Tomatoes With a Twist

One thing I love about living in LA (Probably one of the only things in fact) is that the moderate climate causes a blurring of the lines in seasonality. Since i love using ingredients that are local and seasonal, it is a huge advantage for me living in a place where you can get fresh tomatoes for a considerably longer period than in other regions. Tomatoes bring me great joy, but only if they are right. And by right, I mean they smell like a tomato and taste like a tomato, not like a mealy, plastic flavored substance that is perhaps a tomato's second cousin, twice removed. You know, like the ones you sometimes find in the grocery store. I like tomatoes in every form; raw, crushed, soup, sauteed, and slow roasted. I know it may sound like a strange thing to do, roast a tomato, but the heat concentrates all the deliciousness of the tomato into this juicy bite of sweet and tangy glory in your mouth. It takes a bit of time since they cook at a lower temperature, but it's set it and forget it, no work involved once it's in the oven time.

To momentarily digress, I feel the need to tell a little story about crazy farmers market lady from a few weeks ago. I am minding my own business, chatting with vendors and inspecting produce when I pick up a tomato and give in a nice whiff. This lady next to me gives me a look of contempt and declares how disgusting she thinks it is that I have smelled the tomato. Oh dear heavens, how could I have had the balls to actually Smell the tomato! So I turn to her and ask cordially how she tells if a tomato is ripe, and she replies, in her saccharine voice" Everybody knows, you squeeze it to tell if it's ready." So I start laughing and tell her she's off her rocker and squeezing it causes it to bruise and turn mushy and know this because my profession is a freaking chef. She just goes off on a rant about how gross it is that I have smelled it, as though perhaps I sneezed on the darn thing, or licked it while her back was turned. Yeah lady, because you man handling it in your grubby palm is sanitation nation. People are strange.

So enjoy the roasted tomatoes, and please don't squeeze them.


Slow roasted tomatoes

2 lbs of tomatoes (use whatever kind strikes your fancy, heirloom, plum, vine ripened, just steer clear of cherry), halved and seeds removed
2 Tbls extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbls balsamic vinegar
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of sugar
Lay the tomatoes cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil, vinegar, salt and sugar evenly amongst them. Place baking sheet in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, then lower the temp to 300 and roast for another 20 to 30 minutes, until starting to brown on top and looking kind of shriveled and wrinkly. Let cool for 10 minutes, then start popping them in your mouth.