Thursday, December 3, 2009

Roast Whole Tomatoes

Roasted whole tomatoes can be eaten alone or added to a favorite recipe.


Roasting tomatoes is a great way to concentrate the flavor of the tomatoes, and it gives added zing to recipes. If you grow your own tomatoes and have an overabundance, roasting and freezing them after they have cooled preserves your harvest for use in the off-season. Beefsteak and Roma tomatoes are perfect for roasting. It is essential to remove the seeds and juice from the tomatoes prior to roasting to help them dry out faster. Roasting whole tomatoes is a simple process that produces tasty results.








Instructions


1. Preheat the oven to 325-degrees Fahrenheit.








2. Use a sharp knife to slice off the top of each tomato to expose the seeds. Turn the tomato upside-down and gently squeeze to remove the seeds and juice. If any seeds remain, use a spoon to remove them.


3. Place the tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet that has a light coat of olive oil on the bottom. Drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper over each tomato. If desired, add chopped garlic or herbs.


4. Place the tomatoes in the oven and bake until they are soft. Baking time varies depending on the type of tomato being roasted. Check tomatoes after 35 minutes. If a drier consistency is desired, bake for a longer period of time.


5. Freeze the roasted tomatoes for use during the off-season, if desired. Once the tomatoes have cooled to room temperature, place the baking sheet of roasted tomatoes in the freezer. When they have frozen, remove them from the baking sheet and store them in freezer bags.

Tags: baking sheet, each tomato, have cooled, Place tomatoes, remove seeds, remove seeds juice