SLOW-COOKER TOMATOES WITH OLIVE OIL

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

If you’re lucky enough to have an overabundance of freshly picked August tomatoes, or you’re just looking for a way to improve average supermarket specimens, this “slow-roasted” method for melt-in-your-mouth tomatoes is a great way to go. They are amazing alongside roasted meat or fish with plenty of crusty bread for dipping into the extra cooking liquid. To start, we cored the tomatoes, then halved them lengthwise through the stem end. We gently tossed them with just enough extra-virgin olive oil to infuse them with bright, fruity flavor as they released their juices into the slow cooker, creating a flavorful cooking liquid. The addition of smashed garlic cloves, which mellowed and softened during the long cooking time, lent a rich, nutty flavor to the oil and paired well with the fresh thyme that we used. Aside from a little salt and pepper, no other seasoning was needed for this uncomplicated dish. You will need a 5-to 7-quart slow cooker for this recipe.

MAKES: 4 to 6

TOTAL TIME: 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 tomatoes, cored and halved
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ¾ teaspoon dried
• Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Combine tomatoes, oil, garlic, thyme, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in slow cooker.
2.  Cover and cook until tomatoes are tender and slightly shriveled around edges, 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.
3.  Let tomatoes cool in liquid for at least 15 minutes or up to 4 hours.
4.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5.  Serve.

NOTE:

• Tomatoes and liquid can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.