Jan 02 2011
2011: The Year of Eating (Well)
Now that the foie gras and bubbly have been put away, let’s concentrate on the kind of food we can actually eat every day without fear of post-meal angioplasty (not to mention guilt over that foie gras, but, deep breath, let’s not get carried away). I’ll start the year with roasted tomatoes, which is one of the most delicious and easiest things to make. Depending on where you live (I live in New York’s Hudson Valley), they’re not exactly seasonal, which might make locavores fret a bit (again, deep breath) but roasting tomatoes in winter can bring out an intensity of flavor you would not expect from those sad, orange-hued supermarket globes. A trip in the oven at 300° for an hour or so will make those tomatoes understand who’s boss: the result is a sweet, slightly caramelized, concentrated burst of summer that will bring a smile to your face (not to mention the fact that they’re really good for you).
I prefer using plum tomatoes for this, as they hold their shape well in the oven. A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, some sea salt and pepper, a little thyme and a sprinkle of panko (japanese-style) bread crumbs round up the list of characters for this dish. I served them with some polenta baked with arugula and garlic, and a side of diced cucumber with yogurt and garlic. There were only three of us, and it’s all gone. Sigh.
Roasted Tomatoes with Panko*
*A note on the bread crumbs: you can use the regular stuff if that’s what you have, but the panko is so crunchy and tasty, not to mention widely available in supermarkets, that it’s really worth keeping some in the pantry.
2 plum tomatoes per person, halved lengthwise
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A few sprigs or fresh thyme (or a sprinkle of dry)
2 or 3 Tbsp of panko bread crumbs
Grated parmesan (optional)
Place the tomatoes in a shallow, oven-safe dish. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with thyme. Place in a 300° oven for approximately one hour. The tomatoes should start to caramelize (not burn) at the bottom. While the tomatoes are cooking, mix together the panko with a spoonful of parmesan (if using) and a little bit of olive oil. Mix well. About 10 mn before the tomatoes are done, sprinkle them with the panko mixture. Turn the oven to broil and remove when the breadcrumbs turn golden.
Before
After
What a great blog! Your recipes make my mouth water. And you’re funny, too! I’ve bookmarked your site and will be back for more!
Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying the site; stay tuned for more. I will probably be posting things weekly.
yummy….. ok …. I think that the cherry tomatoes are the small ones… Am I confused ? I am so excited and I am going to make this over the week-end
Really like the design of your page. And recipes to boot with before and after pics – I, too, have bookmarked you!
Idée géniale! On va se régaler cet hiver. Merci ma poulette.
Jaye: you should get the plum (not cherry) tomatoes. They are also called Roma tomatoes in some supermarkets. They are a regular-size fruit, with an oblong shape.
fikink: thank you so much for your kind comment! I hope to see you here again. New post coming soon.
Nathalie: Merci ma belle. Reviens bientôt!
Sounds yummy, but I’m also intrigued by the polenta mention. I’ve never made polenta – what did you do with the garlic and arrugula?
Yummmm. I’ll be using this blog as a go-to meal planning resource. Thank you, Christine!! Well written and the pictures are wonderful.
yum! those are happening in my kitchen right away. can’t wait to see what’s next! xoxo
Hey mum! Nice stuff, didn’t know you were starting this! Great stuff.
Thank you, Emily! Hope to see you again here soon!
@ Fay: I will have to do a post on polenta, it’s just so wonderful. Essentially, I baked the polenta on a bed of arugula that I wilted in a pan with a little olive oil and some garlic. More later; keep visiting!
@ Mihal: Lasagna.
@ Adam: Well, thank you kind sir!
Love the blog! Makes cooking fun, as it should be.
Hey Christine, Looks great, but where do you find the time???
Happy new year!
@ Jean: Thank you! Happy New Year to you too!
@ Rob: I agree; it should be fun!
Congratulations on a great start! I’ve recently started eating this way and had no idea there was a name for it – flexitarian! Looking forward to checking back often.
Thank you, Nancy!
I’m all set, oven’s pre-heating. Can’t wait to try these tonight!
Emily
Please let me know how they come out; I think they’re just so yummy, I’m getting hungry just typing this!
They were a major success! I found the panko bread crumbs at Trader Joe’s. I used 4 plum tomatoes (making 8 pieces) and while I was out, my husband ate 7 of them.
Yummmm.
I’m so glad to hear this; they definitely are hard to keep around. First of all, they smell sooooo summery, don’t they? For the breadcrumbs, my local supermarkets (and even the local BJs) carry them. They can be found in the ‘international’ section.