On a visit to friends in Cape May on The Jersey Shore last month, I learned something new about the use of Parchment Paper. I had used Parchment Paper before, and was familiar with its non-stick properties, as well as how it allows for an easy cleanup after baking. I also knew of its use in preparing dishes en papillote. However, I did not know that it also aids in the browning of vegetables. This new use was revealed to me by our friend Lenore in her beautiful new kitchen.

Later that week as we visited with other friends farther north on The Jersey Shore, in Spring Lake, Margie served an appetizer of marinated tomatoes, which she had purchased from a local gourmet shop. They were delicious and I began thinking about how they might have been prepared. They were plum tomatoes, obviously roasted, then marinated in oil and garlic with a little parsley and basil, and probably some salt.

All the way home, after this restful and enlightening visit with friends at The Shore, as it is known, I kept thinking about the marinated tomatoes and how I would execute their preparation. First I needed to buy the parchment paper and Mason Jars.  That task accomplished I stopped at the market for the ingredients. Not being sure how far they would cook down, I bought 3 lbs. of plum tomatoes. I found the answer soon enough, they cooked down to about 1 qt., even with all of the added ingredients. I also discovered that they need to marinate for a couple of weeks in order to reach their full flavor.

The versatility and flavor of these Marinated Roasted Tomatoes makes them well worth the wait. Their rapid disappearance, however, convinced me to double the recipe in the future.