Browsing on your mobile phone? Take a look at our mobile edition »
My husband and I are drowning in cherry tomatoes (you can only give away so much!). Other than the obvious salad, what are other good ways to use them? Anything freezable would be appreciated, since there are only two of us. Thanks!
In The Pink
Aug 10, 2007 10:18AM
Who's Talking?
In the Chowhound Boards
In Stories
In Recipes
I like to cut them in half, saute them in a pan with a little olive oil, garlic, and various colors of peppers, then toss them onto/into pasta. My father adds sausage to the recipe.
Permalink | Reply
I do this as well, but add cleaned mussels or small clams instead of sausage, cover till they open and serve over angel hair pasta. MMM some chopped chorice (sp) sausage would add something special.
Permalink | Reply
I love mine stuffed with guacamole or a bacon/scallion mixture. I actually love this katsup made with cherry tomatoes as well.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...
Permalink | Reply
Roast them. Alot of them. I wash, dry, cut in half and then spread in a layer on a heavy duty foil lined cookie sheet that I spray with (gasp!) Pam, and roast them low, about 220 degrees or so for awhile...there is never any real time, just until they are caramelized, a little dehydrated and damn tasty.
I use them in salads, pasta, couscous, bruscetta, omelettes, tacos, pretty much anything that sounds like it would be good with a roasted tomato.
Permalink | Reply
I second this. They keep pretty well in the fridge this way, topped with a little olive oil. The tomato flavor is incredibly intense, like you'd expect a really REALLY good sun dried tomato to be.
Permalink | Reply
Roasted tomatoes, so darn tasty!
or throw them in some curry with chicken, spinach and green peppers
Permalink | Reply
I don't bother to cut them in half (simple step that saves a lot of time); they burst pretty quickly while roasting. You can also fit more into the pan. But they really are great; I freeze them too.
Permalink | Reply
You freeze after roasting? What kind of container? Or you freeze the fresh ones?
Permalink | Reply
yes after roasting. I just put them in a plastic tupperware type container, then defrost when I want to use them.
Permalink | Reply
Although I don't have a specific recipe, you could make a cherry tomato tart (which I've been meaning to do for years!). Maybe someone else has a good recipe?
And this recipe is very easy and good for chicken with cherry tomatoes. I like it over pasta.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...
Permalink | Reply
There's this wonderful recipe from a CH poster:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/283495
Permalink | Reply
Yes, I knew I saw it here at some point!
Permalink | Reply
the tart is really excellent.....i changed the recipe a bit, used puff pastry and mini tart pans, but the result was delictable...i'm going to make something of the sort like it tomorrow with my own cherry tomato festival and cooks illustrated rustic pie crust dough
Permalink | Reply
Yep, that recipe is great!
Permalink | Reply
Just made this tart and it was excellent, it's on the "make again" list! thanks
Permalink | Reply
slice them in half, place cut side up on top layer of quiche mixture. They get somewhat roasted and really sweet. Looks pretty too.
Permalink | Reply
Little Bloody Marys
Blanch the cherry tomatoes, peel them ( yes time consuming but must be done) pour vodka over them, a touch of Tabassco, a touch of Worshestershire sauce, cover and let them marinate at least 8 hours in the frig, roll them around every now and then. Serve with sea salt
Permalink | Reply
if you go to epicurious.com, there are a ton of recipes with cherry tomatoes. I'm having the same 'problem' here with my cherry tomatoes as well. Come winter, I'll be regretting it and missing all those fresh tomatoes that come in at one time.
Permalink | Reply
I cut a tiny slice from the bottom so that they don't roll around on a tray or plate, cut the tops off and scoop out the seeds. Filled with pesto or with a small square of fresh mozz' and a bit of basil, they make a good summer hors d'oeuvre.
Permalink | Reply
I never get tired of recommending focaccia because it's so easy and so delicious especially with your favorite deli meat. Oil a pizza pan, spread out some dough, dot the dough with cherry tomato halves (press them in), add sliced black olives (or not), chopped fresh garlic
(or onion), sprinkle with grated cheese, sprinkle some dried oregano, and lastly drizzle with EVOO. Into a hot oven until golden. 15 minutes or so.
Image: http://static.flickr.com/73/211359210...
Permalink | Reply
I love the ideas in this post, because I have the same problem as the OP. Some of the tomato plants at the nursery must've been mislabeled, because we only planted two varieties that are "cherry," yet have five plants. Two of the five are taller than me, and horrifyingly productive. I currently have at least 6 quarts sitting on the kitchen counter, and we've been eating cherry tomatoes at breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
So, I've been thinking of preserving them, and trying to figure out the best ways. it's occurred to me to split and dehydrate them for a sort of sun dried tomato. I'm probably also going to try roasting with herbs and olive oil and freezing them in a gallon bag. I've done that in the past with larger tomatoes, and had them be such a joy in January. More ideas would be most appreciated for preserving this abundant harvest.
