Best Preserved Tomatoes With Lemon Thyme Recipes

LEMON AND GARLIC CHICKEN WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cut each chicken breast into 2 equal pieces (3 if they weigh 12 ounces or more) and place in the bowl. Stir together and refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes.
• Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels (discard marinade). Place two sheets of plastic wrap (1 large sheet if you have extra-wide wrap) on your work surface, overlapping slightly, to make 1 wide sheet, and brush lightly with olive oil. Place a piece of chicken in the middle of plastic sheet and brush lightly with oil. Cover the chicken with another wide layer of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the outside, pound chicken breast with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/4 inch thick. (Don't pound too hard or you'll tear the meat. If that happens it won't be the end of the world, you'll just have a few pieces to cook.) Repeat with the remaining chicken breast pieces.
• Season the pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper on one side only. Dredge lightly in the flour (you will not use all of it) and tap the breasts to remove excess.
• Turn oven on low. Heat a wide, heavy skillet over high heat and add oil. When oil is hot, place one or two pieces of chicken in the pan - however many will fit without crowding. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes, until bottom is browned in spots. Turn over and brown other side, about 1 1/2 minutes. (Do not overcook or chicken will be dry.) Transfer to a platter or sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. If there is more than a tablespoon of fat in the pan, pour some off into a jar or bowl.
• Turn heat on burner down to medium-high. Add wine to pan and stir with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Add cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring often or tossing in the pan, until they begin to shrivel and burst. Add sugar and salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook, tossing the tomatoes in the pan and stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until tomatoes have collapsed but are still intact. Top chicken breasts with the tomatoes, sprinkle with parsley and with Parmesan if using, and serve.

PRESERVED TOMATOES WITH LEMON THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add tomatoes, and cook 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to the ice-water bath to stop the cooking; let cool completely in ice-water bath. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and let drain.
• Slit tomatoes lengthwise, leaving halves attached along 1 edge. Open each tomato like a book, and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until edges have shriveled slightly, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, stir together garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon thyme, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle one side of each tomato with about 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mixture; fold over other side.
• Layer tomatoes in a sterilized, dry 1-quart jar. Pour in enough oil to cover tomatoes. Place a round of waxed paper on surface to keep them submerged. Refrigerate at least 24 hours; let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.