With gray days and freezing nights I was longing for a taste of summer.
At the market, between dependable root vegetables and cauliflower and broccoli and fruit from who knows where, I saw a bin of uniform, firm plum tomatoes. They reminded me of the of vine ripened, tomatoes warmed by the sun, eaten in the garden I’ve rubbed off most of the dirt on my jeans.
These tomatoes are the sun warmed, vine ripened tomatoes of summer past.
I decided to roast and season the plum tomatoes to see I could transform them into an ingredient that would bring a summery flavor to chase the winter chill. With a wee bit of effort, a few additions and after three hours of roasting (I rested while they baked), I had a bowl of sunny flavor. I used some of the tomatoes to brightened a pot of pasta mixed with mushrooms and squash, I diced four halves and added them to a pot of chicken and rice soup to help me fight off the flu and I have enough left to put on a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches.
I’m feeling better, still looking forward to tomatoes warmed by the sun, but happy to have a recipe to share that I hope will brighten your winter kitchen. Here’s how I added summery flavor to Roma tomatoes:
Roasted Tomatoes
I washed the tomatoes, cut them in half, used my finger to scoop out most of the seeds and put the tomato halves, cut side up in a single layer, in a ceramic baking dish. I topped the tomatoes with one onion, thinly sliced, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and poured a couple of tablespoons of olive oil on top and roasted the tomatoes, uncovered, for three hours in a 250 degree oven.
Three hours may seem like a ridiculously long time but that’s how long it took for the the tomatoes to collapsed a bit, the juices to begin to caramelize and to transform the tomatoes. The unused tomatoes will keep for four or five days in the fridge.
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Roasted Tomato List
- tomatoes
- onion
- kosher salt
- ground pepper
- olive oil
I had such a huge tomato infatuation this past summer. I love them! I’ve never tried roasting them before and this one is officially on my mental to do list!
It even works well with winter, rock hard tomatoes form the market. Thanks for stopping by.
Carol
Glad to hear you are feeling better~so many possibilities with roasted tomatoes..love the sweet flavor that intensifies as you roast them.
unused tomatoes? … HA! … How could you have any left, must have been a really big basket – great way to roast, would give anything for nice tasting tomatoes this time of year….