grow heirloom tomatoes, and then do this. i mean it.

This has been, like, THE WEEK OF ROASTED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES.  None of us have been able to get enough ... with salmon, with pasta, or just with our fingers.  Yum. 

I'd like to share my recipe, not that there really is one, and I'd also like to remind everyone that I am not a chef, an innovative recipe developer, nor do I have any qualifications that suggest you should listen to what I have to say on the topic of cooking. 

Note:  I find that this recipe works best with heirloom tomatoes, mostly because of their low acidity and superior quality.  Also, their skins seem less tough.  If not using heirlooms, you might want to quickly blanch the tomatoes in boiling water to aid in removing the skin.  That said, I never do; I just pick the skin out, push it to the side of my plate, or go ahead and eat it. 

---

Two to three pounds of heirloom tomatoes
Several cloves of garlic
Fresh (or dried) basil
Fresh (or dried) thyme
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly-ground pepper

Preheat broiler and set rack about six inches below it. 

Line an edged baking sheet with aluminum foil (if you want to, for easy clean-up, but it's not necessary).  Either spray sheet with canola oil, or put down a little olive oil to keep the tomatoes from sticking. 

Peel garlic and slice thinly.  Toss onto baking sheet.  (I put the garlic under the tomatoes so that it doesn't blacken, but I usually toss a few pieces on top too.)  Slice tomatoes to a thickness of about 1/2 inch and place on pan.  I like to overlap the clices.  Generously season with kosher salt and freshly-ground pepper.  Finely cut basil and pull thyme leaves from stems.  Sprinkle over tomatoes.  Drizzle everything with olive oil. 

Place in oven and cook for 10 to 20 minutes. 

I usually have pasta in boiling water while the tomatoes broil/roast, and then I toss everything together when both have finished cooking. 

---

If you make this, I'd love to hear how it turns out and with what you serve it.  Although I don't eat meat, I think that this would be really good with steak, or maybe used to make a roasted-tomato salsa.  Like the supply of tomatoes in summer, the possibilities are endless. 

Comments

[wixer]

This sounds like dinner tonight!

[danlang]

That looks delicious. Love the photos, too. I was at the co-op in Iowa City (about 1/2 hour south of here) the other day and saw an amazing mozzarella/tomato salad that looked delicious. A friend had some and said it was great. Mmm, good tomatoes.

[Ashley]

Pulling a Homer Simpson over here....drooool...

[Denise]

Looks delicious! We have been eating tomatoes every which way lately too. Tis the season.

[Laura]

Lovely photos and tomatoes. We have a bunch of ripening Hanover Tomatoes on the counter now. I'm off to the grocery in a bit. Hmm, bet that salmon-roasted tomato thing is tasty!

[wixer]

Well they weren't heirloom tomatoes, but they were of several varieties. Put over some pasta, and had some grilled salmon with it. Slivered Romano on top. Was pretty yummy! Like you said, had to put the skin just to the side of the plate.

[Jodi aka soNOTcool]

I'm so glad that you liked it, G. Sounds delicious!! :-)

[kate]

yum. in like ten ways.