Grape Tomato-and-Onion Sauté

Tonight I needed a quick side dish that required minimal ingredients. As I dug around in the fridge, I found a red onion half and about a cup of grape tomatoes that needed to be eaten—that gave me an idea. After thinly slicing the onion, I sauté it in a little olive oil to caramelize it. Then I stirred in some minced garlic and the tomatoes, and let them cook until they broke down. A splash of balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper were all that was needed to make this a delicious side. The texture of the tomato mixture reminded me of jam and would be terrific as an appetizer spread on crostini. The tomato dish was served with oven-fried tilapia and grits. Enjoy!

Grape Tomato-and-Onion Sauté
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
Olive oil
1 garlic cloved, minced
1 cup grape tomatoes
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1. Sauté onion in hot oil over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until onion begins to soften and turn a light caramel color. Turn heat to medium. Stir in garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add in tomatoes, and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes or until tomatoes begin to pop. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in balsamic vinegar. Cook for 5 more minutes, slightly mashed the tomatoes as you stir.