We love the fresh crop of summer’s fresh, ripe, ruby red tomatoes. We enjoy them raw, in salads and sandwiches. Yet, slow roasting reminds us of sun-dried. We add these to soups, pasta sauces. They are delicious as a healthful, and color rich side with meat or fish dishes.
We adapted this method of roasting from Martha Stewart’s Cooking School book years ago.
Slow Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
4 large beefsteak or on the vine grown tomatoes, preferably from your farmer’s market, cut in half crosswise.
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
1-2 tsp of coarse salt – to taste
1tsp fresh ground pepper – to taste
2 thinly sliced garlic cloves – to taste, I use 4 cloves
Sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves, we are generous since we love fresh thyme.
Drizzle of honey-optional
Method
Heat oven to 300.
Toss tomatoes and oil in a bowl.
Place cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Sprinkle on salt and pepper.
Bake on middle rack for 45 minutes.
Reduce heat to 250 and continue baking for about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
Remove from oven to add thyme, garlic and drizzle a few drops of evoo, about a tablespoon.
Continue baking for about two more hours until garlic is golden and tomatoes are dark at the edges and shrinking, yet still moist.
Cool before indulging or storing in a covered container for up to a week. They will not last that long.
Tips
Last winter I substituted plum tomatoes for the beefsteak with good results.
If not sweet enough you can drizzle on some honey when you add the garlic and oil with great results.
Bake these on a cool day because of long baking time.
Your kitchen will smell delirious.
Your soups, salads and sauces will know the difference when you take time to oven roast your tomato harvest.
Author: Brenda Hill
As a longtime food writer for Where Magazine New York City, Brenda Hill, along with her writing partner, Maralyn Hill (no relation), writes and publishes books about chefs, food and international travel. They co-authored "Our Love Affairs with Food & Travel" and joined French Master Chef Herve Laurent in writing "Cooking Secrets: The Why and How" Brenda has been active in the California Writer's Club, IFWTWA, and the Santa Barbara's Writers Conference. Brenda Hill and her partner Maralyn Hill conduct marketing and writing seminars. Maralyn and I will be heading back to Rancho La Puerta in July to give our presentation on writing and marketing your book, as well as bringing back some freshly picked off the farm nutritious and tasty recipes.
