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Cumin-Blistered Tomato and Green Chili Relish with Local Honey and Lime

By Katy Sparks
Asher’s Bee Resonance Project raw honey inspired this recipe. At first, the sweetness hits full force, and then it gives way to a pleasantly sharp and herbal back note that tastes clean and peppery with a hint of floral. I thought these flavors would partner beautifully with smoky tomato and chili peppers. A squeeze of lime brings it all together.
This relish is a great condiment for simple grilled chicken, tuna, or pork. Poblanos are a moderately “hot” fresh green chili, but you can control how much you add and save the remainder for another boost of chili flavor. If you are avoiding meat and fish, the relish serves as a wonderful topping for grilled sourdough or a firm polenta.
Whatever high heat source you have can work. A grill, broiler, or cast-iron pan on a burner. The idea is to get a nice, speckled browning on all the vegetables and allow them to soften just enough to meld their flavors together but not completely dissolve into a pulpy puddle of juices. Once the vegetables are cooked and cooled, simply dress with the honey, freshly squeezed lime juice, some herbs if desired, and enjoy!
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Course condiment
Servings 4 –6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound plum or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 small poblano chili or half a large one, cut in half and deseeded
  • ½ a small, sweet onion, peeled and sliced into ½-inch-thick slices
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon whole cumin seed, lightly crushed
  • ½ teaspoon whole coriander seed, lightly crushed
  • Freshly grated zest of ½ a lemon
  • Maldon salt to taste (I used roughly 1½ teaspoons)
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used roughly ½ teaspoon)
  • Local honey to taste (I used 1 tablespoon)
  • Fresh lime juice to taste (I used 2 tablespoons)

Instructions
 

  • Freshly snipped herbs for garnish (I used a combination of mint, cilantro, and basil, my summer triumvirate!)
  • Combine the prepared tomatoes, garlic, poblano chili, and sweet onion in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and add the crushed cumin seed and coriander seed. Season with the lemon zest, Maldon salt, and black pepper.
  • If using a broiler, line a baking sheet with foil. Pour the tomato mixture over the sheet in an even layer.
  • Heat your broiler to high. When very hot, slide your baking sheet as close to the broiler as your oven racks allow. Set timer for 8 minutes. Check at this point for softness and a nice, speckled char on most of the vegetables. If you need more time, increase in only 2-minute intervals—once the vegetables are this hot, they go quickly to the next level of blistering.
  • If you are using a heavy cast-iron skillet on a burner or grill, the principle is the same. Resist the urge to stir the vegetables too much while they are blistering—turning them over once with a spatula at the 6- to 8-minute mark is a good idea.
  • Let the vegetables cool to room temperature. Roughly chop with a knife— not a food processor or blender. You want a reasonably chunky relish here. Dress with the honey, lime juice, and freshly snipped herbs. Taste again for seasoning with salt and pepper.
Keyword honey, lime, tomato