Grilled Tomatoes with Basil Sauce

Photo by Katie Guymon

I have a husband who usually works pretty late into the evening, so I can't always guarantee that he's going to be home in time to man the grill. That's why I decided to take matters into my own hands this summer and wo-man my grill pan.

The beauts, pre-grill // Instagram @kguymon

I'm a tomato freak: juice, sauce, paste, salad, soup, sorbet. I'll devour any permutation, but I'm particularly excited about last night's grilled tomatoes.

I bought them--on a total whim, mind you--from the Soulard Farmers' Market last Friday. Now, three days ago, they were all perfectly green and firm. That's the kind of tomato I'd encourage you to use for this recipe. That way, the slices can stand up to the hot grill pan, and they don't become too soft.

So, in other words, don't wait three days to decide what to do with your newly purchased green and firm tomatoes.

I went ahead and used the same basil sauce recipe from my favorite stuffed red peppers recipe. Because it's just that good.

Grilled Tomatoes with Basil Sauce

For the Tomatoes:
-3 firm green (or barely ripened) tomatoes
-olive oil
-kosher salt and pepper, to taste

For the Sauce:
-1 packed cup of fresh basil leaves
-1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
-3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
-1 tablespoon of water
-1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
-2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
-1/4 teaspoon of sugar
-1/4 teaspoon of salt, plus extra, as needed
-1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, plus extra, as needed

1. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. 

3. Cut each tomato into 1/2 inch slices. Brush each slice with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Grill each slice for 2 minutes per side.

5. Arrange on a platter and drizzle with the basil sauce.