When gluttony meets restraint, there’s always brown rice.
We are on the threshold of tomato time in Michigan. It’s hard to be patient. At the local farmers market they will have both red and gold cherry tomatoes (what the Italians call pendolini) and Early Girls and Big Boys bursting with flavor. You take the Girls and Boys, slice and anoint them with olive oil.
Or you blanch them and peel away their skins, scoop out the seeds and chop them. It takes 10-15 minutes. Pour extra virgin olive oil over them. You’ve got something special.
In anticipation of the season I made one of my favorite summer dishes today—brown rice with tomato and arugula. These are Campari tomatoes, blanched and peeled, seeded and chopped, with a handful of chopped arugula.
Around the time my rice is cooked, I sprinkle the tomatoes with coarse sea salt and give them a turn in the dish.
Anytime I’m eating brown rice, I feel virtuous. It’s gluttony meeting restraint. I would do the same with mini penne. With a little finer chop on the tomatoes, I would do the same with spaghetti. No cheese for me, thanks. I want to taste the tomato.
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