Oven Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Two days rest, 40 pounds, eight loaves of bread, one big curse and finally success.

Although I've been reading and reading more about slow roasted tomatoes, there are so many different options (right?), so many different oven temperatures, cutting methods, stick or stick, spray or not. No, the baking time was 8-10 hours, 5 hours, 3 hours, overnight, when I finally gave up and left what I knew in my head and heart. Regardless, I had to take a few swings before I got it right.

The first fire was just stupid. I went to a potluck party when the first batch of tomatoes was roasted, roasted (albeit at 260 degrees) and fried (in case I forgot them) to burn the chips . It ended up in compost and the stove fan had to be left on overnight to rid the house of the burnt tomato smell.

The second (and actually third) firing averaged between nine hours in a 250 degree oven to seven hours in a 260 degree oven with olive oil on the tomatoes*, and both took forever to lose enough water. Package: It's packaged and frozen, but definitely second-rate.

After waiting a week for the Saturday farmer's market, I was able to buy another batch of tomatoes (20 pounds), with this batch I finally reached roasted tomato nirvana (well, roasted tomato nirvana ) and this is the version I'm sharing with you. . Now.

Organic diced tomatoes from Newcomb Family Farms in Willow Creek.

You'll notice I didn't use heirloom tomatoes in the pan. I think heirlooms should be enjoyed fresh—in salads, on the side, in a BLT; Never in the oven or in a sauce.

Organic tomatoes from Green Fire Farm in Trinity County.

I grilled these beauties (top right) yesterday (see photo above). They were cooled and frozen on trays, then packed in freezer bags, labeled and finally returned to the freezer.

Remove the ends of the stems using a watermelon ball.

I have found that the easiest way to get rid of sunken stems is to make a small cut near the stem with a sharp knife, then insert a watermelon ball into the cut and remove the stem. Light peas.

Cut the tomatoes in half with a sharp knife. My Wusthof boning knife turned out to be the perfect tool.

Place the tomatoes skin-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

If I had to write down the steps I took last weekend, it would be: sprinkle with herbs, sea salt, then drizzle with olive oil . But I didn't like the consistency of the tomatoes with the olive oil, so I decided to skip them this time to see if the tomatoes would be firmer and drier. This turned out to be a good decision for me. I'm very happy with the results (see photo of today's batch below).

As you'll see below, this is more of a step-by-step guide than a recipe. I used dried Mediterranean herbs because that's what I had on hand, but if you have rosemary and thyme in your garden and they haven't been affected by the California drought, they'll be even better. Please note, I did not add garlic to the mixture. In my humble opinion, garlic can (and will) be added to any dish I make with these tomatoes in the coming months without adding it during the roasting process.

Christina's Oven Baked Tomatoes
Composition:
20 kg of single ripe red organic tomatoes
Penzey's Tuscan Sunset Herb Blend, about 1 tablespoon per bowl
Coarse sea salt, 1-2 teaspoons per bowl.
prepare
Preheat oven to 285°F (140.5°C/1 mark).
Remove the tomato stems (see comment above).
Cut the tomatoes in half, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (18 x 13 inches). It is normal for tomatoes to shrink in the oven.
Press down with your thumb and forefinger, then sprinkle the dried herbs over the tomatoes, about a tablespoon at a time, and place on a tray.
Press again with thumb and forefinger, sprinkle sea salt over tomatoes in bowl. I used about 4 ornaments per bowl.
Place the pans in the oven and cook slowly for about four and a half (4 1/2) hours, rotating the pans between racks.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and let the tomatoes cool completely.
Once cooled, place the cans of tomatoes in the refrigerator and chill for a few hours or until each tomato is sticky.
Pack the frozen tomatoes in a single layer in freezer bags, carefully removing as much air as possible from the bag.
Write the date on each bag, then place them in another freezer bag, again removing the air.
Place the bags in the freezer and get ready to enjoy summer soups, stews and stews during the winter months.

Cooking Notes:
In 2009, I had never tried slow-cooked roasted tomatoes before. *It was olive oil. I couldn't do without olive oil. As much as I love tomatoes and olive oil, roasting them together just didn't work. The steps I took above resulted in lean, intensely flavored tomatoes that I know I will enjoy next winter.

Copyright 2005-2014 Christine Cox. All rights reserved

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