Several years ago I got into heirloom tomatoes. Brandywines to be specific. They're ugly sometimes, but the taste is absolutely the best ever. Three years ago, our local paper ran an article about a woman in Wisconsin who grows and sells heirloom tomatoes. She explained in the article how she roasts and freezes the tomatoes for winter use. I tried it. We loved it. We do it every year now. There is nothing like roasted tomatoes in homemade veg soup, chili, lasagna, etc.(This year I planted Caspian Pink and Soldacki heirlooms instead of Brandywines. They taste really yummy - but I'm kind of missing my Brandywines right about now!)
The tomatoes are coming in like crazy - it's only 69 at 11 am - so decided I could fire up the oven and roast some today. Here's what I do:
First I peel the tomatoes. I just peel them with a knife because heirlooms peel really easily. If you do the hot water, cold water thing, that's cool.
Next I cut them into halves, thirds, quarters, eighths, ?? - depending on the size of the tomato. My Romas I leave whole - I cut the heirlooms to approximately that size.
I line a baking pan with parchment paper - and drizzle some olive oil over the paper - a very light coating. Then I put the tomatoes on the paper and drizzle more olive oil over them. Sprinkle some sea salt and freshly ground pepper on the top.
Roast at 425 degrees F. for about an hour. I bake them until they just start to soften and lose their shape.
Cool. Put in freezer bags and freeze until you need them next winter.
25 comments:
Oh, my husband's mouth will water when he reads this post! Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage
Yum! Save me some - I'm on my way.
Did you say 69 degrees at 11 am? Here, it must have been close to 100 at 11 am. I'm moving!
Mmmmmh, lucky girl having so beautiful tomatoes!! All my ten plants turned brown almost from one day to the other. I seldom succeed to have a nice harvest...the same is with my neighbours. Probably the often changing weather, the humidity,...
And every year I start again for a go...
Have a nice day!
Barbara
Lynne - we're getting a little break - this has been one hot, humid summer. I'm thoroughly enjoying a couple days of cooler weather before it starts up again!
Wow...that sounds easy enough...
I've never been a "canner" but this sounds like something even I could do...I love me some 'maters!!
But you know, I don't know that I've ever had an heirloom...I've only ever seen them in magazines!
:)
We have never made tomatoes like that! They look very good.
Brandywines are my absolute favorite too. Ours didn't do real well this year, but I do have plenty of tomatoes. This sounds easy and good:)
The roasted tomatoes sound wonderful!
Brandywine is my favorite heirloom tomato, but I also grow Caspian Pink, Red Brandywine, and Pineapple.
I will definitely have to try this. Thanks for sharing how you do it!!
This sounds like a great idea. I wonder if I could leave the skins on?
I am so jealous. Those look great!
Violetlady - I tried leaving the skins on a couple times last year. I felt like a lot of meat came with the skin after I roasted them - but certainly worth a try!
Oh Kris, They look absolutely wonderful----Our tomato plants will go in the first of September, can hardly wait until they are ready for the table.
One advantage to coming North later in the summer is right on your Blog----Last year when we hit Minneapolis: BLT's and a wonderful "Care Package".....Have an extra slice for me.
Oh, YUM. I read your post, mouth watering, knowing that is the closest I'll get to delicious tomatoes. We just don't get great tomatoes here in Colorado:(
You're making me hungry. :)
Wow... those look absolutely delicious!
What a great way to store tomatoes for the winter. I've frozen some before, but I've never roasted them first. I can just imagine the sweet flavor.
Too bad I don't have any tomatoes this year to freeze.
My mouth is salivating! I am craving a BLT made with garden lettuce and those insanely beautiful tomatoes! I'm still mourning the inability to grow a garden this year due to the cities spraying of our area for that stupid, obnoxious, good-for-nothing Japanese beetle. I really hate that thing. I can't have a garden for three years. One down and two to go.
Hello! I just stumbled upon your blog and really appreciated this posting on tomato roasting as I am overrun with red, juicy gems and don't know what to do with them. Thanks! Heidi
Read my blog Stationery Scoop
those look marvelous.. I wish you were my neighbor with extras of those!!! WAs this a really good tomato year for you?
Candace - no gardens for 3 years??! I feel bad for you!
Dirty fingernails - this has been an early year for us. They're saying all the hot dry weather ripened the tomatoes early and they maybe won't be quite as good toward the end. I'm seeing what I would call an average number of tomatoes - just earlier.
Kris - I feel bad for me too. The city has done all they can to make up for it, but my spirit is sorely missing the beauty of a vegetable garden and my early morning sojourns out to weed.
Okay, now you're just hurting me.
I miss home-grown tomatoes!
Hi Kris,
Thanks for stopping by and commenting so nicely on my blog. I'm looking forward to reading yours often as I garden in cold climate as well. I do
most of my blogging during the long winter months, but am fully invested in the garden between May and October.
These look fantastic! This certainly was a good weekend here to turn the oven on. I made a similar recipe once that called for leaving the skins on and pulling them off after roasting. That worked well for me since I cannot stand peeling tomatoes!
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