Roasted tomatoes is a perfect example to show how Costco inspired me to cook smartly with its unique packaging and selling style--big volume/quantity.
Costco carries a few varieties of tomatoes. I consider the campari most appropriate for slow roasting for its size, meat and juice balance, sweetness and acidity balance. My dishes below feature campari tomatoes with one exception.
Advantages of slow roasting tomatoes: (See bottom for detailed recipe.)
Easy:
- 5 minutes' preparation, followed by 7-8 hrs' roasting in the oven at very low temp, but NO attention needed during roasting.
- Simple ingredients: kosher salt, pepper, olive oil and rosemary.
- No need to repeat the well-known benefits of tomatoes.
- Put one inside your month, it explodes with freshness, juiciness, and aromas.
Efficient:
- Cook at one batch, store leftover in the fridge for different meals. They stay fresh for days.
Versatile:
- Can be served hot or cold.
- Any occasion- as an hors d'oeuvres in parties, or as salad and garnish ingredient for quick weekday meals, or as ingredient in sandwich for work lunch.
As an hors d'oeuvre, it's always been a crowd pleaser in our parties.
I laid 韭菜花(a kind of Chinese leek) on the black plate to contrast and highlight the bright red of tomatoes, also to add movement and style with the soft and winding flowery tip.
Pick-me-up with mozarrella and basil:
This is not campari, it's the assortment of four kinds from Costco. This time, I roasted some in halves, some in the whole, all with the caps. A simple line-up, stylish with some cuteness.
As part of a salad dish--Together with tuna caparccio, spinach, dried apricot and hazel nut, this makes a delightful, refreshing and delicious salad. (For detailed recipe for this dish, see my post "Visual Seduction- Thoughts from My Gourmet Creations: (1) Introduction"
As a garnish for orzo and mashed pumpkin:
As a garnish in broiled cod and couscous:
It's also a frequent ingredient I'll put into sandwiches for work lunch. Below is a sandwich with basil, mozarrella cheese, chicken and roasted campari.
I suggest try your best to pack simple, delicious and healthy lunch for work, save the money for good restaurants on weekends :-) Good restaurants give us enjoyment of not only tasty food, but creativity in ingredients and cooking methods, presentation art, interior and architectural design, and inspirations in our own creativity and sensibility.
Recipe for roasted tomatoes:
Slow roasted, but served fast and whenever :-)
Recommend campari tomatoes for this recipe.
1. Pre-heat oven at 200F.
2. Halve tomatoes vertically, lightly season tomatoes with olive oil, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.
3. Lay tomatoes cut-side up in a baking dish, sprinkle sprigs of fresh(or dried) rosemary on each tomato piece. (Thyme or many other herbs will do, but I like rosemary most for this dish.)
4. Place the tomatoes in pre-heated oven. Roast for 7-8 hours, exact time depending on your personal preference for the juiciness and flavor intensity balance as well as your oven.
Serve warm or cold.
0 comments:
Post a Comment