Sweet Tomato's

I call tomato's my veggie fruits because tomato's are actually fruits and not vegetables. It is odd to think you would put fruit all over your pasta but we do. Talk about coming a long way, did you know about 100 years ago tomatoes once were thought to be poisonous? Of course someone had to test that and soon after that it became nothing but a myth. Today tomato's are everywhere sauces, salads, omelets, condiments like ketchup and BBQ sauce and some people even eat them green.

It is no secret that tomatoes are right up there with strawberry's for me but thank goodness I can get tomatoes all year round. Here are some of my tricks to savor the flavor all year round.

Sweet Tomato's

5 tomato's
2 Tbsp EVOO
1/2 Tbsp of sea or kosher salt**

Preheat oven 350
(I love my toaster oven for this)
place on a cookie sheet or foil

Cut tomato's across, so that the stem part is on one half only
it will almost look like a flower on the inside.
set them on cookie sheet cut side up
Drizzle EVOO across the tops without drowning tomato
Now sprinkle salt on tomatoes, not too much but just enough to bring out the juice and flavor.
bake until tomatoes are half the size, it could take about an hour if you are using beefsteaks.

**You can use Balsamic vinegar instead of salt

The thing about this recipe is that it goes with so many things, right out of the oven on crusty french bread (place tomato upside down so the bread soaks the juice), on top of omelets, on top of rice, in veggie sandwiches (hot or cold) in spaghetti for added texture and flavor, on top of a cream sauce with prawns, use as a soup topping with Parmesan, or just by itself.
As time goes on I will add some of my other recipes that I use my "sweet tomato's" with.

I love using flavored salts such as:
White truffle salt
Salt infused with Rosemary and Lavender
Smoky salt, add either a few drops of liquid smoke or smoked paperika
Pizza season with salt
Crushed red pepper with salt

Of course the original is still one of my most favorite!!