Spicy Tequila Spiked Cherry Tomatoes Food

SPICY AND SAUCY CHERRY TOMATO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Pat the capers dry, then add them to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the capers to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook over medium-high, stirring frequently, until tomato paste darkens in color and deepens in flavor, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the garlic and red-pepper flakes, if using, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and reduce heat to medium. Cook according to package instructions until al dente.
• While the pasta cooks, add the cherry tomatoes to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high, stirring, 5 minutes. Add 2/3 cup pasta cooking water from the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to fall apart and the liquid becomes saucy, about 10 minutes.
• Drain the pasta, and transfer it to the skillet with the sauce to combine. (If your skillet is too full to accommodate the pasta, you can transfer the cooked pasta back to the pot, then add the sauce to combine.) Stir in half the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide among plates or bowls and top with capers and remaining basil, plus cheese and whole basil leaves. Serve immediately.

SPICY TEQUILA-SPIKED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cut off 1/4 inch from blossom end (opposite stem end) of each tomato and with a 1/4-teaspoon measure carefully scoop out seeds. Wearing rubber gloves, seed and mince jalapeño.
• In a small saucepan sprinkle gelatin over vegetable-juice cocktail or tomato juice and let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and stir in jalapeño and all remaining ingredients except tomatoes. Cool filling slightly.
• Using a small spoon and holding each tomato over saucepan, spoon filling into tomatoes, arranging tomatoes on a platter as filled. Chill tomatoes, covered, 4 hours, or until filling is set, and up to 1 day.
• Garnish each tomato with a coriander leaf.

SPICY TEQUILA-LIME TOMATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat; cook and stir onion, celery, and garlic until softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Add green bell pepper and jalapeno peppers to onion mixture; cook and stir until peppers are softened, about 5 minutes.
• Pour tequila into vegetable mixture and simmer until slightly reduced, 3 to 4 minutes. Add fired-roasted tomatoes, vegetable stock, crushed tomatoes, lime juice, salt, and pepper to vegetable-tequila mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors have blended, about 20 minutes. Stir cilantro into soup just before serving.

TEQUILA BLOODY MARY CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• With a wooden or metal skewer, puncture each cherry tomato with 5 to 10 holes; place in a nonreactive bowl.
• By hand, or in a food processor with knife blade attached, finely chop beefsteak tomatoes; transfer to a medium bowl.
• Finely chop onion; add to beefsteak tomatoes.
• Stir in salt; let stand 5 minutes.
• Strain mixture through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the solids (should yield about 2 cups liquid). Discard solids.
• Grate zest from 2 lemons. Squeeze enough juice from 3 lemons to equal 1/2 cup.
• Gently stir tomato water, lemon zest, lemon juice and remaining ingredients (except margarita salt) into cherry tomatoes.
• Cover and refrigerate, keeping tomatoes submerged in liquid, at least 3 days or up to 1 week.
• To serve, place tomatoes in a glass bowl or a margarita glass. Cover with marinade.
• Provide tooth picks or wooden skewers for serving.
• Serve margarita dipping salt on the side.