As the summer winds down, final tomato production seems to go through somewhat of a surge. Counter-intuitive, I know but when it comes time to preserve tomatoes, or use fresh tomatoes for homemade sauce, early September is the time to get them. It’s also a great time to have some “fun” with tomatoes, especially heirloom tomatoes, tomatoes grown from the vines of the past year. They have unique colors and shapes, nothing like the mass-produced, all look the same, tomatoes on the vine you see in the grocery store. Should you decide to hit the Great Tomato Tasting and just can’t get enough, this is a great way to use your tomatoes.
I stumbled on this recipe for Roasted Tomatoesfrom Sandy Coughlin, the Reluctant Entertainer, and could not wait to go out and grab some tomatoes. Years ago I used to grow my own in large pots in the back yard, but as time went on and I had more kids, there was just not enough time to maintain them. So, now I go to farmer’s markets, farm stands, and yes, the grocery store. Summer is the only time of year I eat raw tomatoes and this was a great way to have fun with them. This recipe also calls for a lot of basil which is great because I have a ton in my herb garden. Additionally, these tomatoes, once roasted, freeze well which is good to know because in mid-winter a little fresh roasted tomatoes from summer could be quite enjoyable.
Sandy Coughlin’s Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients:
Fresh tomatoes, as many as you want
Fresh basil, the more the better (I used leaves from 2-3 full stalks)
10-12 cloves of garlic peeled and either pressed through a garlic press or finely chopped
Olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
3 teaspoons granulated sugar (or to taste)
White or black pepper to taste
What’s Next:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Wash tomatoes and cut up into chunks. There is no need to peel them first.
Place in a baking dish. The size of dish will depend on the amount of tomatoes you have.
Drizzle with olive oil. Add salt, pepper, garlic, sugar and basil.
Toss everything together. (I used my hands- it was easier)
Place in oven. Bake for 45 minutes or longer. The longer you bake, the more the juices will evaporate from the tomatoes. I roasted mine for about an hour.
Notes from my experience:
This is a fabulously easy recipe.
It’s a great way to “use up” tomatoes.
I tried the tomatoes on a roasted whole wheat baguette and it was delicious. The contrast between the sweetness of the wheat bread and the savory tomatoes was delicious. Made for a great snack during the hurricane.
You can follow all of my cooking adventures (and mishaps) on Twitter: @TracyCooksIt
