OK, this recipe has an eye catching name but the flavor and presentation live up to it. Arborio rice, Israeli couscous or another fun, small pasta can be substituted for the orzo.

Olive oil
3 large or 6 small roma tomatoes, sliced in half
1 large beefsteak tomato, chopped
10 yellow or orange cherry tomatoes, kept whole
1/4 c basil, chopped
2t capers, divided
2t balsamic vinegar
Juice of ½ a clementine or 1/4 of an orange, about 2T
4 garlic cloves, grated
8 olives, pitted
1t thyme, chopped
3 anchovy filets
1 cherry bomb pepper, stem, seeds and veins removed
Juice of half of a lemon
1 small onion, chopped and divided in half
1 cup orzo
1 cup of chicken broth
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 eggplant, chopped fine
2T of mint, chopped
Arugula or chopped radicchio or a spring mix that has both

Preheat oven to 350. Halve the roma tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with pepper and toss on a baking sheet in one layer. Roast for ½ an hour. Turn heat down to 300 and roast another half hour or until tomatoes are dehydrated.
In a large bowl, mix together the chopped tomato, basil, 1t of capers, balsamic vinegar, clementine, 1 t olive oil and one garlic clove. Season and set aside to let the dressing blend flavors.
With a mortor and pestle, beat together 6 olives, thyme, anchovies, cherry bomb pepper, and remaining capers until it becomes a smooth paste. Mix in half the lemon juice, and 1T of olive oil. Season lightly and set aside.
In a saucepan, sautee half of the onion in oil for 5 minutes or until slightly browned. Add orzo, season and cook 5 more minutes, tossing, until toasted. Add 1 cup of broth and 1 cup of water. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, sautee the other half of the onion and peppers in a large skillet for about 10 minutes. Add eggplant, season and cook for 9 minutes. Add garlic and olive mixture and cook for another minute.
Add the eggplant to the orzo with the remaining lemon juice and mint. Toss to combine and let the orzo stiffen slightly off heat.
Toss the arugula and cherry tomatoes with the tomato dressing.
Mound the eggplant mixture on the plate, making a hole in the middle of the volcano. Fill the caldera with the salad. Sprinkle the errant cherry tomatoes and olives around the perimeter of the plate and arrange 4 halves of the roasted tomatoes along the sides of the volcano to simulate the flowing lava.

Serves 4
Cooking time: Approx 1 hour