointed once I realized it wasn’t being updated anymore… what a treat to see you back in action, especially with such a delectable-looking tomato recipe!
Great comeback! Such a beautiful recipe. I was hoping one day you’d be back.
Welcome back! What a pleasant surprise :)
I’m waiting for you for a long time… I meet your blog only when you leave the web life… Welcome back and nice to meet you!!!
so very excited to have you back!!