A few years ago, I joined many an amateur vegetable grower and tried my luck with tomatoes at Chateau de la Vigne and indeed ended up with a glut of the reddest, juiciest and incredibly flavoursome tomatoes in various shapes and sizes (no selection based on aesthetics here). Now, I’m a tomato fan and it’s one of the foods that I always have in the kitchen (at room temperature and never in the fridge!). Still, with so many to use up, I figured I needed to find a way of “preserving” them so I could continue to enjoy them as the season ebbs away…..Move over Roasted Tomatoes and move in Tomato Confit!

 

So what’s the difference? “Confit” in French means “preserved”, and the technique means cooked slowly in olive oil. By cooking tomatoes this way they hold their shape but are incredibly tasty, with their intense, sweet flavour coming through. On the other hand, roasted tomatoes are cooked with a drizzle of olive oil at a high temperature. Though still delicious, the tomatoes caramelise quickly (due to the natural sugar content) and lose some of their natural flavour.

 

How to make Tomato Confit

It’s incredibly easy!

 

Simply lay out your tomatoes in a baking dish and cover with a deep layer of oil. Add in some chopped garlic, large enough so you can see them but not too large for a mouthful. Add a small drizzle of good quality balsamic vinegar to add a little sweetness and some fresh thyme sprigs (or dry if not available). Take care not to overpower with the herbs – just a few. Now season with salt and pepper. Some recipes call for a little brown sugar, but I prefer not to sweeten the tomatoes.

 

Now bake them at around 180 degrees for an hour or so, until they are soft.  No need to turn or adjust; they will slowly cook to perfection!

 

Once they are cooked, leave them to stand at room temperature, then simply scrape the tomatoes along with juices, garlic and herbs into a lidded container. Do not include the oil as this will solidify in the fridge and will make it harder to use the tomatoes alone. However, don’t discard the oil; all that flavour is perfect to toss into warm pasta or drizzled over roasted vegetables. Keep it in a separate jar.

 

TIP

This will keep refrigerated in a jar for weeks (…if it lasts!) You can also freeze this tomato confit once it’s cooked; simply scoop it out of the oil and gently lay it on a piece of greaseproof paper, so that it doesn’t freeze in one large block. Then, store them in a jar or freezer bag and use them as and when.