Summer is a time of plenty, with farmer’s markets bursting at the seams with fresh produce just waiting to be transformed into beautiful dishes. This Tomato Confit with Whipped Chèvre is a perfect example of how a handful of seasonal ingredients can come together to create something truly extraordinary. Juicy cherry tomatoes, fragrant garlic and citrus, and aromatic herbs are slow-cooked in oil to perfection, allowing their natural flavors to intensify and balance each other.
This dish is the epitome of summer with a burst of sweetness from the confit tomatoes, followed by the creamy tanginess of the whipped chèvre, complemented with notes of thyme, garlic, and citrus from the oil. Each component plays its part in creating a dish that is as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot summer’s day.
The preparation starts with cherry tomatoes, on the vine for presentation, along with lemon peel, heads of garlic, and thyme. Olive oil is added, enough to come halfway up the ingredients.
The oil acts as a bath for the ingredients to slowly braise in, and develop flavour. They will cook in the oven for approximately two hours, during which time, the chèvre is whipped along with lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
You know the tomatoes are ready once the fragrance of garlic and roasted tomatoes fills your home. The skins of the tomatoes will be wrinkled and cracked in places, and the garlic lightly browned, and softened when firmly squeezed. Use the oil to brush the baguette before grilling to enhance the flavour of the bread.
This is a dish meant for sharing. Dollop the chèvre and spread it in a circular motion on a plate. Arrange the tomatoes overtop, leaving vines on if you wish. The garlic is gently squeezed from the skins and tucked amongst the tomatoes, then the oil is drizzled overtop, filling divots of the cheese. Serve with the grilled baguette and let this dish’s vibrant flavors transport you to a place of pure summer bliss.
Tomato Confit with Whipped Chèvre
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 600g cherry tomatoes, on the vine (see notes)
- 2 heads garlic, tops cut off crosswise
- 1 cup olive oil, plus additional if necessary.
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 3 1-inch strips lemon peel
- 300g chèvre
- Zest of ½ lemon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 baguette, sliced crosswise
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Arrange tomatoes, heads of garlic, thyme, and lemon peels in an 8×13-inch baking dish, then season with salt and pepper. Pour in olive oil, enough to come halfway up the tomatoes.
- Place in the oven for 2 hours, until the tomato skins are wrinkled and the garlic is lightly browned.
- While the tomatoes confit, add chèvre, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to the container of a food processor. Blend the cheese until smooth, about 30-40 seconds, stopping every 10 seconds to scrape down the sides (see notes). Place the chèvre in the fridge until serving.
- Preheat the grill over medium heat once the tomatoes have been removed from the oven.
- Use the oil from the tomatoes to brush the baguette slices on both sides. Grill for 1 -2 minutes per side until grill marks have formed and the bread is lightly crisp.
- To serve, dollop the whipped chèvre on a serving plate, leaving divots to hold the tomatoes and oil. Arrange the tomatoes overtop with the vines intact, if desired for presentation. Lightly squeeze the garlic cloves from the skins and tuck them into the tomatoes. Drizzle the 3-4 tablespoons of the oil. Serve with the toasted baguette on the side for dipping.
Notes:
- The vines of the tomatoes are strictly for presentation and can be removed if desired.
- Be careful not to overwhip the chèvre as it can become liquid. If this happens it may need to be placed in the fridge for an extended period to solidify.
- Save the leftover oil by straining it and placing it in a mason jar for dipping bread, salads, or cooking. It will have lovely notes of garlic and citrus.
