Cherry Tomato Confit
This cherry tomato confit is sweet and easy and a lovely way of preserving all those Sun Golds you planted earlier this summer. Here's how to make it.
Ingredients
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes, stemmed, preferably Sun Gold
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 1/2 cup basil leaves and/or 3 fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water.
- Grab a sharp paring knife and score a small "X" in the bottom of each tomato. Plunge some of the tomatoes in the boiling water for 20 seconds, reach for a slotted spoon, and immediately transfer them to the ice water. Repeat, working in batches, until all the tomatoes have been blanched.
- Wait just until the cherry tomatoes are cool and then remove them from the ice water. With your fingers, gently slip the tomatoes out of their skins. [Editor's Note: This is a touch tedious and is going to take some time. Consider it an opportunity to zen out to the repetitive, some would say meditative, action. It will be worth it.] Toss the tomato skins in the compost and place the tomatoes in a single layer in a baking dish or roasting pan, preferably one in which the tomatoes fit snugly. (An 8-by-11-inch baking dish should work well.) Pour as much olive oil as needed over the tomatoes to completely submerge them. Add the garlic, basil and/or thyme, if using, and salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. When the tomatoes are done, the oil will be hot but the tomatoes will remain vibrant and whole. Uncover and let the tomatoes cool completely in the oil.
- Gently transfer the cherry tomato confit, including the olive oil, garlic, and herbs, if using, into a 1-quart jar or other airtight container. Cover and stash the cherty tomato confit in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Each time you scoop some of the confit out to serve, you want to ensure that the remaining tomatoes are kept completely covered with olive oil, adding fresh olive oil if needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 152mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 1g