Roasted Tomatoes with Smoked Olive Oil, Thyme and Garlic

If I have the time to walk the whole farmers market in Haile on Saturday morning, I always end up chatting with Katrine Dunn at Saporito. We usually talk about food, my blog, her store and all the products that she sells, which I now have quite a collection. You cannot help but to be drawn to their tent when she has her adorable children handing out delicious samples and ringing out customers while she is out connecting with everyone that walks by. She is such a beautiful person inside and out and you instantly feel it when you start to talk to her.

You can purchase Saporito’s products at their store, at the Haile’s famers market and now at Wards supermarket. I personally like to go to the farmers market for the connections I make with the local business owners as there is something to be said about a face to face conversation. We are all connecting with other people on some sort of level whether it is on social media, texting, emails or the old fashioned way through snail mail or an actual verbal conversation. Whatever your preferred method of communication is, it is the real connection that makes the difference.

  

Saporito has so many different types of oils and vinegars that I found it hard to choose which ones I wanted to purchase. I ended up getting the smoked infused olive oil because it was different and I love just about anything that’s tastes like a wood burning fire. Smoked meats, vegetables, chocolate or a full bodied wine with oaky flavor notes. I mean literally, it could be anything, I don’t discriminate. Not to mention, I will find any excuse to get cozy by a wood burning fire. Smoking food is a technique that adds an extra component to a dish without adding calories, sodium or cholesterol. I probably could have drank the oil straight out of the bottle….it was that good. Even serving the oil with some herbs, spices and a slice of grilled french bread would have been fantastic. I decided to use the oil into this week’s recipe, Roasted Tomatoes with Smoked Olive Oil, Thyme and Garlic. Click on recipe title to view the recipe.

Have you ever smelled tomatoes roasting in an oven? It smells like my grandfather’s red sauce that has been simmering all day in the house on a Sunday afternoon. My grandfather, we called him “Gramps”, made an amazing pasta sauce and used to love to grow tomatoes. He would always give us a bag full of them when we would come over and visit. I remember my dad would like to slice the tomatoes up and eat them with just a little bit of salt. Honestly that is probably my favorite way to eat them too. However, I love tomatoes in any application. For this recipe, the tomatoes could serve as a side dish or on top of chicken or fish. You can also use them on top of your favorite salad greens with a little mozzarella, parmesan, basil and a drizzle of balsamic. Here are some photos of the tomatoes before and after they went in the oven to roast.

 

I shared this recipe at a family dinner and everyone, including my two boys, were sneaking pieces of the tomatoes before we served it. Truthfully, I was guilty myself, but a chef is supposed to conduct QC checks before serving the food to their guests right?! As we prepared and ate the food, all of us were wirelessly connecting through good conversation, laughter and best of all lots of delicious food and wine. Did I say wine? I meant lots of wine. Cheers!