Starting anew...Tomato Season 2011

Well, I've been letting Laura carry the load on this blog for too long now! As Don and I are now full-time living at VMF and many new projects are accomplished and underway, it's time I stepped up again and started blogging. Hoping to get an actual website up as well in the not too distant future (if I can pry Michael away from the musician crowd!)

OK, a short riff on tomatoes, which are on my mind. Every year I strategize about how to get tomatoes to ripen early - say mid-July. No matter what I try, seems like that first red one just shows up the first week in August, and things only start going gangbusters by the middle of the month. Our daily basket from the garden is looking something like this now - peppers, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes. I have 8 different varieties of tomatoes, all shapes, colors and sizes in this year's garden: Roma's and San Marzano's for sauce and canning; Marglobe and Beefmaster for slicing and salads; Green Zebra, Hillbilly and Black Krim heirlooms; and Sweet 100 cherries.

Everyone knows there is nothing like a fresh garden tomato in August. In fact, I just decided this year that there is no point whatsoever in buying tomatoes out of season in the store, because you just can't get anything close the real thing - I don't care if it's hothouse, certified organic, shipped overnight from Israel. Just can't duplicate it!

You can, however, keep some of that fabulous tomato flavor going in the off season, with this little sauce that is quick and easy and good both when its made and from the freezer. Start with about 8-10 good sized tomatoes, maybe 5 lb. Canning or sauce tomatoes are best, but you can use some salad or beefsteaks as well. Wash well, but no need to peel. Cut into thick slices and spread into one layer in a large glass (or non-reactive metal) baking dish. Drizzle with 3 Tb good olive oil, sprinkle generously with crushed rosemary, Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast uncovered in 425 degree oven. After about 30 minutes, check tomatoes - you want all the water to evaporate, leaving the oil to heat and lightly caramelize the tomatoes. The last few minutes are the most critical not to burn them! Check every 5 minutes until the liquid in the pan is getting thick and the tomatoes are really starting to brown (but not burn) around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool.

While the tomatoes are cooking, take a head of garlic. Remove loose covering, but don't peel. Cut the top off to expose the tops of the cloves and place on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil and wrap the whole head tightly in the foil. Roast in a 350 degree oven (I use my toaster oven for this) for about 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature and peel the soft roasted garlic cloves out of their wrappers. Add about half the head (or to taste) to the tomato sauce and mash with a fork to distribute.

This sauce is wonderful on fresh pasta, with just a little cheese. I like to freeze it in dinner-size blocks using a little square container, then pop the frozen squares out and keep them in a large bag in the freezer until I'm ready to use. I can tomatoes, too, but find this easier than canning because you can do a small batch at a time. Also, the roasting really concentrates the tomato flavor - see if you don't think so when you sit down to a bowl of pasta with this sauce in January! Close your eyes - you'll think it's August!