Slow-Roasted Summer Tomatoes

By jjadin

Ingredients

• Tbs. plus 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4-1/2 to 5 lb. medium-large ripe beefsteak tomatoes (about 12), stemmed but not cored
• Kosher salt
• Granulated sugar
• Scant 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12x17-inch rimmed baking sheet or two 9x12-inch rimmed baking sheets with foil. If you have parchment, put a sheet on top of the foil. Coat the pan or pans with 3 Tbs. of the olive oil.

Cut the tomatoes in half through the equator (not through the stem). Arrange the halves, cut side up, on the baking sheet, turning to coat their bottoms with some of the oil. Sprinkle a pinch each of salt and sugar over each half, and drizzle each with a few drops of balsamic vinegar. Arrange the garlic over the halves and top with a generous sprinkling of thyme. Pour the remaining 1 cup olive oil over and around the tomato halves.

Roast in the center of the oven until the tomatoes are concentrated, dark reddish brown (with deep browning around the edges and in places on the pan) and quite collapsed (at least half their original height; they will collapse more as they cool), about 3 hours for very ripe, fleshy tomatoes, about 4 hours for tomatoes that are less ripe or that have a high ­water content. Let cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes and then serve warm or at room temperature. Be sure to reserve the tomato oil (keep refrigerated for up to a week) to use on its own or in a vinaigrette.

Quicker-cooking variation: Remove the seeds and gelatinous pulp (poke them out with your fingers) before roasting. These tomatoes cook more quickly (check for doneness after 2 hours) but yield a slightly flatter, less meaty—but perfectly pleasant—result.

Plum tomato variation: Substitute plum tomatoes, cut in half through the stem end and seeded. The roasting time will be about 2 hours. Roasted plum tomato halves hold together particularly well; layer them in a ­terrine or roll them up, stuffed with goat cheese and basil, as an appetizer.

Uses:

1. Make a simple crostini by topping a small piece of grilled bread with a roasted tomato half and a little slivered basil. Or make a bruschetta topping by chopping the tomatoes and folding in the basil.
2. For antipasto, arrange a small stack of roasted tomatoes with a few good olives, a slice or two of prosciutto, a piece of really good Parmigiano-Reggiano, some greens, and a piece of crusty bread.
3. For an easy hors d'oeuvre, top a crock of warmed goat cheese with chopped roasted tomatoes, a few pine nuts, and a drizzle of pesto. Serve with crackers.
4. Make a sandwich of aged Cheddar, crisp bacon, roasted tomato halves, and herbed mayonnaise.
5. As a warm side dish for grilled lamb, reheat roasted tomato halves with a little crumbled feta on top. Garnish with fresh mint. Drizzle the lamb with the tomato oil.
6. Make a summery spinach or arugula salad by adding fresh chopped roasted tomatoes, corn kernels, and grilled red onions. Toss with Lemon-Sherry Vinaigrette. Add sliced grilled chicken or grilled shrimp to make it a main dish.
7. Mix up a quick pasta sauce of roasted tomatoes chopped and mixed with their juices. Or make a richly flavored puttanesca sauce by adding capers, olives, and anchovies to the roasted tomato base.
8. Make a bed for grilled steak by overlapping roasted tomato halves. Top with arugula.
9. Fill omelets, frittatas, and crepes with finely chopped roasted tomatoes and bold cheeses.