Saturday, February 19, 2011

Slow many tomatoes

In season: Red and yellow tomatoes

Vanessa and I are always discussing the merits of 'growing your own', we both agree that our fruit and vegetables taste better, but for all the hard slog of maintaining our gardens, does it actually save any money? I think not. All the vege we actually harvest are also in abundance in the supermarkets, even the organic produce seems cheap in season.


That's not to say, I'm about to give up on my patch, even if it looks like a bloody graveyard at the moment. The tomatoes that survive the birds, suffer an even worse fate, when Rhys rips them off their branches and squashes them through his wee fingers. 

I like that it's teaching my young boy where his food comes from?! I would love for him to go to daycare, and mention that his mum is green fingered. I do kind of enjoy being self sufficient even if it is for show, but at the end of summer when your garden starts looking neglected and sad, I start to wonder why on earth I bother.

I always end up with a huge excess of the same vegetable that excited me at the beginning but irritates me towards the end of its cycle, why oh why can't I have a garden that sprouts a few of this a few of that and repeats the cycle all year round. If anyone knows how I can achieve this let me know.

However, I have already planned my next crop, so I'm not about to give up anytime soon. I am, after all, a creature of habit. So what do you do with red and yellow tomatoes, You slow roast them, and enjoy them in a salad, on cous cous, on toast, add it to eggs and toast for breakfast, or serve them as a side for dinner.
Slow roasted tomatoes with garlic and thyme


Slow roasted tomatoes
You will need
tomatoes - as many as you got
balsamic vinegar
brown sugar
olive oil
salt/ pepper
garlic
thyme

How to make
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Cut tomatoes in half, sideways, leave the stalks on. Lay them out on baking tray, with pip side showing up. Drizzle olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle over brown sugar. Throw in some garlic cloves, and thyme.

Bake at 160C for around 90mins or until tomatoes start to shrivel. Added bonus, this dish will make your house smell like your in Italy.




1 comment:

  1. I love roasted tomatoes. And even if it isn't necessarily cost-efficient, growing your own must be more satisfying. I'd love to have my own vegetable patch.

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