Confit Cherry Tomatoes & Garlic with Basil Oil

PREP TIME: 5mins

COOKING TIME: 60mins

Slow roasted cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves are cooked in a fragrant oil with herbs.

Such a lovely addition to a mezze table to spread liberally over toast or a topping to a pasta dish.

To maximise on flavour, try to use the best olive oil, garlic and in season tomatoes you can find and try to buy market or organic herbs (grown naturally outside) rather than supermarket herbs (grown in hot houses).

Serving Suggestion:

I love this with a quick feta spread that I make: simply mash a few tablespoons of feta and yogurt together with a fork, add a little oil to make a chunky (like cottage cheese) spread. Toast some excellent bread, spread the feta liberally, add the confit tomatoes and garlic followed by the basil oil – delicious!

Ingredients:

  • 400g cherry tomatoes
  • 10 garlic cloves, skinned but kept whole
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • enough extra virgin olive oil to just cover the tomatoes

Basil Oil

  • 15g basil, leaves only
  • 50g extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • pinch salt
  • 2 teaspoons (small squeeze) lemon juice

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 150c.
  2. Add the tomatoes, garlic and herbs to a small baking dish, preferably one the tomatoes can fit snuggly in. Add enough oil to just cover the tomatoes.
  3. Meanwhile add all the basil ingredients to a high speed blender (a nutribullet works best) and blend for 1 minute until smooth, season.
  4. Roast in the oven for 1hour. Either enjoy slightly warmed spread on toast with a little basil oil and black pepper or carefully decant into a small jar and keep in the fridge. Enjoy!

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