Chantelle Nicholson’s vegan recipe for harissa-marinated tomatoes with butter beans and herb relish | The new vegan

I was surrounded by gorgeous fruit and vegetables when I was growing up in New Zealand, and I still take a lot of pleasure in hero-ing their epic flavour and texture. Sun-ripened tomatoes almost bursting with sweetness really can’t be beaten and, as we approach mid-June, these shiny, bright pearls should be hitting our shelves round about now. Paired with some fiery harissa, they make a bowlful of true goodness, especially when served with slightly crushed butter beans and a zesty herb relish.

Harissa-marinated tomatoes with broken butter beans and herb relish

Start on the tomatoes a day or so before you want to serve them, because the longer they bathe in the marinade, the better – and trust me, the pricking is well worth the time and effort.

Prep 10 min
Marinate 1 day+
Cook 15 min
Serves 4 as a starter or snack

400g baby plum or cherry tomatoes
Salt
1 x 400g tin butter beans, undrained

For the marinade
2 tbsp harissa paste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
75ml olive oil

For the herb relish
½ bunch coriander, including stalks, roughly chopped
½ bunch parsley, including stalks, roughly chopped
2 small gherkins, finely chopped
½ green chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
100g rapeseed oil
½ tsp brown sugar

To serve
Lettuce leaves, or toast or flatbreads

At least a day ahead, prick the tomatoes all over with a fork, to ensure they drink up the luscious marinade. In a large bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients with half a teaspoon of salt, then drop in the tomatoes, toss gently to coat, cover and leave to sit at room temperature for a day or two (if it’s hot outside, a day should be plenty), turning them regularly.

On the day you want to serve, gently pulse the butter beans with the liquid from their tin in a blender or food processor, then season with salt to taste.

For the relish, pop everything in a blender with a few spoonfuls of water, blitz until almost smooth, then season with salt – you want it to have a bit of texture.

To serve, spoon the beans on to a platter, pile on the tomatoes and any marinade that they haven’t soaked up, then drizzle the relish all over the top. Serve with lettuce leaves for wrapping, or on toast, or slathered on to charred flatbreads.