One of the things we look forward to the most during late summer/early fall is tomato season. It is a time of slightly lower prices as well as a rainbow of colors and available varities.
One of our favorites is the large but delicate heirloom tomato. They have a wonderful earthy flavor and a pulp that is soft but not mushy. We use them for salads, sauces and sometimes just as a side to a meal.
It is during this time of year when we make our “Flavor Bombs”. The simple act of seasoning and roasting these tomatoes, enhances their sweetness and adds complimentary flavors while reducing acidity. This process leaves you with a slightly caramelized and super flavorful staple. We also love freezing these bombs and using them as a base for rich tomato soup during the cold winter months. They also blend to make a pretty mean Bloody Mary mix, but you will see more from that in future posts. (Hint, hint!)
All and all tomato season is amazing. Even though it is short, your possibilities to make amazing dishes are endless. Preparing and freezing something as savory and versatile like these Flavor Bombs will give you the excitement of tomato season well into winter and even spring.
- 8-12 medium-large Tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Dried Thyme
- 1 Tbsp Dried Rosemary
- 2 Tbsp Dried Basil
- Olive Oil
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash tomatoes and slice them in half horizontally.
- Coat 2 baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil and arrange the tomatoes cut side up on the baking sheet.
- Season the tomatoes. Starting with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then season with the dried leaf spices. Make sure that the majority of the exposed tomato is covered with seasoning. Finish off each tomato with a drizzle of olive oil.
- Place your tomatoes in the oven and let cook for 45-60 minutes. Some browning will occur but make sure they do not burn too much. You are looking for nicely roasted but slightly reduced tomato discs.
- Serve and freeze for future use.
