Two weekends, 40 pounds, eight baking sheets, one major f**k-up, and, finally, success!

Even as I read and read, and read some more, about slow roasting tomatoes, there are so many different versions out there (right?), so many disparate oven temperatures, ways to cut, sprinkle, or not, drizzle, or not, remove seeds, or not, roasting times: 8-10 hours, 5 hours, 3 hours, overnight, that I finally threw up my hands and went with what I knew in my brain and heart. And even with that I had a few bumps before getting it right.

The first bump was just silly: I went to a potluck party while my first batch of tomatoes was merrily roasting away, and roasting away (albeit at 260-degrees), and roasting away (while I forgot about them) to burnt crisps. That went into the compost and the oven fan had to be left on overnight to rid the house of the burned tomato smell.

The second (and, actually, third) bump resulted in so-so variations: in a 250-degree oven for nine hours to a 260-degree oven for seven hours, with the tomatoes swimming in to drizzled on olive oil* that both versions took forever to lose enough water to package. They are packed, and in the freezer, but they are definitely second rate.

A week went by while waiting for the Saturday farmers market to come around again so I could buy another lug (20 pounds) of tomatoes, and with this batch I finally reached roasted tomato nirvana (well, my roasted tomato nirvana) and this is the version that I share with you now.

Organic slicing tomatoes from Neukom Family Farms in Willow Creek.

You will notice that I have not used heirloom tomatoes for roasting.  Heirlooms, to my palate, must be savored fresh: in salads, out of hand, in a BLT; never in the oven nor in a sauce.

Organic slicing tomatoes from Green Fire Farm in Trinity County.

These beauties - just above - are what I roasted yesterday (see top photo). They were cooled, frozen in their trays, then packed into zip-top freezer bags, labeled and, finally, put back in the freezer.

Scoop out the stem ends with a melon baller

I found that the easiest way to get rid of deep-set stems is to make a small slit near the stem with a sharp knife, then insert a melon baller and scoop around the stem. Easy peasy.

Use a sharp knife to cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. My Wusthof boning knife was the perfect tool.

Lay tomatoes skin side down on parchment-lined baking sheets.

Had I written down the steps I used last weekend they would have read: sprinkle with herbs, sea salt, then drizzle with olive oil.  But I didn't like the texture of any of the tomatoes that had olive oil so this time I decided to omit it to see if I would get a firmer, drier tomato. That, for me, turned out to be a good decision. I am much happier with the results (see up close photo below for today's batch).

As you will see below, this is more of a step-by-step instruction than a recipe. I used dried Mediterranean herbs because that's what I had on hand but if you have rosemary and thyme growing in your garden that have not succumbed to the California drought, they would be even better. Note that I did not add garlic to the mix. In my humble opinion, garlic can (and will) be added to any of the dishes I make with these tomatoes in the months to come and do not need to be added in the roasting process.

Christine's Oven Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1 20-pound lug of ripe, red, organic slicing tomatoes
Penzey's Tuscan Sunset herb blend, about 1 tablespoon per tray
Coarse sea salt, between 1-2 teaspoons per tray
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 285-degrees Fahrenheit (140.5 celsius/Mark 1).
Remove the stems from the tomatoes (see caption above).
Slice tomatoes in half crosswise then place on parchment-lined baking trays (mine are 18" x 13").  It's OK to crowd the tomatoes as they shrink in the oven.
Pinching between thumb and forefinger, sprinkle tomatoes with the dried herbs - about 1 heaping tablespoon per tray.
Again, pinching between thumb and forefinger, sprinkle tomatoes with the coarse sea salt. I used about 4 pinches for one tray.
Place the trays in the oven and slow roast for approximately four and one-half hours (4 1/2), alternating trays on the racks mid-way.
Remove trays from oven and allow tomatoes to cool entirely.
When cooled, place the trays of tomatoes in the freezer and allow to freeze for several hours or until each tomato can be picked up and not be sticky.
Pack the frozen tomatoes in single layers in zip-top freezer bags, carefully expelling as much air from the bag as possible.
Label each bag with the date and then bag again in another zip-top freezer bag, again expelling the air.
Put bags in the freezer and be prepared to relish their summery taste in soups, stews and braises over the winter months.

Cook's Notes:
It's not like I've never slow roasted tomatoes before, I have, back in 2009.  *It was the olive oil.  I couldn't get past using olive oil. And much as I love olive oil paired with tomatoes, roasting them together just didn't do it for me. The steps I've taken above result in intensely flavored, non-oily tomatoes that I know I will enjoy over the coming winter.

While the rest of the U.S. is awash in ripe, red, juicy, delicious tomatoes, we gardeners (at least this gardener) here on the northern California coast are still waiting, watching and coaxing our tomatoes to grow (please) and become edible before the chill of fall sets in.

This does not mean that we are tomato deprived.  On the contrary, our inland farmers bring plenty of heirloom tomatoes to the farmers markets in our area and I buy lots of them.

Stubborn gardener that I am, I started these guys in the greenhouse hoping the warmer temperature within would give me ripe tomatoes sometime this summer.

Then came the white flies.  Clouds of them.

I do not use pesticides, even so-called organic ones.

So I moved the tomatoes to the outside garden.  Where they now sit in their warm black pots.  Pampered.  Not growing.  Sigh.

We have just learned that this July on the North Coast has been one of the foggiest on record since the late 1800s.

One would think that after 18 years of living here I would just get over trying to grow tomatoes.  I guess the part of my life before moving here, the part where I grew up and lived in the hot Sacramento Valley, the part where tomatoes were ripe, red, juicy and delicious by the end of June, that part simply will not give up.

Suggestions welcome.