Permalink | Reply
They are great scooped and filled with a smoke salmon and cream cheese mixture of parsley, capers and red onion, salt and pepper, fill and pop in your mouth! (yes take a tad bit from the bottom to keep them upright.
Permalink | Reply
I think you would love Epi's Spicy Roast Chicken with Marjoram and Tomatoes; unfortunately, I cannot provide the link on the computer I'm at right now, but you can use either cherry or grape tomatoes and they get all blackened and delicious in this recipe. I've used fresh basil instead of marjoram a few times and it's lovely that way too.
Permalink | Reply
found the link for the Spicy Roast Chicken you suggested...
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...
looks good... thanks!
Permalink | Reply
My two favorite ways to use cherry tomatoes:
(1) A really basic summer sauce with basil (garlic, onion, and olive oil the only other ingredients); and
(2) Stuffed with pesto, as mentioned by ClaireWalter.
Also, you can simply freeze them (cut off stem end, put them on cookie sheets and in freezer; when frozen, take out and put in freezer bags); just take them out and defrost when you're ready to use them--although know that they won't be like fresh (can use them for stews, salsa, etc.).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My blog on life in southern Italy: http://www.bleedingespresso-sognatrice.blogspot.com
All about tomatoes: http://www.tomatocasual.com
Permalink | Reply
Here's my new favorite recipe: sliver some garlic, cut a slit in the top and stuff. Just put it on a sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper, fresh rosemary (or whatever). Then you just crimp it into a sealed pack, and put it on the hottest part of the grill for 5 mins. Outstanding!!
Permalink | Reply
Can't wait! I'm going to try these tonight. I was planning to sautee but this sounds like a fun new twist. thanks!
Permalink | Reply
I made this on epicurious, loved it
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...
If you have some sausage this is a dish that I got rave reviews from by a picky eater.
Permalink | Reply
My favorite thing to do with cherry tomatoes is make preserves; treat it like any other fruit, and add a little lemon and vanilla. It's wonderful on toast. You can freeze it, and it makes nice gifts: many people have never had tomato jam.
www.littlecomptonmornings.blogspot.com
Permalink | Reply
These are great recipies! I have enough tomatoes to try nearly all of them. I'm interested in making the preserves but I didn't find the recipe on your link. Could you redirect me? Thanks!
Permalink | Reply
My garden also has quite a bounty this season and I've been making cherry tomato, yellow pear tomato, and cucumber salads with onions and a simple rice vinegar and fresh basil dressing. So easy, incredibly delicious! Sometimes I steam green beans and throw them in to this salad too while the beans are warm.
I also make a tomato and fresh mint salad with marinated feta cheese and a red wine vinegar vinagrette. Another yummy salad, minus the lettuce.
And thanks for starting this post. I like so many of the other suggestions, too.
Permalink | Reply
Just discovered this method for cherry tomatoes - so simple, healthy and yum!
Saute cherry tomatoes in about 2 tsp of olive oil. I used medium high heat and shook the pan until the tomatoes' skin started to break.
Add to serving bowl, season w/ salt (I used Maldon) and freshly ground pepper to taste, and top with about 2 T of chopped chives.
Great hot, wonderful warm or at room temp, and spectacular leftover the next day (even cold out of the fridge).
Permalink | Reply
I made this over the weekend with a roasted chicken and it was exellent, I think someone already posted this somewhere on here, but it's worth repeating! Thanks!
Curried Ketchup:
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Pinch ground cloves
Put the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, curry powder, salt, pepper and cloves into a saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, stir to dissolve the sugar and cook until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture is slightly thick, about 10 minutes. Pour the mix into a food processor and pulse until smooth. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Place in a decorative bowl to serve.
Yield: 1 cup
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...
Permalink | Reply
Wow! Thank you for all the great ideas; I can see I'm going to be busy until the harvest is over. Luckily, I'm meeting some friends on the weekend so I can use some of the appetizer recipes like stuffing the tomatoes with mozzarella & basil, and others with pesto. The ketchup sounds good too!
Permalink | Reply
We are in the same boat this year the weather has really cooperated. We love Italian sytle pizza which has not sauce but we cook the dough for the crust in our bread machine (recipe provided with machine) them we take our dehydrated tomatoes, green peppers etc and rehydrate them and add them to the pizza. I also will rehydrate the larger cherry tomatoes to use in the stuffed types of recipes. This is a great way to keep them. We buy Biscotti at Sams and use the containers for your dried fruit, apple rings are great and our other dried items. These containers are large and with the screw on lid everthing stays extremely fresh. Hope this helps.
Permalink | Reply