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Baked Manchego Tomatoes Provençal
January 04, 2007
When tomatoes aren’t in their glory (as in winter when their flavor is, shall we say, weak) you can still enjoy them by slowly concentrating the flavor they do have over low heat. This recipe, from Paula Lambert’s The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook and Guide (Simon & Schuster, 2000), focuses their flavor to a sweet intensity enlivened by the balsamic vinegar’s acidity and topped by the savory, salty chewiness of browned Manchego. Mmmmm.
Serves 8 as a side dish.
4 large tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 ounces Manchego*, grated (about ½ cup)
Preheat the oven to 350.
Cut the tomatoes crosswise into halves. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the garlic into the pan and place the tomatoes cut side down on the garlic. Do not crowd the tomatoes. This step may be done in batches if necessary. Cook the tomatoes, shaking the pan occasionally so they do not stick, for 20 to 30 minutes, or until they are caramelized and browned on the cut side. Peek gently at the cut sides of the tomatoes with a spatula to monitor the color change. (Be patient. At first the juices come out of the tomatoes, then they cook away, and finally the tomatoes begin to brown.)
Remove the tomatoes and place them, browned side up, in a shallow ceramic or glass baking dish just large enough to hold them snugly in one layer. Sprinkle with the herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Pour the balsamic vinegar and water into the skillet and cook for several minutes over low heat, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce the liquid by half. Drizzle the liquid over the tomatoes.
Place the tomatoes in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the Manchego over the tomatoes. Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until the cheese begins to brown. Remove from the oven.
Serve warm or at room temperature, and enjoy!
* Use a well aged Manchego like a Curado (aged 8 months) or Reserva (aged 14 months or longer) for this recipe. You want it to have enough bite to stand up to the intensity of the tomatoes. If the cheese is too young or mild, it will disappear behind the other flavors. A fine, raw milk Roncal would also be a tasty choice.
