Confit tomatoes with garlic

Today we confit tomatoes. They are delicious, have you tried them? When confiting, the tomatoes are cooked at a low temperature so that they do not burn or fall apart. But also, when candied, the nutritional properties and natural flavor of tomatoes are preserved, but their acidity is reduced and they are given a sweeter and softer flavor . The end result is a delicious preserve that can be used in a wide variety of dishes, such as sauces, stews, pizzas, green salads, pasta and more. Have I convinced you yet?

The truth is that the process is really simple, but the result is extraordinary. I hope you are encouraged to try! I leave you in this post:

• a summary of what is the technique of confiting,
• how to take advantage of or use candied tomatoes,
• and below the recipe to make them , with a touch of garlic, as they like at home.

What is and what does the confit technique consist of?

The confit technique is a culinary method that involves slowly cooking food in oil or a sugar-water syrup at a low temperature, often over very low heat, to soften it and concentrate (and enhance) its flavor. During the confit process, foods are cooked in a mild liquid at a low temperature, making them more tender and flavorful while keeping well. This process can also be used as a method of food preservation. The confit is often used for fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.

About confiting tomatoes

Keep in mind that to confit tomatoes we must cook them slowly, whether they are whole tomatoes or cut into pieces. We will do it in olive oil, over a very low heat, until they soften and their flavor is concentrated.

In our case, we will confit it with a touch of garlic, but you can omit it if you prefer the taste of a clean tomato.

Le Creuset Casserole Cocotte

How to use tomato confit

Confit tomato is very versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes. Here I show you some ideas of how you can accompany it:

• In salads: tomato confit can be an excellent complement to lettuce or spinach salads, especially if mixed with other ingredients such as feta cheese, avocado or nuts.

• In pasta: tomato confit is an excellent complement to pasta, especially if mixed with olive oil and garlic. You can add it to any pasta, from noodles to lasagna.

• On pizza: tomato confit is an excellent pizza topping, especially when mixed with goat cheese and arugula.

• On toast or bruschetta: Tomato confit can be an excellent addition to toast or bruschetta, especially if mixed with fresh cheese or pesto.

• As a garnish: tomato confit can be an excellent garnish for any meat or fish dish, especially if mixed with fresh herbs such as thyme or rosemary.

• In sauces: tomato confit can be used as a base for pasta or meat sauces, as it gives it a sweet and concentrated flavor.

In general, tomato confit is a very versatile ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes. Try different combinations and find your favorite.

Recipe to make confit tomato

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg of mixed tomatoes
• 250 ml of olive oil (you will need more to keep in the pot)
• 1 head of garlic
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt (about 2 teaspoons for that amount of tomatoes)
• Pepper (optional, amount to taste)

Preparation

1. Clean the tomatoes. If they differ greatly in size, you can cut the large ones in half to even out cooking times. Optionally, remove the stem with a stem remover (or you can keep them whole).
2. Peel the garlic and crush it with a knife (help yourself by hitting the flat blade with the palm of your hand, positioned on the garlic).
3. Put all the ingredients in the Le Creuset casserole type cocotte (it is a wide surface, which will help you in the process). The tomatoes should be covered or halfway if you turn them.
4. Salt pepper to taste.
5. Put the tray in the oven at 120 ºC for about 2 hours (it can be more and it can be less, it depends on your oven, whether you covered it or not, how big the tomatoes were and your texture preferences). Observe that they are all tender but not undone, you can lengthen the process up to 3 and 3.5 hours depending on all these factors. Remember to turn the tomatoes if the oil does not cover them completely.
6. Remove from the oven when they are ready.
7. Transfer the preparation in an airtight pot (tomatoes and cooking juices), and just cover with new olive oil. You can also keep them in different jars, if you had mixed different varieties of tomato.
8. Close with an airtight lid, let it lose heat and keep in the fridge.

Grades

• The most common is to keep the candied tomatoes in the cooking oil, as this helps to preserve its flavor and texture. However, they can also be saved in a new oil if desired.
• Since we have not evacuated the jars, you can keep the tomatoes for up to a week in the fridge. If you want, you can use the Zwilling containers to easily make the vacuum with its extraction pump, and thus they will be preserved without problem for several weeks.