Cherry tomato confit is my favorite way to make use of excess Summer tomatoes. A super simple recipe – slow cooked in a bath of olive oil with fresh herb sprigs and spices.
1-2cupsextra virgin olive oilenough to cover tomatoes in saucepan
Fewsprigsfresh rosemary, thyme
Fewfresh basil leaves
2clovesof garlicsliced
1teaspoonhoney
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes
peel from ½ a small lemon
pinchcoarse sea salt
grindblack pepper
Instructions
Pre-heat oven at the lowest temperature setting, for example, 150˚C/302˚F.
Place tomatoes in a saucepan and cover with oil. Add fresh herbs, garlic, lemon peel, honey, sea salt and ample grinds of pepper.
Bring temperature up to a gentle heat for 5-10 minutes, not boiling – just a few bubbles at the surface. Transfer to a baking dish, arranged in a single layer of tomatoes.
Slow cook for up to 3 hours (potentially longer, depending on your oven settings), checking periodically. When the tomato skins have blistered and started to split, they are done.
Enjoy right away, or store in a glass jar, ensuring you cover the tomatoes entirely in oil. See notes for serving suggestions.
Video
Notes
To serve, enjoy the drained tomatoes straight from the jar, smash them up and make a cherry tomato confit pasta, serve on a platter or alongside scrambled tofu, layer with avocado on sourdough
Reserve the leftover oil for use in salad dressings, or to drizzle over cooked vegetables
Refrigerate in a glass or airtight container, covered in oil, and enjoy within a week