Sometimes—and by sometimes, I mean all the time—we need a vacation without taking an actual vacation. And I’m talking about a REAL vacation. But for whatever reason, we can’t do that right now. If you feel an urge to temporarily transport yourself and your home to the Mediterranean for an entire day, transforming your kitchen with the enticing aromas of rosemary, thyme, olive oil, and sweet reducing tomatoes, read on.
These tomatoes can be cooled after cooking and stored in your fridge in olive oil for 2-3 weeks. They are absolutely incredible re-heated, or served cold. They are perfect on a toasted crostini you have made from the slightly-stale loaf of bread you are trying to avoid throwing away.
*Note, the original inspiration for this recipe comes from an older Alton Brown cookbook I came across years ago, called “I’m Just Here for the Food.” It’s a lovely cookbook.
24hr Slow-Roasted Tomatoes with Rosemary & Thyme
Ingredients
- 12-16 firm, ripe, plum tomatoes (you don’t have to make these slow-roasted tomatoes when tomatoes are in season, but they are better if you do. That being said, I wouldn’t suggest using the delicious (and pricey) heirloom tomatoes for this recipe--these are better eaten fresh. )
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 10 sprigs rosemary
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar ((optional, but if you are dealing with winter tomatoes I would recommend including))
- 1 shallot (minced (again, optional, but can be nice if you like the slow-roasted shallot flavor in your final result))
- Salt
Instructions
- Cut tomatoes in half and place cut-side up on a baking sheet or roasting pan.
- The tomatoes should all be touching each other, lined up in neat rows/columns to fill the pan/tray.
- Sprinkle with salt to taste
- Add the 2 tbsp sugar on top of the lightly salted tomatoes.
- Let sit for 15 minutes while you get the other items ready.
- While your tomatoes rest, preheat oven to the lowest setting that your oven will go, usually I do this at 170˚F.
- Wash and de-leaf your thyme and rosemary, and finely mince the leaves.
- Mix your minced rosemary/thyme herb mixture with some extra virgin olive oil
- Squeeze some of the liquid from the shallot before combining with the herb/oil mixture
- Add a small pinch of salt.
- Spread the cut-side of each tomato with the mixture above
- Pour over some olive oil on top of the tomatoes before you put in the oven at 170˚F.
- Cook the tomatoes for 18-24 hours and watch them slowly cook and shrink down to 35% of their original size.
- This is dangerous to leave your oven unattended! Be careful folks!
