I don’t have a vegetable garden, but this summer I found myself with an overabundance of tomatoes — tri-color cherry tomatoes, beefy beefsteaks and hearty heirlooms. I bought a plethora of pints at local farmers’ markets.
Heirloom cherry tomatoes from Kildeer Farm in Norwich, VT
And recently, one of Colleen‘s organic farm friends off-loaded a crate of cherry tomatoes amongst other veggies at Goat Cottage Farm, and, well, I was there.
During tomato season, Steve and I tried to be one step ahead of the fruit flies and gladly devoured caprese salad — tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, salt, pepper and olive oil — at least three times a week. During the day, I’d snack on the yellow cherry tomatoes since they are the least acidic, hence more tolerable to my hinky post-surgery stomach. But a couple of weeks ago, I started roasting them.
Roasting vegetables — whether it’s a sheet of tomatoes or root vegetables — brings out their natural sweetness. Add some salt, pepper, crushed garlic, chopped fresh basil and olive oil and you’ve got yourself a nice side dish, a tasty top for bruschetta, a sauce for pasta…the list is endless.
Heirlooms, past their prime, are ready for slow-roasting.
For dinner guests last weekend, I roasted up a pan of multi-colored cherries and used them to adorn pieces of grilled swordfish. The tomatoes that didn’t make it onto the fish Saturday night found their way the next day into leftover farro with some added parsley. Yum.
Here’s how I roast tomatoes: Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil and scatter chopped regular tomatoes or cherry tomatoes in a single layer. Pour 1/4 c. of extra virgin olive oil over the tomatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Chop 6 or 7 garlic cloves and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Throw in some chopped basil. Don’t be skimpy. At least 1/2 cup of it. Toss again and make sure the tomatoes are in a single layer.
Roasted orange cherries ready for bruschetta.
Roast in a 250-degree oven for at least an hour until they begin to blister but not burn. Cool on a rack in the pan. Store in the fridge, but bring to room temperature to use in a salad, top fish or chicken, top bruschetta. Go crazy. The season is waaaaay too short.
What have you done with your overabundance of tomatoes this season?
Tags: #TheFoodsmith, cherrytomatoes, heirloomtomatoes, lauraraposa, roasting, slowroasting, tomatoes, vegetables