Growing up, I was never a big tomato fan. On pasta, I tolerated tomato sauce, but preferred garlic and butter (and in my later, more sophisticated years, garlic and olive oil). Even as I get older, some of that still hasn’t changed. I will eat tomatoes, albeit grudgingly, and I’ve learned to enjoy tomato sauce, caprese salad, tomato bruschetta, and all of the finer tomato things. What I hadn’t learned to enjoy was tomatoes on sandwiches.
Until now. These tomatoes are perfect. Roasting gives them sweetness, and also levels the playing field a bit for off-season tomatoes. This means that you don’t need to resign yourself to mealy, flavorless tomatoes in the dead of winter (unless you’re committed to buying local, in which case you might still have some problems). The marinade soaks into the tomatoes, making them melt in your mouth with a rush of fresh, herbaceous, garlicky, sweet tanginess unmatched by anything I’ve ever eaten before.
In short, I love these tomatoes. They’ve officially made a tomato convert out of me.
What you need:
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- salt and pepper
What to do:
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Cut tomatoes in quarters. Cut a small wedge out of the top of each quarter where the stem was attached.
- Lay the tomatoes, skin side down, on a baking sheet (with a rim) and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and mix around the tomatoes until they’re lightly coated in oil.
- Stick tomatoes in oven until they start to dry out. This probably takes about 30 minutes, but a while longer won’t hurt them. Just be careful opening the oven to check, as it might be smoky. Note: If it is, you can turn the oven down a bit for your own comfort. You’re just drying the tomatoes somewhat, and it’s not an exact science.
- When the tomatoes are done, put them in a bowl (including any “pan drippings”), and add the remaining ingredients. Marinate in the fridge overnight, but they will keep (in the marinade) for at least a week (I haven’t gone longer than that before finishing them, so I don’t know any more!)
Tags: vegetarian
Do you serve them over pasta, chicken, or just have as a side?
Jordan and I made this tonight with dinner. We threw a red pepper in, too, because it was sitting ever so nicely in the fridge. Your tomatoes (and the pepper) were both unbelievably delicious and beautiful. The array of colors that ended up on the table (the tomatoes, the yellow rice, the chicken, the arugula) were spectacular. Pictures should be coming your way soon.
Thanks for posting this amazing recipe. Can’t wait to try the others!
Roasted tomatoes are so good and marinating htem sounds even better!
I’ve always loved tomato….anything with tomato will make me a very happy girl! Then I saw this post of yours….well well well….I’m definitely going to have to try out the recipe! The picture speaks for itself,
Thanks for sharing and posting!