The title actually says it all about this recipe.  It can be prepped, cooked, and ready to spoon over pasta in about 45 minutes.

My boys (now men) know this sauce well; until they had grown up and fledged, I'd made it for them often, always tossed with spaghetti (although today I used gluten-free spirals), and it never failed to satisfy.  Sometimes I think they liked it better than pizza.

The meat is optional and leaving it out will result in a sauce suitable for vegetarians and vegans alike.

A note about the ground turkey: That mushy stuff sold in some stores that looks and feels like it has glue in it? Try not to use that. Instead, find a good source for ground turkey that looks as though it really was extruded through a grinder rather than mashed into paste.

Yes, I'm using canned tomato products but if you have home made sauces, go for it.  The measurements are not set in stone.  What you want to achieve is a thick, tomato-y sauce that will cling to your pasta.

This is dedicated to my boys (now men).  The recipe is a secret no longer so hone up on those knife skills and get chopping.


Christine's Quick and Easy Pasta Sauce with Ground Turkey
(print recipe)
Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey (not the mushy stuff), or other ground meat, optional
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 large sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large red bell pepper, seeds and veins removed, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces
2 small Padrón peppers or 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeds and veins removed, minced
1 tablespoon (or more) organic Italian herbs
1 28-ounce can organic peeled tomatoes (I use Muir Glen Organic tomato products)
1 15-ounce can organic tomato sauce (preferrably sugar free)
1 6-ounce can organic tomato paste (preferrably sugar free)
1/4 to 1/3 cup dry red wine to rinse the cans (more certainly may be used)
small handful fresh basil leaves, torn
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
olive oil for the pan
If using ground meat, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Kalamata Olive Spread
Preparation and ingredients proportions by Christine, lifted from the ingredients list of Paolo's Antipastos
Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 8-ounce jars (about 1 heaping cup, packed) sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
Juice from 1/2 of a large Meyer lemon
Fresh rosemary, thyme and oregano, chopped (see Cook's Notes)
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
Olive oil if needed
Preparation:

Cook's Notes:

Cook's Notes:

Lamb Meatballs with Oregano in Marinara Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pound ground lamb, local, grass-fed is best
1/3 cup finely ground, dried bread crumbs (I use local Brio croutons that I grind in the food processor)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
A few grinds Tellicherry peppercorns
Olive oil for the pan

Preparation:
In a large bowl, combine well all the ingredients except the olive oil.
Scoop up about 2 tablespoons worth of lamb mixture and, using the palms of your hands, roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining lamb.
Drizzle olive oil into a large, heavy pan set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the lamb meatballs and saute until nicely browned all over and just cooked through.
Drain meatballs on paper towels.

To serve, place a pool of marinara sauce on a warmed plate and top with meatballs. A roasted medley of cauliflower, carrots and mushrooms rounded out our plates.

This past weekend while in the Sacramento Valley, not only was I able to take many, many photos of my friend Erika's garden, which are being featured right now at Raven Ridge Gardens , but my husband and I were treated to one of her delicious dinners. Standing in her kitchen, wine glasses in hand, the four of us chatting as she made her preparations, the heady aromas that wafted through the air had me salivating in eager anticipation.


Catfish with onions, fresh cilantro and grated ginger, accompanied by nutmeg-coated steamed carrots and asparagus, created a visual delight on our plates. The juicy, perfectly cooked catfish was superb. A salad of cucumber, tomato and scallions that had been marinating in a divine dressing was at the side.

Erika is my dearest friend and a wonderfully creative cook. And when I asked if I could share her recipes on my blog, she readily agreed. Our meal was not only made from fresh, organically produced ingredients, it was soooo very good and simple to prepare. A whimsical bonus for me was that it was all low carb. Well, except for the deep, dark Valhrona chocolate we had for dessert and the delicious white wine we consumed. Sigh.

Measurements in the recipes below are approximate, as the lady cooks by intuition!

For the fish:
4 catfish fillets
1 onion, sliced
1/3 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
olive oil (Erika and I both use a Portuguese Saloio, available at Tuco's Wine Market and Cafe in Davis)
salt
water or white wine
ground pepper
wedges of Meyer lemon at the table to squeeze over the fillets

Place olive oil in skillet (large enough to hold the catfish all at one time) over medium-low heat. Add onions and a bit of salt and saute slowly until onions are tender and caramelized. A small amount of water may be added to keep them from sticking to the pan. Meanwhile, grind pepper generously over one side of each fillet. (Erika likes McCormack Peppercorn Medley in a jar with its own grinder.)


When the onions are done, move them to one side of the skillet and lay the fish fillets on the bottom of the pan. Cover the fish with the onions, sprinkle with the chopped cilantro, the grated ginger, a bit of salt and place over medium to low heat. Add a small amount of water or white wine to the pan and cover with a lid, cooking the fish slowly until done. Remove from heat.
For the veggies:
1 pound young carrots, peeled and left whole
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
freshly grated nutmeg
salt to taste

Grate the nutmeg generously over the carrots, adding a bit of salt. Place carrots in a steamer pot and steam for about 10 minutes, add the asparagus on top of the carrots and continue steaming until both veggies are just tender.

Vinaigrette for the salad:
In a jar with lid, combine Meyer lemon juice and brown rice vinegar in a ratio of 2/3 lemon juice to 1/3 vinegar. Add at least 3 cloves pressed garlic, salt and pepper to taste and about 1 cup olive oil. Shake ingredients well to blend.
Pour dressing over cucumber and tomato slices and top with finely sliced scallions. Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

An evening with my dear friend and her sweetie Bill is special enough. Pair it with fine food and it is richness beyond compare. What could be better than that?