One of the oldest methods of food preservation is the southern French method called confit. Traditionally, this technique pertains to meats that are first salt-cured and then cooked in a fat at a temperature of about 200 degrees. The product is then stored in the fat it was cooked in, which can preserve it for a very long time. The Tarragon duck confit is prepared in this traditional cured-then-cooked method.
A simple and flavorful recipe is tomato confit. I use it on our filet tartare appetizer. It provides a nice acidity that balances out the flavors of the plate.
Easy Tomato Confit
Ingredients
- 1 quart of baby tomatoes
- 2 cups of olive oil (vegetable oil can also be used, but will not be as flavorful)
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
Method
- Preheat the oven to 225°F.
- Add all of the ingredients to a small loaf pan, and cover with a layer of heat-resistant plastic wrap and a layer of foil.
- Cook for approximately one hour, until the tomatoes have puckered slightly but still hold their form.
- Cool down in the refrigerator and reserve in the oil until needed.
By “baby” tomatoes, do you mean grape tomatoes? Some kind of small but red tomato? Baby tomatoes normally would be green…..
Looks and sounds great!
Great question! You can use any type of small, bite-sized tomato: grape, cherry, or sun gold tomatoes would all work beautifully.