Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

This is a recipe I've tripped over numerous times in various cookbooks but had not prepared until a couple of weeks ago.  The slow roasting concentrates the flavor of the tomatoes and renders them little puckered, caramelized gems.  They freeze really well, so on the bleakest days of winter I can recapture summer simply by thawing a batch.  Thus far, I've eaten them atop soup, pizza and pasta and alongside steak and roasted chicken. 

After reviewing all the recipes in my cookbooks, I have settled on this one from Deborah Madison's Local Flavors.  Plum tomatoes, because they are meaty and not very juicy, work best.

Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

3 pounds plum tomatoes
4 to 6 Tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, thyme, or marjoram
2 garlic cloves, run through a press

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Lightly oil a large baking sheet that has a lip.  Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise.  Set them cut side up on the baking sheet, then brush the tops with the oil, using about 2 Tablespoons in all.  Make a paste with the herbs and garlic, and salt and pepper to taste and put about an 1/8 teaspoon on top of each tomato. The roasting will concentrate the flavors of the herbs, garlic and salt as well, so you don't want to overdo it.

Bake, uncovered for 2 hours.  Check after an hour and drizzle a little more oil over the surfaces if they look dry.  The tomatoes are done when they are well shriveled and browned on their undersides.