This is one of my favorite ways to delight in summer tomatoes because they sweeten up naturally in the skillet and oven. Serve them with any entrée, or sprinkle them with freshly grated gruyere cheese to have them as a main vegetarian course. Perfect with a glass of chilled rosé.
• ON-DEMAND: Listen to Faith describe this recipe on The Food Schmooze®. •
(Note: This recipe is adapted from one by Joel Robuchon, my chef idol.)
— Faith Middleton
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter room-temperature
- 8 vine-rippened local tomatoes cored and halved horizontally, sprinkled with salt
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme chopped
- 5 fresh garlic gloves minced
- 1 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese (optional)
- 1/2 cup freshly made bread crumbs
Servings: people
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until it's hot. Add as many tomato halves, cut side down, as will easily fit in the pan. Sear the halves without moving them until they're caramelized and dark brown (not black), or about 2-3 minutes. Place them, cooked side up, in a baking or casserole dish. Continue until all the tomato halves are cooked. Pour the skillet tomato juice over the tomatoes and season with salt.
- In a small bowl and using a fork, mask together the room temperature butter, parsley, minced garlic and bread crumbs. Spread it on the tomatoes in the casserole dish.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake, uncovered, until the topping has turned golden brown and the tomatoes are lightly bubbling. It should take about a half-hour. (Sprinkle with freshly grated gruyere cheese if you like. I like.)
