Roasted Tomato thyme butter bruschetta!

 
Roasted Tomato Butter with Fresh Thyme

My neighbor and I both, have lot's of tomatoes on the bush that are calling to us, "pick me, pick me!" 

One of my favorite cooking techniques is roasting. The way that it caramelizes simple ingredients and brings out a whole new level of flavor......mmmmm  This recipe is inspired by some baby vine-ripened tomatoes in the garden, some Irish processed butter I have in the refrigerator and a very healthy herb garden.  I thought to myself…...Okay little fella's, let's go to my kitchen parlor!

We will start this recipe by slicing the tomatoes and tossing them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.  The funny thing is that we could stop right here.  The possibilities with plain oven roasted tomatoes are endless.  You can store these in the fridge and use them in breakfast sandwiches, fish, chicken, pasta dishes, or as a topping for bruschetta as I did…

Look at them.  Don’t you want to wiggle a little?  I do.

I decided to take things one step further. With my Irish processed butter!

Roasted Tomato-Thyme Butter

                           Makes approximately 2/3 cup 

• Slice in half 2 cups small vine-ripened tomatoes and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme
• Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes
• Mash in a bowl (or mix in a food processor) 1 stick softened butter with the roasted tomatoes and 2 tsp. lemon juice
• Season with salt and pepper

This roasted tomato butter is perfect spread on grainy toast for breakfast , on pan seared fish or delicious slathered on garlic bread for dinner.  I used it as a luxurious topping for an appetizer, spread on bruschetta. 

                         What will you do with it?

Cheers!
JJ