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Confit Tomatoes

Tomatoes and garlic submerged in olive oil in the compay of fresh basil and other herbs, cooked very slowly and at a low temperature: that's confit. The tomatoes have a sweet, unctious, jammy consistency to them. The garlic is ever-so-slightly toasted, sweet, and spreads like butter. And the oil — the oil is the stuff every Italian restaurant aspires to give you on that plate of olive oil that accompanies the bread.

ingredients:

  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes (preferably on the vine)
  • 12 cloves garlic (peeled)
  • 12 fresh basil leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • olive oil (cheaper stuff will be fine)
  • Place all herbs and vegetables in a quart-sized crock pot, spreading the garlic cloves around uniformly between the tomatoes.
  • Add enough olive oil to submerge everything. If the herbs float to the top, use a butter knife to push them down between the tomatoes and garlic cloves.
  • Set the crock pot on its lowest heat. Cover and walk away for 4 to 6 hours.
  • Check the tomatoes: the skins should be peeling and some may have burst open. If the tomatoes are too firm, continue to cook.
  • Turn off the crock pot and wait about 1 hour.
  • Use tongs to remove any whole herbs from the oil and dicard.
  • Using a slotted spoon, gently remove the tomatoes and garlic cloves from the oil.
  • Pour the oil through a strainer into a container to remove any solids.
  • To store tomatoes, move to a sealable container and refrigerate.
  • To store garlic, move to a sealable container and add-back some of the filtered oil. Refrigerate.

I typically use pint-sized mason jars to store the tomatoes and garlic in the refrigerator — plastic containers would definitely take on some of the aroma/oil.


Written by Jeff Frey on Thursday July 31, 2025
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