Fry Tender Tomatoes in Butter
It’s August, which means I should have had a decent tomato sandwich by now, but the weather in Portland is terrible, my garden is a disaster, and none of my tomatoes are ripe enough to be worthy of a sandwich.
Naturally, I bought a few, and unfortunately (but predictably) they suck. This happens to me every year and I have several strategies for dealing with dull tomatoes , but today – at the urging of a friend – I tried a slightly different approach and fried the slices in oil.
It’s almost too easy, but it works. As with any low quality product, adding oil (or any fat) means adding flavor, but that’s not all there is to it. The tomato releases a fair amount of water, which concentrates its flavor. These juices, in turn, mix and blend with the butter in the pan, creating a rich umami-flavored tomato butter with small, brown, concentrated sugar grains.
This is good.
It’s also easy. Simply chop the tomatoes, leaving the seeds and gel , and add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of salted butter for every four slices to the non-stick skillet. Set the heat to medium and add the tomato slices as soon as the oil begins to foam and sizzle. Cook for at least five minutes on each side until the tomatoes start to lose their shape a little and you start to see nice browned bits gathering around the pan.
Carefully transfer the tomatoes to a plate, and pour tomato oil on top. Season with salt and pepper, then use a silicone or wooden spatula to scrape off the little brown pieces and apply them to the tomatoes.
Serve as a side dish, on breakfast toast, or mixed with rice or pasta (with a little water for pasta). I ate mine with cold leftover chicken thighs , and I highly recommend you do the same.