My fellow Gastronomers will remember that I extolled the virtues of Sun-blushed Tomatoes in my Focaccia Recipe, but I know they aren’t easy to find, even in relatively good Delis.   That gave me a mission!  I asked around several good cooks of my acquaintance and one finally turned up trumps with this simple recipe.

Ingredients:

About 30 small RIPE cherry tomatoes  [A good tip is to look out for reduced price punnets near their sell-by dates in Supermarkets or better still at the end of the day in your local market.  These have usually just got to the fully ripe state.  Don’t buy ‘ Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine’, they are ridiculously expensive, and what do the others grow on for heavens sake!!]; 2 level tsp sea salt; 1/2 level tsp demerara sugar; 1 heaped tsp dried oregano [lemon thyme works well too]; 3 generous tbsp good Olive Oil.

English: Super Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pre-heat the oven to 200-220 degrees C, 180-190 if a fan oven.  Halve the tomatoes and set them out close together, cut face uppermost, on a baking tray.  With the Olive Oil in a small bowl mix in the salt and sugar.  When dissolved add the dried oregano.  Carefully pour the mixture onto the tomato halves ensuring that each has its share.  Carefully place the tray in the upper part of the oven, check it’s up to temperature, then turn it off!

Leave the tomatoes in there all day, or prepare them in the evening and leave overnight if you anticipate needing the oven during the day.  When they are cooled you can [if you think they’ll last that long!!] put them in clean jam or olive jars and drizzle over them another tbsp of your Olive Oil for each jar.

A good idea is to make a nice ‘Rustic’ tag and tie it on to the jar, then you’ve the perfect thing to take to any ‘Foodie’ friend the next time you’re invited there for lunch or supper!