Recipes

Midi Plums with Pesto Crumbs Serves 4 This dish can be served as an accompaniment to grilled meat or fish or would make a delicious lunch served with a green salad and crusty bread. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Cut the tomatoes in half through the stalk end. Arrange, cut side up, in a shallow baking tin. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. To make the pesto crumbs: put the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan and olive oil into the bowl of a food processor or liquidiser. Blend to a paste. Add the breadcrumbs and whiz for another minute or two until the breadcrumbs are coated with the pesto mixture. Scatter the crumbs over the tomatoes and drizzle over the tablespoon of olive oil. Return the tomatoes to the oven for another 20 – 40 minutes. The longer the tomatoes are cooked the more reduced and intense in flavour they will become.

Ingredients 500g British midi plum or vine tomatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil For the pesto crumbs: 15g basil leaves 15g pine nuts 15g freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon olive oil 25g wholemeal breadcrumbs