As winter sets in, are you dreaming of summer’s sweet juicy tomatoes? Roasting the tomatoes available during winter concentrates their sweetness, enhances their juiciness and is a sure fire way to coax a bit more of that summer taste. Plan ahead as the tomatoes are slow roasted for 2 hours at low temperature in the oven. A surprising addition of fennel and cumin seeds to the tomatoes add a big dose of flavor. Israeli couscous gives the salad a nice texture and its nuttiness is enhanced by flash-frying it first to a golden color before boiling it. The salad comes together with a mess of arugula and a simple vinaigrette. This recipe comes to me from my niece Vanessa, a gifted cook, who spoiled me with a fantastic dinner during a recent visit to her home in Tampa, Florida. It is originally from the acclaimed LCBO magazine of Ontario, Canada’s Liquor Board. The salad makes a delicious side to grilled fish or chicken. It’s a little bit of summer in every bite, even in cold January!
