Buying local is the way to go! Take advantage of all the fresh, sweet tomatoes from the farmers’ gardens right now.  Who doesn’t enjoy a delicious tomato and cheese sandwich out on the back porch, or a Caprese Salad-tomato, mozzarella and basil- made from freshest ingredients?

Americans eat more than 22 pounds of tomatoes each year.  WOW! We suspect that most are eaten in the form of tomato sauce.  Here’s a recipe for a flavorful, light sauce.  Roasted tomatoes on a bed of basil leaves with garlic and oil. It’s that easy. Serve over rice or angel hair pasta. You’ll love the garlic; it’s so sweet!

Recipe: Slow Roasted Tomato Confit

Ingredients:
4 large Tomatoes
1 large bunch of Basil
4 Garlic Cloves
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ tsp. of Kosher Salt, or to taste
Grated Parmesan Cheese, to taste 

Directions:

Cut an “X” in the bottom of each tomato and place into boiling water for a few minutes.  Remove and place into an ice bath.  Cover the bottom of a 9x9 casserole dish with basil leaves. Peel and core the tomatoes and place in casserole core side down. Crack the garlic and sprinkle over the top. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Fill the casserole about one inch deep with extra virgin olive oil.

Place uncovered in a 350-degree oven for 90 minutes. Remove the contents with a slotted spoon, and serve over pasta or rice, top with cheese. Save the remaining olive oil mix in a sealed jar in your refrigerator.

Serves 2.  To adjust the recipe, figure two tomatoes per person. 

You can also core the tomatoes before you put them into the boiling water. 

Calories: Tomatoes 117, Basil 8, Garlic 8, Olive Oil 956, Cheese Spices 0
TOTAL = 1079; that 539 calories per serving