Got 10 minutes to spare? Here’s a side dish to awe your taste buds. The latest Fine Cooking magazine has a full article about tomatoes, perfectly timed when farmers markets are overflowing with those in all shapes and sizes. Normally I don’t buy beefsteaks, favoring smaller types like Campari, grape, and cherry. But this recipe called my name loudly.
GRATIN OF BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES
(slightly modified from Fine Cooking, August 2011)
3 beefsteak tomatoes
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
2 Tbs fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
slight drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cut the tomatoes in 1/4 inch thick slices, and place them with a little overlap on a broiler-safe type of dish.
Mix the bread crumbs with the cheese and the herbs and sprinkle all over the tomatoes. Season them with salt and pepper (Asiago cheese is salty, use less salt than you normally would); drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the tomatoes (use a spray bottle if you prefer), place the dish under the broiler for 3 minutes or until it starts to get golden on top. Serve right away.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
Comments: This recipe may very well change my mind about keeping beefsteak tomatoes around the house. They stand up to the broiler nicely, and the salty/cheese crust on top is a nice complement to the juiciness of the tomatoes underneath. Phil said that he could imagine this dish on the menu of an American steakhouse, next to a substantial T-bone steak, grilled medium rare. We took a more humble route, and served them with flank steak, and grilled zucchini slices. Summer dining: simple, light, and quick to put together.
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Bewitching Kitchen 
Sally, this looks great – so many mouth-watering flavours going on here and let’s face it, anything that contains ‘herbes de provence’ is bound to be delicious! I love that it is so easy and achievable.
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indeed… herbes de provence makes anything special!
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I love asiago! And tomato side dishes are some of my favorites. I think this is one that my mom and I especially would love. 🙂
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So simple! It does require turning the broiler on, but just for a few minutes, not so bad
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My Aunt’s secret tip for cooking tomatoes which weren’t quite sweet enough, is to add a splash of a good balsamic vinegard and a pinch of brown sugar. I’m like you, I avoid the beefsteaks usually, but they look super splendid here! Lovely 🙂
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Joanna, I just made a grilled tomato sauce and added a splash of balsamic at the end… WOW! Thanks for the tip, I might blog about it (depending on the photos, of course… me and the photos, the ongoing saga!)
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Oh that looks fabulous. And if you don’t like beefsteaks, it’d translate well to about any other type of tomato.
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Campari could be great with this treatment… must try!
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Sally, made your arugula pesto yesterday, and used even less olive oil! Excellent! I now will try it on pasta, I hope it will give me a taste of pesto sauce without the guilty feeling I always have after
now I want to make these tomatoes and add some of the arugula pesto on top 😉
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Great that you enjoyed the pesto, Sonya – my niece in Brazil told me she will try it on pasta, I bet it will be quite tasty
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When I spot beefsteak tomatoes that actually smell like a tomato! I do use them. This is a really simple, great looking side dish. Normally I’ve roasted the entire tomato, but love the idea of roasting in slices with the topping.
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the advantage of the slices is how quick the dish comes together – in the heat wave we are having, the less cooking, the better! 😉
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Simple is always good when you have a great tasting tomato. I can’t wait for my heirlooms to start ripening. That little bit of crunch on top from the herbs and cheese will be great.
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No gardening for us this year, unfortunately. We came back from L.A. too late to do anything, and honestly, with too much stuff to take care of around the house, gardening is a low priority. But next year, I hope it will all change
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I understand why this caught your attention – it sounds fantastic!
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Sounded great, and great it was!
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Looks fresh and delicious! I know I’ll be popular in my house if I served this up with some T-bone!
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I have my personal fan club at home… not too many fans, but very very loyal 😉
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I made this for a book club and they loved it. Most of my book club are not meat eaters, so I made a lot of it.
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Nice idea for a book club, Carole – light and tasty!
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oooh wow that looks really great, it seems that my tummy is grumbling now lol..
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I could have some right now myself… 😉
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Sally, what a lovely sidedish this would be! I’m not a beefsteak fan either, although there are times when it’s the only tomato that will do.. 🙂
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I will be getting them again – a sturdy tomato is not something to disregard 😉 The possibilities are endless!
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That was such a great article in Fine Cooking, and these tomatoes look amazing.
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I know you are a Fine Cooking cheerleader as myself! 😉
The magazine is in a great phase, the last few issues are all excellent, in my opinion
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